Forest Bathing and Mindfulness in the Slavkov Forest
The Japanese call it shinrin-yoku — literally "forest bathing". They mean a conscious, slow immersion in the atmosphere of the forest with all the senses. No hike, no sporting goals. Simply being, breathing, perceiving.
What began in Japan in the 1980s as a public health programme has grown into a worldwide movement. Time in the forest is today associated in meta-analyses with a short-term reduction in stress and anxiety — and few places in Europe offer better conditions for it than the forests around Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad).
Why Mariánské Lázně?
The Slavkov Forest — a Place of Exceptional Calm
The Slavkov Forest is no ordinary woodland. With an area of over 600 square kilometres, it is one of the most sparsely populated forest regions in Central Europe. No industry, no transit traffic, almost no light pollution. Clean air and a silence you will not experience in the city.
What makes this forest even more exceptional are the volcanic CO₂ vents that seep through the soil in many places. The same geological forces feed the mineral springs of Mariánské Lázně — in the forest you come across them as bubbling mofettes and inconspicuous iron-red streams. A walk here is at the same time a small excursion into geology.
Phytoncides — the Scent of the Coniferous Forest
Trees, especially conifers, release volatile organic compounds called phytoncides. These essential oils protect the trees from pests and pathogens — and they are what you smell when the forest is fragrant with resin after rain. It was phytoncides that the Japanese physician Qing Li studied: in his small studies (groups of around twelve healthy people), higher NK cell activity was measured after a three-day stay in the forest, persisting for over a month (Li, 2009, Environ Health Prev Med). The samples were very small and not randomised; this is therefore a laboratory indicator, not a count of infections suffered.
In the Slavkov Forest, with its extensive stands of spruce, fir and pine, the scent is strongest on warm days after rain.
Guided Forest Therapy
What Is a Forest Therapy Walk?
A guided forest therapy walk differs fundamentally from a classic hike. The route is short — rarely more than two kilometres. The pace is slow, conscious, meditative. The guide leads the group through a series of sensory exercises that draw attention away from thoughts to what you are perceiving right now.
A Typical Session
Arrival (15 minutes): The group gathers at the edge of the forest. The guide invites everyone to switch off their devices and turn their attention inwards. An opening breathing exercise synchronises the rhythm of the group.
Conscious walking (20 minutes): Slow walking on the soft forest floor. Attention on the sensations in the soles of the feet — the crackle of needles, the give of moss. The guide offers gentle prompts: "Feel the air on your skin. What differences in temperature do you notice?"
Silent sitting (15 minutes): Everyone finds a spot — by the trunk of a tree, on a stone, in the moss. Ten minutes of silence. No instructions, no goal. Just presence.
Sensory exercises (30 minutes): The guide leads various exercises in perception. Touching the bark of trees with eyes closed. Mapping the soundscape around you. Consciously breathing the forest air in through the nose and distinguishing its layers — resin, damp earth, mushrooms, flowers.
Tea (15 minutes): The group gathers in a clearing. The guide prepares tea from local herbs — yarrow, mint, lemon balm. Drinking together in silence closes the formal session.
Sharing (15 minutes): Those who wish share their experience. Many participants describe a surprising emotional depth — calm, a sense of belonging, sometimes tears of relief.
Breathing Exercises at the Mineral Springs
The Colonnade as a Path of Mindfulness
What if the daily drinking cure at the Colonnade were more than just taking in mineral water? In the mindfulness tradition, the walk from spring to spring can be approached as a walking meditation. The drinking cure itself — which springs and how much — is prescribed by your spa physician; the mindfulness is what you add.
How to do it:
Begin at the Cross Spring. Drink and pause. Notice the temperature of the water, the faintly metallic taste, the tingle of dissolved CO₂ on the tongue.
Walk slowly to the next spring. Do not count your steps — feel them. The marble floor beneath your feet, the light coming through the windows of the Colonnade, the voices of the other guests as a steady hum in the background.
At each spring: three conscious breaths before drinking. Breathe in through the nose, tasting the mineral-laden air. Breathe out through the mouth, releasing tension.
