Forest Bathing - Seasonal Liminality

Forest Bathing/ Shinrin-yoku

Join a Forest Bathing session in the beautiful Hadley Woods. Experience the woods in this liminal time as autumn ends and winter begins when many leaves have fallen creating a thick bed of leaves on the soil, and we have a beautiful view of the sky & birds singing.

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

Your guide will lead you through various 'invitations' - mindfulness exercises, sensory & nature connection activities, to slow everything down and step into timelessness.

Forest Bathing invites you into the mystery of being both part of everything and uniquely ourselves. Going on this journey with a group, offers a quiet support to deepen our shared experience.

The 1.5-2 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 invited 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 invitations 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 9:45 ready to start at 10am, please leave enough time to find the location, use the facilities & settle in. The session lasts 1.5-2 hours including a short walk from the Leisure Centre to the woods.

Location: New Barnet Leisure Centre, Lawton Rd, London, Barnet, EN4 9BS. Outside the main entrance on the benches.

Free parking on the road. If you choose to park in the pay & display car park please check the restrictions. Toilet & cafe available in the leisure centre.

📍 Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vq7ZYft3GMNA6DPF8

What to bring

• Sturdy footwear for muddy & slippery ground
• Weather-appropriate clothing, including warm layers (thick socks, gloves, hat etc.) and waterproof jacket (and trousers)
• 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

What is Forest Bathing & what are the benefits?

Forest Bathing, known as Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, means to bathe in the forest atmosphere & take in the forest with the 5 senses. They are slow, mindful & embodied walks, offering 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.

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