A forest is a place of charm, of mystery, myths... It’s a living organism that can truly
help us. Let’s see how this health and happiness system is related to Portugal.
But first things first!
What is the forest bathing?
Nowadays it assumes an even more relevant importance than before. Due to our digital dependence and the speed at which life moves today, we do not leave space to simply exist and breathe.
Forest bathing is essentially a sensory experience. We don't need to go for walks or extreme exercise. We need to be surrounded by trees, in silence, without cell phones or other distractions. Forest bathing essentially consists of being present in the moment you are experiencing, feeling everything around you. The sounds, the smells, the wind that hits the tree branches, the birds, the green and humid moss. Walk or simply find the ideal spot for you and sit down. Breathe and feel.
How did forest bathing come about?
Forest bathing as a medicinal practice in Japan dates back to the 1980s. Around
that time, the world was beginning to realize the negative consequences of
depression, lack of attention, suffering and pain. These effects have only worsened over time, and are now a reality in cities around the world. It's difficult to fully relax in cities due to the sensory overload caused by heavy traffic, large populations and long hours in offices. The great demand for real estate has left several cities "poor in green", with few trees and parks to give at least an illusion of nature.
This is where the importance of forest bathing becomes evident. Being in a forest and paying attention to what is around us both reduces the stress of having to do something and gives us a moment of peace.
Dr. Qing Li, MD, PhD, is a physician at Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, president of the Society of Forest Medicine, and author of "The Art and Science of Forest Bathing – How Trees Can Help Find Health and happiness." He estimates that we spend 93% of our time indoors. He identified a nature deficit disorder in society that contributes to negative feelings about life but can be significantly improved
with just a few hours of forest bathing.
The many health benefits of forest bathing
Forest bathing has become an essential part of preventive health care in Japan. Results from Japanese studies show that forest bathing improves sleep quality, mood, ability to focus, and reduces stress levels. Chronic stress can contribute to the development of diseases such as anxiety, depression and insomnia, among others. It can also contribute to physiological problems such as high blood pressure, muscle tension and reduced immune response.
Spending time in nature, away from modern technology and large urban centers can improve physical and mental health, reducing the effects of stress on the body. Prescribed forest bathing in Japan has resulted in a healthier lifestyle for people of all ages.
The other benefits
The true value of forest bathing lies in its accessibility. Forest bathing has similar benefits to other practices, such as Zen meditation and mindfulness, and is a much less challenging concept. Meditation requires a moment of stillness in which we let our thoughts pass through our mind without engaging with them. Mindfulness, in turn, is the active awareness of what is around us, of life's circumstances, and the
perception of our emotions in the moment. However, in a forest meditation and mindfulness happen naturally when we allow our senses to focus on the small, simple changes around us.
But what is the relationship between forest bathing and Portugal?
Do you know Mata Nacional do Bussaco?
No? Well, you really should!
In possession of the Bishopric of Coimbra since 1094, the Forest was donated in 1628 by the then Bishop of Coimbra, D. João Manuel, to the Order of Discalced Carmelites for the construction of their “Desert” in Portugal. Work began in August of that year, the construction of the convent and its enclosure would end by 1630,
when regular monastic life began.
The convent of Santa Cruz was built with the simplicity required by the hermitical vocation of the Desert. The architectural cork covering or embrechado as a decorative technique extended to the convent circuit reflects the spirit of detachment appropriate to the ascetic practices of religious people. From 1644 onwards, under the aegis of D. Manuel Saldanha, Rector of the University of Coimbra, a Via Crucis with very strong ideological and propagandistic contours
was built in the image of Jerusalem, destined to represent the steps of the Passion of Jesus Christ. The native Portuguese forest was treated by successive generations of monks in order to represent Mount Carmel as the original place of the Order.
On September 27, 1810, the forest was the scene of the Battle of Bussaco (one of the bloody episodes of the Napoleonic invasions in Portugal) and the Convent served as a base of operations for the Duke of Wellington in the confrontation between Portuguese-British and French troops.
In 1834 the extinction of religious orders decreed the end of the presence of the Discalced Carmelites in Bussaco.
There follows a period, between 1834 and 1855, which we can classify as transitional, in which the forest was left unmanaged and without a person responsible for it.
In 1856, the Forest was transferred to the General Administration of Forests of
the Kingdom, with an administrator being appointed in 1856 and the forest
“...given a special regime when the administration of the national forests was reformed in 1872”, having entered “with the government support...in a very important phase of improvements”. These improvements include the main
and most significant garden area, which surrounds the Convent and the Hotel
known as Jardim Novo, built in 1886-87, as well as the Santa Teresa Waterfall. It is
a traditional garden design, with a Baroque influence, characteristic of the
18th and 19th centuries, with flowerbeds delimited by carved boxwood hedges.
In 1888 Emídio Navarro, then Minister of Public Works, began the construction of
a royal palace, in neo-Manueline style, designed by the Italian architect and set
designer Luigi Manini (1848-1936). The works were completed in 1907.
Mata do Buçaco is the first therapeutic forest in the Iberian Peninsula
The certification of the Buçaco National Forest as a therapeutic forest was awarded by the International Office for Therapeutic Forests Certification.
On October 30, 2024, Mata do Buçaco became the first therapeutic forest in
the Iberian Peninsula.
Just waiting for the translation of the diploma that certifies this international
recognition. Those responsible have already been notified and this is the
conclusion of the process with consequent international recognition.
Sleep in a piece of Portuguese History
The Palace Hotel do Bussaco is a fairytale castle in the middle of an enchanted forest, offering you the unique experience of staying in a true royal palace, considered, since 1917, as one of the most beautiful, romantic and historic hotels in the world. The palace was built from 1888 onwards for the last Kings of Portugal, and is located two hours from Lisbon, and one from Porto, inside the Bussaco National Forest, Portugal's botanical and natural ex-libris.
This immense forest of 105 hectares, planted and walled by the Order of Discalced Carmelites in the 1st quarter of the century. XVII, it has plant species from all over the world, many of them gigantic, and provides countless and unforgettable walking tours in close contact with nature, passing by stunning fountains, chapels, hermitages and viewpoints in the mountains above.
Its Way of the Cross and the Convent of Santa Cruz also give this unique and bucolic place a rare environment of greatest peace and serenity. In the center of this unique landscape and architectural complex in Europe, the Palace Hotel do Bussaco, a true royal palace in the most fascinating neo-Manueline style, with its grand and harmonious noble staircase, is sumptuously furnished and decorated
with countless works of art, magnificent frescoes, valuable paintings and fantastic tile panels representing the Epic of Portuguese Discoveries and the Battle of Bussaco, designed by the greatest Portuguese masters of the XIX century.
In Mealhada you can find good wines and a unique gastronomy. Come and find out! We are waiting for you!
Shinrin = forest
Yoku = bath
The benefits of the forest in our health.