Forest Bathing Session - Embracing Autumn & The Wild One In Us

Forest Bathing/ Shinrin-yoku

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

This session is best suited to those who already practice mindfulness, have a nature connection practice or have been to more than 1 forest bathing session with me. There will be more space & time for each invitation, to facilitate a deeper personal journey.

Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and scents of the woods 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.

Go on a journey filled with surprise, awe and beauty and reconnect with the Earth and all beings around you. See what it's like to find presence with yourself and attune to what's here and now.

Autumn is truly upon us! For some of us, it can be difficult to transition from the summer into colder and shorter days. This session is a chance to embrace what the season has to offer, and find some support to carry with us into the darker half of the year.

If it rains, we will be sheltered under the full canopy of the trees and can find even more wonder in the woods!

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

The 2.5-3 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. Invitations might be to be alone, with a partner or the whole group.

There will be opportunities to share your experience, but it is not required. Everything is optional.

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

As temperatures drop the sessions may involve more movement & play.

Please note the timing is approximate, the session should last between 2.5-3 hours.

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

- Opening circle

- Forest exploration

- Sensory meditation

- Sharing circle

- Nature-based art

- Closing circle with herbal tea

Meeting point

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.

We will be meeting from 9:15 ready to start at 9:30am, please leave enough time to find the location.

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

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What to bring

You will need sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate clothing, including warm layers and waterproof jacket/trousers. Bring water, a journal, pen, something to sit or lie on and anything else that will make you comfortable. If you have a reusable cup for tea please bring it with you.

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.