This simple practice turns a therapeutic routine into a daily ritual of mindfulness. Many spa guests report that the drinking cure then benefits not only the body but the soul.
Meditation Spots in Mariánské Lázně
1. The Forest Park above the Singing Fountain
On the slope behind the famous Singing Fountain lies an old forest park with interlacing paths. Away from the main routes are quiet benches with views across the valley. Early in the morning, when mist still lingers between the trees, it is one of the most peaceful places in town.
2. The Geological Park
The Geological Park on the edge of the spa quarter combines nature with science. Among the rock formations and mighty trees are several sheltered corners suited to quiet meditation. The beech forest above the Town Museum adds shade and silence.
3. The Path to the Forest Spring
The Forest Spring lies about 20 minutes' walk from the town centre, in the forest. The path leads through dense mixed woodland, over small bridges, past streams. At the spring itself there is usually complete calm — an ideal place for a longer seated meditation.
4. The Priessnitz Arboretum
On the northern edge of town lies a historic arboretum with rare tree species from around the world. Its well-kept paths and the variety of trees make it a special place for conscious walking. Each tree tells a different story — through its bark, the shape of its leaves, its scent.
What the Studies Say about Forest Bathing
Stress
The most extensive studies on forest bathing come from Japan and South Korea. A meta-analysis of eight studies found lower salivary cortisol after time in the forest than in the city; it is a short-term effect and the authors point out that expectation may play a role (Antonelli et al., 2019, Int J Biometeorol). A systematic review of 28 studies described improvements in cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and psychological indicators, though the quality of the individual studies varies (Wen et al., 2019, Environ Health Prev Med).
Mood and a Head Full of Thoughts
A meta-analysis of twenty studies described a short-term reduction in anxiety after time in the forest (Kotera et al., 2020, Int J Ment Health Addict). A meta-analysis of 24 experimental studies then showed that exercise in nature reduces anxiety and fatigue and improves mood more than the same exercise in the city; the authors point to a high risk of bias (Wicks et al., 2022, Appl Psychol Health Well‑Being). And a well-known Stanford study with 38 healthy adults found that a 90-minute walk in nature reduced rumination — the repeated turning over of negative thoughts — as well as activity in the brain region associated with it, whereas a walk of the same length through the city did not (Bratman et al., 2015, PNAS). It was a small sample and a single walk.
One thing needs adding: according to a systematic review of 17 studies, walks in nature are a useful complement that should be combined with psychotherapy, not replace it (Ma et al., 2023, Curr Psychol). If you suffer from long-term anxiety or depression, forest bathing does not replace the care of a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Linking Tradition and the Present
Mariánské Lázně has always been a place where nature and healing belong together. The spa physicians of the 19th century prescribed "terrain cures" — systematic walks through the forests and parks, adapted to the patient's state of health. Gradients, distances and rest intervals were precisely calibrated.
Forest bathing continues this tradition at a different pace: instead of performance, it emphasises perception. And Mariánské Lázně offers ideal conditions for it: the forest right on the doorstep, a two-hundred-year tradition of treatment with natural resources and an infrastructure in which it can be combined with classic climate therapy.
Practical Tips
When to go: At any time of year. In early summer the forest smells most intense, in October the beeches above the Forest Spring blaze with colour, and the winter silence under snow is a meditative experience like no other.
Equipment: Comfortable, waterproof clothing and sturdy shoes are enough. Leave your phone at the hotel — or at least switch it to flight mode.
Duration: Research has not set a recommended minimum; in the studies above it was mostly walks of tens of minutes to an hour and a half. Go for as long as feels comfortable.
Combining with the cure: Talk to your spa physician about including forest bathing in your treatment plan. What to add to the treatments is decided by the physician after the initial examination.
Alone or in a group: Both have their value. Guided walks offer structure and guidance. Being alone in the forest opens up a deeper, more intimate experience. Try both.
The Forest Is Waiting
It stood here long before the first guests arrived in Mariánské Lázně. For generations it has given shade, silence and clean air to those who sought them. Today we can add a few figures from the studies.
The Slavkov Forest is not a backdrop to your spa stay — it can be part of it. Step in. Breathe. And let the forest work on you.
