Learn how spending time in the forest can make you a happier person.

Do you need a little reset? How about a break for the return to normal in a post-COVID world? Nature is the key. Brookside Gardens, one of the most popular parks in Montgomery County, has a new series of classes designed to teach you how to connect with nature and relieve stress.

The eight-week class is called "Strolls For Well-Being at Brookside Gardens" and is based on shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of forest bathing.

The exclusive series is one of two programs held in the United States and will be offered twice a year at the park. Brookside Garden's vast network of walking paths and plants makes it the perfect location for an innovative program like this. Forest bathing originated in Japan and teaches people how to use their senses to immerse themselves in nature with the goal of healing the body.

A research study conducted in the 1980s found that forest bathing helped the immune system, improved the function of the circulatory and respiratory systems, decreased allergies, and helped with depression and mood disorders. It also made people experience feelings of gratitude and selflessness. The study also found that people who spend more time or live in green spaces are happier, in better health, and have more energy.

Four sessions of the class are being offered that run from the beginning of April to mid-June. The class is held once a week for an hour and a half and includes a different themed walk each time. Students will also receive a 110-page journal that details each nature walk and can be used to take notes. The cost of the class is $75 per person.

Sign up now online at activemontgomery.org.

Can’t make it to the class? Download the guide to practicing garden mindfulness at home on the park website.

Have you gone "forest bathing" before? Sound off in the comments below.