• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.273-288
• /
• 2023

Although many studies have been conducted on techniques and effects that can be applied to forest meditation in domestic forest healing meditation research, there has been little research on the space where forest meditation takes place. Nevertheless, a meditation space is not just a place concept but a forest environment element responsible for the healing function of a forest, i.e., a place containing healing factors, and can be an essential clue to the healing mechanism. Therefore, to determine whether a healing forest meditation space is suitable for meditation, this study selected the attribute items of the meditation space using the Delphi expert survey and then surveyed the user satisfaction of the healing forest meditation space using the IPA (Importance Performance Analysis) technique. The survey was conducted from August to November 2022, targeting 315 adults who used the forest meditation space at the National Center for Forest Therapy, the Saneum Healing Forest, and the Jathyanggi Pureunsup Arboretum in Gyeonggi Province. The result of the IPA analysis showed the average satisfaction with the forest meditation space was relatively high at 4.33 points on a 5-point Likert scale (4.33 points for the National Center for Forest Therapy, 4.34 points for the Saneum Healing Forest, and 4.37 points for the Jathyanggi Pureunsup Arboretum), indicating that the three healing forest meditation spaces were suitable for forest meditation. Satisfaction with the "Sounds of nature" was high in all three forests. On the other hand, all three forests showed a relatively low satisfaction with "Quietness," indicating it to be a priority problem to be addressed. Also, an open-ended questionnaire survey showed that the mediation space's natural elements, such as natural sounds, scenery, air, forest spaces, and scents, had a higher positive impact on meditation satisfaction than artificial elements, such as facilities. Therefore, it is essential to secure sound resources such as the sound of water and birds around the meditation space, and it is also necessary to consider ways to create a meditation forest in an independent area to avoid encounters with visitors and allow only participants in the forest healing meditation program to enter to increase satisfaction with forest meditation.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.658-666
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of yoga and meditation-focused forest healing programs on profiles of mood states and stress reactions of adults. We tested 17 adults who agreed to participate in the experiments that were conducted for 2 nights and 3 days between September 8 to 10, 2017 in the healing forest located at Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do. The test used the simplified version of the inventory for the profile of mood states (K-POMS-B: Korean version of Profile of Mood States-Brief) and the stress response inventory as the measuring tools. For data analysis, we examined the differences in the profile of mood states and stress response of subjects before and after participation in the program through the paired T-tests with the SPSS 24.0 program. The analysis of the impact of the yoga and meditation-focused forest healing program on the profile of mood states of the test subjects showed the statistically significant reduction of the total score of the profile of mood states. Although the vigor among sub-level inventories increased, it was not statistically significant. But the tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion showed a statistically significant reduction. The analysis of the impact of the yoga and meditation-focused forest healing program on the stress response of the test subjects showed a statistically significant reduction. Among sub-level inventories, the tension, somatization, anger, depression, fatigue, and frustration showed a statistically significant reduction, but the aggressiveness did not. It is expected that the results of this study can be utilized in the future as reference data for clarifying the effects of yoga and meditation-focused forest healing programs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.104 no.1
• /
• pp.150-161
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to obtain the basic data for the effective development and operation of forest healing by analysing the preference of adults on the forest therapy program. The survey of 516 normal adults on the forest therapy program was conducted. Using SPSS 21.0 Program, data analysis of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of each program confirmed number of covariate, and so we conducted a factor analysis to short meaningful data. And then we looked at the forest healing program preference difference according to demographic characteristics(sex, age, residence, occupation) through reliability analysis, frequency analysis, T-test, analysis of variance(ANOVA). Facter analysis was performed by use of the VariMax orthogonal rotation factor analysis to abbreviate 37 forest therapy program. Through this, the program has been reduced such as 7 program group(1: psychology-based treatment, 2: teaching and counselling-based treatment, 3: camping and forest bath-based treatment, 4: diet-based treatment, 5: nature and plant-based treatment, 6: meditation-based treatment, 7: respiration and yoga-based treatment) and 7 independent programs(1: sleeping in the forest, 2: vision quest, 3: soaking in water, 4: walking wearing shoes, 5: viewing the forest, 6: mountaineering, 7: athletics in the forest). With this criterion, the forest therapy program difference in accordance with sex, age, residence, occupation has been investigated. First, it was verified that there was a significant difference between male and female in the group of such as psychology-based treatment, diet-based treatment, mountaineering. Second, there appeared a significant difference in groups such as teaching and counselling-based treatment, camping and forest bath-based treatment, nature and plant-based treatment, respiration and yoga-based treatment, athletics in the forest. Third, according to the residence, there appeared a significant difference in groups such as psychology-based treatment, teaching and counselling-based treatment, diet-based treatment, nature and plant-based treatment, meditation-based treatment, vision quest, mountaineering, athletics in the forest. Fourth, according to the occupation, there appeared a significant difference in groups such as nature and plant-based treatment, medication-based treatment, vision quest, walking wearing shoes, viewing the forest, mountaineering. As shown before, it seems to be necessary that we should be mindful of this investigation which shows variety of preference of adults on the forest therapy program according to demographic characteristics. We expect the results of this study to be utilized as basic data for the development of forest therapy program targeting on adults.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.35-48
• /
• 2018

