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When we were first married, my husband and I went camping, because it was the only holiday we could afford. Now, we camp because spending time outdoors is relaxing and refreshing. Our recent camping trip in the fabulous Canadian Rocky Mountains inspired this week’s episode about the power of forest bathing and the rejuvenation that comes from spending time in nature. You’ll notice I’ve included a few pics from the trip. A couple of them are hazy because of the smoke from the forest fires burning in British Columbia. I hope you’re all staying safe out there!

“Forest bathing” sounds a bit exotic, but it’s not really. It refers to spending time among the trees. The term was coined in 1982 by the Japanese ministry of forestry. The practice of forest bathing as preventative health therapy became part of the public health program.

Hikers on the Maligne trail in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

But, being in the forest is only one way to experience the benefits of exposure to natural environments. As I mentioned, my husband and I car camp - that is, we camp in a tent, performing all the activities of daily living outside for a few days or weeks. We are also avid canoers and walkers. Yesterday, for example, we went for a 9-kilometer walk in the rain.

When we started out, it was spitting rain and we planned to walk a few blocks, but enjoyed it so much we kept walking until we reached Big Lake, which is about 4.5 km from home. By then, it was pouring, and by the time we got home, we were soaked through. But, we both loved it - we particularly enjoyed the strange looks we got from passing motorists!

We weren’t the only ones enjoying the rain, either. We passed several joggers and cyclists and, when we got to the lake, we walked by a man wearing the classic yellow rain slicker and pants. He was sitting on a park bench, meditating! Next time it rains, I’m going to try this out.

Maligne River, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Mark Sisson, author of Primal Connection and host of www.marksdailyapply.com explains our genes prime us to be partial to the sounds, smells, and sights of nature:

What characterizes our mindset in nature, that involuntary bottom-up attention that has the power to reset us mentally? The key is in the senses. You may notice as you spend more time in nature that your involuntary awareness takes over, and your senses become heightened. Sounds are quieter but more subtly layered. Your sight is more expansive. Your sense of touch, finer. Your sense of smell, more acute. Surrounded by nature, your perception reorients to its default setting. Instinctively, you know this and have likely experienced it. Whenever you step outside your commotion-filled asphalt environment and truly inhabit a wild space, you’re more relaxed and sharply aware (Primal Connection, page 109).

Moberly Lake, Pierre Grey's Lakes Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada

To me, Sisson’s relaxed, sharp awareness sounds like a meditative state. Many outdoor activities can be experienced in a state of open awareness, a form of meditation where you simply let yourself be in the moment, allowing yourself to experience all aspects of the environment as they come and go, without judging them.

Hikers and canoeists at Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

When my husband and I canoe, for example, we stay silent except for times when we need to coordinate our paddling to navigate.