BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 21, 2021
Last weekend, when many in the city were abuzz about loosened restrictions for restaurants and gatherings, a group of Mainers got together for a different pandemic recovery plan: forest bathing among the pines and hemlocks of Portland’s Baxter Woods. Forest bathers can do a number of things, from walking, deep breathing, yoga, eating snacks, pottery or guided meditations. The overwhelming simplicity of forest bathing can obscure the fact that its impacts are real and scientifically documented. “It’s basically mindfulness in nature,” said Susan Bickford, an artist and certified forest therapy guide says about forest bathing. “It’s always a shock to me because it seems so simple, and then people’s response affirms that it’s really healing and unique.”