Feeling Sad? Hug a Tree!

 

To stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic, we have had to sacrifice many things we enjoy, including physical contact with others. Gone are handshakes, kisses and hugs.

Research has shown that humans need physical touch to stay mentally and physically² healthy. Without it, many become lonely, sad and even sick.

So, if you feel you need a hug, we know something you can safely put your arms around and hold close:

A tree!

Tree hugging may sound a little strange. But humans have practiced forms of nature therapy for years.

The Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku is an example. Shinrin means forest in Japanese, and yoku is the Japanese word for bath. But no soap or water is needed for shinrin-yoku. All that nature bathing requires is spending time in nature: listening to its sounds, breathing in its scent³, connecting to its life force.

Recently, Israel has been promoting tree hugging on social media. The country's nature and parks agency is behind the public health campaign. Orit Steinfeld is marketing⁴ director for Israel's Apollonia National Park.

"In this unpleasant corona¹ period," she said, "we recommend to people around the world to go out to nature, take a deep breath, hug a tree, express your love and get love."

The park is about 15 kilometers north of Tel Aviv. Inside the park, some visitors observed the official's advice and hugged trees.

Barbara Grant was one of them.

"The most basic human need," she said, "is for connection, for touching⁵, for hugging."

Visitor Moshe Hazan told Reuters he came to the park to hug a tree.

"We are not hugging too many people these days. Hugging a tree is quite a nice thing to do."

In May the coronavirus spread slowed in Israel. However, case numbers increased there in recent weeks. In response, the country renewed many COVID-19 restrictions⁶.

Israel's tree-hugging campaign is not the first of the pandemic. Iceland's Forest Service launched a similar effort in April. They advised everyone in the country to hug a tree for at least five minutes every day.

The Reuters news agency shared a short video showing people in Iceland hugging trees in the forest. Park officials also cleared paths in the woods so that visitors could socially distance while they searched for that special tree.

"There are plenty of trees," said a forest worker in the video, "no need for everyone to hug the same tree."

The story on Iceland's tree-hugging campaign was also reported on Treehugger.com. Naturally.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

pandemic medical noun: an occurrence⁷ in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

hug – n. to put your arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship

scent – n. a pleasant smell that is produced by something

promote – v. to help (something) happen, develop, or increase

recommend – v. to suggest that someone do (something)

unpleasant – adj. not enjoyable : causing discomfort⁸ or pain

express – v. to make known especially in words or actions

basic – adj. forming or relating to the most important part of something

spike⁹ – n. to undergo a sudden sharp increase in, usually up to an indicated level

1 corona   

n.日冕

参考例句：

• The corona gains and loses energy continuously.日冕总是不断地获得能量和损失能量。
• The corona is a brilliant,pearly white,filmy light,about as bright as the full moon.光环带是一种灿烂的珠白色朦胧光，几乎像满月一样明亮。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 occurrence   

n.发生，出现，事件，发生的事件

参考例句：

• Two things account for its occurrence.发生这件事的原因有两个。
• For a military commander，winning or losing a battle is a common occurrence.胜败乃兵家常事。

8 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

9 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。