Dive into forest bathing
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ|July 2023
Shinrin-yoku - or forest bathing is a mindfulness practice that emerged in Japan in the 1980s, but which science now says is good for body, mind and soul.
CHERYL RICKMAN
Dive into forest bathing

It does my head and heart good to be with trees. Whenever I walk in woodland I feel at home; my heart expands, my mind lights up and my whole body relaxes. Trees are my temple, and the forest is my church. These gentle, generous giants have been way more fruitful than merely providing the fruit, nuts, berries and sap we harvest from them.

From apples and pears to actual stairs, in patiently feeding, fuelling, medicating, housing and supporting us, trees have helped shape our species, illuminating the way forward, enabling us to climb the heady heights of progress. Trees help heal our bodies with the remedies that come from their roots, bark, leaves and essential oils, and can help heal our minds with the calming and uplifting effects that come from spending time in their presence.

Trees as medicine

Seventy per cent of cancer-fighting plants reside only in rainforests and 25 per cent of all the medicines we use today come from the mere 1 per cent of rainforest plant species that have been tested for their medicinal properties. Willow bark gives us aspirin, cacao trees provide theophylline for asthma drugs, bark from the Pacific yew helps treat cancer, pine needles can be used as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic, essential oils from trees can be used to soothe various ailments, and tree shade can help lower the risk of skin cancer.

Heart health

This story is from the July 2023 edition of Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2023 edition of Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY NZView All
BATTLE FOR THE THRONE
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

BATTLE FOR THE THRONE

As word of a judgement leaks from the courtroom where the Murdochs have been tussling for power, those close to the throne suggest that the battle for the world’s most powerful media empire has only just begun.

time-read
9 mins  |
January 2025
AFTER THE WAVE
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

AFTER THE WAVE

Twenty years ago, the Boxing Day tsunami tore across the Indian Ocean, shredding towns, villages and holiday resorts, and killing hundreds of thousands of people from Indonesia to Africa. Three survivors share their memories of shock, terror and loss with The Weekly.

time-read
8 mins  |
January 2025
Escape to the country
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Escape to the country

Raised in New Zealand, design icon Collette Dinnigan opens the doors to her family homestead, where treasures from her travels rest side by side with the sights, sounds and style of her Australian life.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 2025
Ripe for the picking
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Ripe for the picking

Apricots are at their peak sweetness now, take inspiration from our savoury and sweet ideas.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2025
Grill-licious
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Grill-licious

The backyard barbecue has come a long way from the days of chargrilling some snags. Try our fresh batch of recipe inspiration for your next cook-up.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2025
Reclaim your brain
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Reclaim your brain

Perimenopause made me realise that our brains need looking after.

time-read
5 mins  |
January 2025
Long and the short of it
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Long and the short of it

If youre considering a chop and change, this is how to nail a hair transformation.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2025
Have we lost the art of conversation?
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Have we lost the art of conversation?

In a world of thumbs-up emojis and one-way voice memos, are we forgetting how to converse? The Weekly engages in an experiment in listening and genuine two-way chatting.

time-read
7 mins  |
January 2025
Farewell, 1936-2024 Maggie T
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Farewell, 1936-2024 Maggie T

At Lhe Weekly Maggie labberer was and remains our guiding light the epitome of elegance with a whip-smart intellect, naughty sense of fun and innate kindness. She was a one-off.

time-read
5 mins  |
January 2025
MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently
Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently

One year on from going public with her bowel cancer diagnosis, Mel Schilling reveals where she's at with her health journey and how it's changed her irrevocably.

time-read
9 mins  |
January 2025