Embracing “Woo-Woo” Wellness on the West Coast of Canada

“Forest bathing”, “sound bathing” and ocean bathing on a floating sauna in the middle of Howe Sound. These are words and activities that I could only put together where it makes complete sense to do so: on British Columbia’s West Coast.

Canada’s westernmost province has always had a bit of a hippy-dippy reputation when it comes to its population. Even the ski bums here seem to have a spiritual side that elevates them beyond the typical adrenaline junkies or thrill seekers just looking for the freshest powder. No doubt the natural beauty accounts for some of this; after all, it’s hard not to feel the presence and power of Mother Nature when you are surrounded by spectacular mountains, towering temperate rain forests and Pacific surf crashing onto unspoiled beaches.

It’s probably no surprise then that when it comes to wellness activities in British Columbia, Vancouver and environs is where you will find a concentration of experiences that leans toward alternative lifestyles and spiritual practices, or the “woo-woo” side of life as I tend to think of it. So when I had the chance to lean into some of these wellness experiences on my first visit to Squamish and Whistler, I let go of my skeptical let’s-get-down-to-business Ontario attitude and opened myself up to all the possibilities a “woo-woo” approach to wellness – and life – might offer.

Forest Bathing at Squamish Canyon

As a self-professed tree hugger, (having been converted on my first visit to an old growth forest on Vancouver Island), I was probably more open than some people to the idea of forest bathing. Plus as a concept, it is well-documented that immersing yourself in nature helps improve mental and physical health.

But what’s new about ‘forest bathing’ is the formalization of this as a therapeutic practice. Participants are guided through different exercises that help them to still their minds and experience the forest with all their senses. To help with this, Tourism Squamish had arranged for our travel group to meet with Loretta Cella, a certified counsellor and public speaker with multiple degrees and decades of coaching experience, who would lead us through a forest bathing wellness experience at Squamish Canyon.

ORIGINS: Forest bathing actually started in Japan in the 1980s, where it is called shinrin-yoku. Forest bathing became a way to help alleviate some of the stress-related illnesses and anxiety that go hand in hand with rapid urbanisation and a work culture that leaves little room for personal relaxation. Drawing on Japan’s Shinto and Buddhist roots, forest bathing focused on the spiritual and healing qualities of nature. 

An Elevated Forest Experience

Squamish Canyon already has all the makings for a perfect forest immersion experience: newly-built elevated walkways wind their way through a second-growth forest in a beautiful canyon (complete with waterfall) in the heart of the BC rainforest. Great care has been taken to protect the forest floor with minimal impact and connection points for the walkways, and the path follows the natural spaces between the trees, sometimes even carving out space for existing trees to grow through the platforms.

Dripping with moss and old man’s beard lichens, and home to all kinds of birds and wildlife, these trees form a natural green canopy, and the raised boardwalks make visitors feel like they are suspended underneath it as they wind their way through the forest.

Arriving at the Forest Lounge rest area in the heart of the canyon, we met up with Loretta who gave us a brief introduction to her wellness practice as we enjoyed a light lunch in this casual outdoor restaurant space. We then continued our walk as Loretta guided us through a series of exercises that were designed to increase our sensory awareness and help us sync with the natural rhythms of the forest. We started by grounding ourselves with our backs to trees while we did some deep breathing, consciously trying to focus on the sensations and sounds all around us. At another point on the walk, we donned blindfolds next to a rushing waterfall, to further block out distraction and focus our senses internally on the sound of the water and the sensation it produced within us.

The “woo-woo-wannabe” in me definitely threw herself into the moment, and I could certainly appreciate the calming quality of these meditative moments. Ironically, the biggest distraction from this inner exploration was the outer beauty that surrounded me: because as much as I wanted to focus on the internal, it was impossible to resist sneaking peaks to admire the beautiful forest and gorge all around me. Which is also kind of the point of forest bathing, I would think (even if the camera may have come out a little too frequently for a true forest bather’s liking).

For a first-time forest bather, I may not have fully immersed myself, but I felt like I had at least dipped my toe in.

Cold water plunging from a floating sauna in Howe Sound

If I had barely broken the surface with my forest bathing initiation, I definitely would go deeper both literally and figuratively on the next day with a zodiac ride out to a floating sauna anchored offshore in Howe Sound. But before heading onto the ocean we began with a strength and flexibility class at Squamish’s new Fili Space workout studio followed by one of their delicious, anti-oxidant-packed smoothies.

Suitably refreshed, we we were off to soak up the cedar scent of a sauna and the spectacular views from the water just a few miles from the Squamish Marina.

