How Forest Therapy Helps Us GROW in a BANI World
- Jun 16
- 5 min read
Written by Juna Ting-Wei Chang, Forest Therapy Guide
Juna Ting-Wei Chang is a forest therapy guide and founder of Shinrin-Yoku Taiwan, specialising in evidence-based forest therapy and Shinrin-yoku. She supports individuals and organisations in slowing down and gently returning their attention to themselves and the more-than-human world through nature.
Not long ago, I was guiding an ANFT relational forest therapy walk for twenty tech professionals on the National Taiwan University (NTU) campus. The participants expected nice warm weather. However, the forecast predicted rain, and on that day nature even gave us a surprise with a sudden, heavy downpour.
We moved quickly to the sheltered aisles of the campus library to avoid getting soaked. After guiding them through the "Pleasure of Presence" (POP) invitation to slow down and tune into their senses, we gathered for our first sharing circle. I invited them to be completely honest, to share not just the positive feelings, but the uncomfortable parts, too.
The emotional landscape that emerged was a beautiful testament to the power of guiding. In the beginning, participants shared feelings of deep uncertainty about showing up and real anxiety as they walked through the heavy and unpredictable rain. Yet, as we sat under the brick arches and allowed that discomfort to settle, the tension melted away. The external chaos transformed into an internal opening. One participant found deep mental clarity, another began reflecting on how they handle disruption in daily work life, and a parent realized it was actually a safe, magical place for children to play.
Even when we think we are prepared for a "rainy day," the modern world has a way of throwing a storm at us that overwhelms our systems. We used to call this a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous). Today, it has intensified into something far harsher, a BANI world.
Understanding our daily stress: What is a BANI world?
The acronym BANI, coined by futurist Jamais Cascio, describes an environment that has evolved past mere uncertainty into a state of permanent structural overload. It perfectly captures what the general public faces every single day.
Brittle: The systems we depend on, like our jobs, technology, and even our own energy, look strong on the outside but are actually easy to break. Under sudden pressure, things we thought were safe can fall apart instantly.
Anxious: Because everything changes so fast, we live with a constant feeling of worry and helplessness. We are always waiting for the next problem to happen, which makes us afraid of making the wrong choice.
Non-linear: The old rules of cause and effect do not seem to work anymore. A tiny event far away can cause huge, unexpected changes in our personal lives, making it feel impossible to plan for the future.
Incomprehensible (Unknowable): We are drowning in facts, news, and information, but we still feel lost. The harder we try to use logic to understand everything happening around us, the more tired and confused we get.
Trying to fight a BANI environment with tighter control, rigid planning, or hyper-productivity is exhausting. To survive and thrive, we need an internal ecosystem shift. Through forest therapy, we can intentionally move from BANI to GROW.
The antidote: How forest therapy helps us GROW
Just as frameworks describe our collective stress, we can use the practice of forest therapy to cultivate collective resilience. GROW stands for Grounded, Rooted, Open, and Wonder. Here is how nature guides our minds through this transition using the ANFT approach.
1. Grounded (Instead of brittle): When the world feels like it is about to break, forest therapy takes us out of our racing thoughts and brings us back to our physical body. By focusing on the temperature of the air, the sounds around us, and the solid earth beneath our feet, we feel steady again. Forest therapy doesn't stop the world from shaking, it reminds us that we are strong enough to stand steady through the shaking.
2. Rooted (Instead of anxious): Being rooted means building inner strength and connecting with others, just like the roots of trees under the soil. On a forest therapy walk, we practice staying right here in the present moment and make meaningful connections with others and the more-than-human world. This helps us sit quietly through life's storms instead of running away from them.
3. Open (Instead of non-linear): When things do not go according to plan, our habit is to tighten up and try to force things. Forest therapy teaches us how to let go. Through simple nature activities that have no "right or wrong" way to do them, we practice being flexible. We learn to meet unexpected changes with curiosity instead of anger.
4. Wonder (Instead of incomprehensible): When life makes no sense, trying to force a logical answer just makes our brains tired. The forest invites us to stop looking for answers and just enjoy the beauty around us. When we look closely at a leaf or watch rain fall, we experience wonder. Wonder helps us feel at peace with things we cannot explain, turning confusion into awe and calm reflection.
Why the forest is our best teacher
Stepping away to spend time with nature is not a waste of time or a way to escape real life. It is a necessary practice to stay healthy. The forest does not give us a handbook on how to fix our lives, but it helps us return to a natural, slower rhythm. It reminds us that humans are part of nature, and nature already knows exactly how to handle hard seasons, adapt to change, and grow beautifully after the storm.
Takeaway
We cannot stop the sudden storms of our busy world, but we can change how we live through them. You do not have to hide from the uncomfortable parts of life, and you do not have to live with constant worry.
The next time a sudden storm hits your life, step under the awning. Take a deep breath. Accept the discomfort, stop trying to figure everything out, and give yourself permission to GROW like a tree.
Read more from Juna Ting-Wei Changll
Juna Ting-Wei Chang, Forest Therapy Guide
Juna Ting-Wei Chang is a forest therapy guide and founder of Shinrin-Yoku Taiwan, now part of Green Shower. She is the first Taiwanese guide certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) and also holds the Taiwan Forest Therapist Certificate. With a background in languages, cross-cultural experience, and landscape and recreation management, Juna brings science, tradition, and lived experience together in a warm, grounded way. Her work supports individuals, organisations, and international groups in cultivating emotional resilience, presence, and sustainable wellbeing through nature-based practices.
