Autumn Forest Bathing - The Changing Seasons

Forest Bathing/ Shinrin-yoku

Join a group Forest Bathing session in the beautiful Covert Way Nature Reserve & Hadley Woods.

Walking slowly through the woods, immerse yourself in all the sights, sounds, and scents, as you relax, reflect & reconnect.

Your guide will lead you through mindfulness exercises to engage and rewild the senses, slow everything down and step into timelessness.

At this time of year we prepare for the darker days ahead and a feel into a time of change and transition. This session is an invitation to honour the natural cycles & resource ourselves for the winter months ahead, while marvelling in the beauty of autumn here and now.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper." - W.B. Yeats

The 2.5 hour session involves

✨ Gentle walking over uneven ground with some resting, standing and sitting breaks (there are no benches to sit on).

✨ You will be invitied to engage in various sensory activities, some are quiet and introspective, others are playful and collaborative.

✨ There will be space to share your experience with the group, but it is not required. Everything is optional.

✨ We will finish the session with a warming delicious herbal tea blend.

✨ Some examples of activities are: Walking meditation, sensory-based mindfulness, reflection, contemplation, movement, nature-based art, forest exploration, poetry, sharing and more!

Sample Itinerary (each session varies and is adapted to the individual group)

• Opening circle
• Forest exploration activity
• Sensory meditation
• Sharing circle
• Nature-based art activity
• Closing circle with herbal tea

Meeting Point

Timing: We will be meeting from 10:45 ready to start at 11am, please leave enough time to find the location.

Location: We will meet on the grass at the entrance to the Reserve on Covert Way, where you will see a Public Footpath sign, street bin & Covert Way Street Name. There is a bridge crossing into the woods.

📍Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/QspWaLD93cm2tB3h8 (please use this link not the one above)

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What to bring

• sturdy footwear
• weather-appropriate clothing, including warm layers and waterproof jacket
• water or a hot drink (light snack if you need)
• a journal and pen
• something to sit or lie on
• anything else that will make you comfortable
• a reusable cup for tea if you have one

More information

Benefits of Forest Bathing

Forest Bathing, known as Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is a total immersion in the forest, an opportunity to relax, de-stress and be held by the forest.

Shinrin-yoku walks were developed in Japan in the 1980's as a response to major health and stress problems within the urban population. However, the roots of this practice are more ancient. Currently in Japan and Korea, Forest Bathing is part of their National Health Plan and offered as a prescribed treatment. There are numerous scientifically researched physiological and psychological benefits of Shinrin-yoku, such as regulating the nervous system, lowered stress hormones and reduction of high blood pressure and heart rate, to name a few.

As leading expert Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki writes in his book, Walking in the Woods, for 99.9% of human evolution we've been living in a natural environment and forest bathing brings us closer to that natural state. Forest bathing gives us the chance to unplug from the constant stimulation of our modern lives. We come home!

Your guide

Emma is a certified Student Forest Bathing Guide with Nature & Therapy, with the mission to bring city dwellers closer to Nature to feel the relaxing and transformative benefits of immersing ourselves in the woods. After spending the last decade supporting various charities in conservation, rewilding and regenerative food growing projects, she aims to facilitate the reconnection between people and the rest of Nature and strengthen our interdependent relationship with our beautiful planet. Through sensory experience, play, curiosity and mindfulness, she nurtures a sense of belonging on this Earth, releasing the Wild One in us, who is deeply rooted in the soil. She invites you to get to know the beings we live alongside and find more presence with ourselves and the rest of the world.

Your guide holds an Outdoor First Aid Certificate, an Enhanced DBS and Forest Therapy Student Certification with Nature & Therapy. She is a qualified Lowland Leader with Mountain Training.