Operated by InFlow Adventure Company of Squamish, the floating sauna is a one-of-a-kind retreat from the everyday, offering a relaxing and unique way to experience the beauty of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Howe Sound. Guests enjoy a scenic boat ride out to a peaceful bay where they have a private floating sauna at their disposal for an entire morning or afternoon. There’s a large deck with chairs for soaking up the sun and admiring the mountain views, and if the weather is less welcoming, the hot sauna becomes that much more appealing.

The weather on the day of our visit was nothing short of spectacular, with a cloudless sky above and not so much as a cool breeze to chase us into the sauna. But with the temperature of the water in the Sound hovering at around 12 degrees Celsius, the sauna was just the nudge we needed to convince some of our group to go for a dip.

The whole experience felt a bit like a floating nordic spa with a cold plunge waiting just off the deck. I was definitely game, and despite the temperature, it actually felt exhilarating to immerse myself in the cold and then let the sun on the deck take away the chill afterwards.

Alternating between these hot and cold extremes is a wellness activity embraced by many people, especially in Scandinavian countries, and they will swear by the health benefits it provides. But even if a polar bear dip is not for everyone, there’s still something very good for the soul about spending a day on the water in a tranquil bay surrounded by snow-capped mountains and brilliant blue skies.

TIP: I know what you are probably wondering: what to do when Mother Nature calls – and yes, there is a small change room in the back of the sauna that also has a composting toilet. There are also cozy Pendleton blankets you can use, if you’ve forgotten your towel at home or it’s a cooler day. (The founders at Inflow have thought of everything to ensure your experience is worry-free.)

Soaking in a Crystal Sound Bath in Whistler

Forest bathing and cold plunging seemed like a good way to introduce the “woo-woo” skeptics to some of the wellness activities in British Columbia, and I had no trouble seeing how these activities could easily be adopted by the mainstream. But when I heard our group was booked for a crystal sound bath at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, I did raise an eyebrow. Crystals always seem to figure prominently in anything ‘out there’, so I went into the experience with an open mind but a few preconceptions.

Expecting to be greeted by a yogi or guru from a far-flung Asian monastery, I was surprised when our ‘sound healer’ turned out to be a 40-something woman who looked like she came straight from your neighbourhood pilates class.

As it turned out, she was actually more of a musician than a mage, ‘playing’ the selection of different-sized crystal quartz bowls like a pianist might play the keys on a piano.

In a demonstration, she explained that each vessel has its own tone, depending on how she ‘plays’ it, and that the bowls have become more resonant as they’ve aged. Her compositions are largely freestyle but like all musicians, she always seeks to create a harmonious soundscape, in this case designed to help participants relax and think of nothing but the tones.

Instructed to lie down with our heads pointing towards the sound, she spent the next 30 minutes or so creating sounds and tonal compositions that were almost like music. In fact, it was hard to believe that there were no other instruments in the room. Our only instruction was to relax and give ourselves permission to do nothing except listen as the sounds washed over us. And if we fell asleep? That was the best outcome of all, suggesting that we had reached the ultimate level of inner calm and restfulness.

If this was what crystal sound bathing was all about, I don’t know what I had been so skeptical about. This experience was just an introduction of course, and it would be an over-simplification to reduce this concept to a mere afternoon nap accompanied by soothing sounds. Because after speaking with another member in our group who had done a previous sound bath experience with the bowls actually placed on her body, she explained that her session had became very emotionally cathartic and actually left her in tears. Obviously different experiences, like the bowls themselves, can resonate differently with different individuals, and offer other ways to ‘heal’ than just relaxation. Perhaps the key is being granted the permission to let go of all the other distractions in our lives so that we can focus on our own health and wellbeing, even if for only 40 minutes.

So, Was I Wooed by the “Woo-Woo” of the West Coast?

Whether it’s about wellness, spirituality, or just different cultural ‘norms’, it’s often much easier to embrace alternative ideas and practices when you are out of your regular routine and immersed in a place or environment that supports different ways of thinking. And certainly the west coast of Canada provides that kind of opportunity. Mother nature is at her most spectacular here and many of the people who live here, or who have come here from elsewhere, are advocates of a healthier lifestyle that at least allows room for them to pause and appreciate the beauty of what is around them.

So if “woo-woo” translates to being present in, and not just hiking through beautiful rain forests, swimming in a cold ocean inlet and feeling your whole body tingling with the sensation, or just stopping to breathe everything in, literally and figuratively, I’m definitely on board with any approach to wellness that encourages me to stop and smell the roses.

Or even to listen to a quartz ensemble of singing bowls.

Special thanks to Tourism Squamish and Tourism Whistler who hosted Henk and I and several other travel writers on our visit to Squamish and Whistler and introduced us to these wellness activities in British Columbia.