WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE HINOKI ROOM
At the most boring experience
RULE ONE
Your phone stays out of reach.
Leave it in your bag, or hand it over and we'll keep it for you. It's the part people hesitate on, and it's also the part that makes everything else work.
the whole list
A few basic things
This isn't a class. Nobody talks you through it, nothing starts at a set time, and there's no version of this you can do badly.
No guide
Nobody walks you through anything. There's nothing to learn or anything to accomplish. Come early if you'd like to chat or have questions.
Sit or lie down
Whichever your body wants, and you can change your mind as often as you like. There's no correct posture.
Eyes shut
Best option if you want to focus on the sounds of the forest and reducing screen time.
Or watch the forest
Real footage from Japanese onsens and the forest. Just stare and zone out.
Nothing to accomplish
Come stressed out, be bored and see how you feel when you leave.
Scent, if you want more
The room is already diffused with hinoki. For something stronger, put a few drops on a wood block and smell during your stay.
Recommended during your stay
Simple, but consistent breathwork
Breathwork combined with scent is one of the most effective ways to regulate your nervous system. Practice one of the below methods and notice how you feel after your stay.
Alert calm
4-4-4-4
Box breathing
In through your nose for four, hold for four, out for four, then stay empty for four. That's one round, and you simply keep going.
All four sides are even, which is what makes it easy to stay with when your mind wanders off.
Even on all four sides. Good for settling in.
Deeper rest
4-7-8
For deeper relaxation
In through your nose for four, hold for seven, then let it out slowly through your mouth for eight.
The long exhale is doing the work, because an out breath that runs longer than the in breath is what tips your body toward rest.
Longer out breath. Good for going deeper.
Pick one and keep it steady.
No pressure to find which one works best for you. Try one out this session and the other one next session.
the first five minutes
Most people feel uncomfortable at the start.
That discomfort isn't a sign it's going wrong. It's what happens when your body notices that nothing is coming in, and it takes a few minutes to believe it.
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the first minutes
You settle in
The forest starts playing and the newness of it carries you along for a couple of minutes.
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around five minutes
The urge shows up
You reach for a phone that isn't there, or you start thinking about something that would feel productive. That's your nervous system asking for its next hit of input.
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the part that matters
You do nothing about it
Don't fight the urge and don't follow it. Keep sitting, keep breathing, and let it pass on its own.
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the rest of the time
Your body switches modes
The room stops feeling boring and starts feeling quiet. Your breathing slows without you managing it, and that's rest mode coming online.
if the shift doesn't come
Some people don't feel it on the first visit, and that's normal. Sitting through the restless part is the practice, and it gets easier every time you do it.
questions
Ask us anything before you sit down.
If you want to know more about the scent, the science of calm, or nervous system regulation in general, we're happy to talk any of it through.