This research was carried out to provide a good quality forest healing program as a basic source of development by researching the general characteristics of users of Geiji Mountain in North Jeolla Province, the recognition of forest healing and regional preference programs. As a result of the survey, Geigisan Mountain is used as a natural place for recreation and leisure of residents of Jeonju. The most important factors in the selection of forest healing programs for visitors were the activities, organization and chronology of the program, and the main purpose was to improve health. Week-by-week programs utilizing weekends were preferred for management of forest healing programs. It was revealed that sports programs prefer to enjoy natural scenery, forest experience programs, healing programs, forest therapy programs, meditation programs, and listening to forest music. The outcome of this study is expected to be used as a basic source for developing and researching a program for forest healing in the area of Mt. Meanwhile, the limit on the composition of suitable forest healing programs according to preference is required for continuous and continuous integrated study of the forest healing program for the future of the forest healing program.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.118-129
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to offer the preliminary data for the development of forest therapy program. This exploratory study is about the development of forest healing program by identifying what is the forest healing program preferences of potential consumers and would be an important basis for the operation. The survey of interests and needs of 620 people on the forest therapy was analyzed. Using SPSS 21.0 program, statistical analysis, frequency analysis, T-test, One-way ANOVA, we looked at the differences in forest healing program preferences according to gender, age, occupation. Forest therapy program preference was found to vary depending on sex, age and job. First, according to gender, men preferred athletic in the forest and camping compared to women, and women showed a higher preference than men in the overall program. Second, depending on age, as compared to other age, for 20s; stress assessment & diagnosis, cooking in the forest, photo therapy in the forest, for 30s; walking in the forest, counseling, listening to lectures(stress-related or interpersonal relationships-related), communication-related lectures and vision quest, for 40s; meditation, viewing the forest, forest bathing wind bathing sun bathing, walking on barefoot in the forest, for 50s; breathing breathing exercises, yoga, mountaineering, climbing in silence, eating wild food, respectively, each of those programs were especially favored. Third, the forest healing program preference in accordance with the job is as follows. For students; stress assessment & diagnosis, cooking in the forest, etc., for teachers; walking in the forest, mountaineering, reading in the forest, viewing the forest, forest bathing wind bathing sun bathing, camping etc., for housewives; yoga, listening to the sound of water flowing, drinking herbal tea, eating wild food, for specialist researcher; breathing breathing exercises, climbing in silence, meditation, sleeping in the forest, respectively, each of those programs were especially favored. We expect the results of this study to be utilized as basic data for the development of forest therapy program targeting on adults.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.667-675
• /
• 2018

This study was conducted to reveal the effects of forest healing programs on recovery resilience and happiness of university employees. Fourteen people who agreed on experiments were selected as the study subject, with seven people classified the experimental group and seven people into the controlled group. The subjects in the experimental group participated in the forest healing program consisting of four 60-minute long weekly sessions from October 27 to November 17, 2015 in a forest managed by University C located in Cheongju-si of Chungcheongbuk-do. For data analysis, we examined the differences in recovery resilience and happiness before and after participation in the programs through the paired t-test using the SPSS 21.0 program, and the analysis results confirmed that the forest healing program helped to increase the recovery resilience and happiness of the university employees. Although there was no statistically significant change of the controlled group, the recovery resilience and happiness of the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase. The results of this study are expected to be utilized as reference data for clarifying the effects of forest healing programs for university employees.

• Journal of Naturopathy
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.77-85
• /
• 2021

Background: It is necessary to verify the resilience of the newly improved Kneipp psychotherapy. Purpose: This study assesses whether Kneipp Lebensordnung psychotherapy; KnLP program improves resilience. Methods: The KnLP program, including salutogenesis, logotherapy, meditation, and resilience training, is reorganized in consideration of Korean culture and sentiments. It was conducted 4 times for 25 adults (once a week, 3 hours a time), and data, KRQ-53 (Korean Resilience Quotient-53) measured intervention, before, and after was compared and analyzed. Results: The data for 9 adults were selected to draw reliable analysis, and it concluded that participants' KRQ-53 mean score increased by 14.66 from 191.56 to 206.22 during and after the program. The score increase by factor in resilience training is 5.89 points for self-regulation skills, 4.89 points for in interpersonal skills, and 3.89 points for positive capacity. Conclusions: KnL program improves participants' resilience skill (p<.05), and especially in self-regulation skill. Subsequent studies with more participants are required to achieve statistically significant and generalized results in the future.