New Year's Day Celebration: Forest Bathing (on Zoom)

Welcome to our New Year's Day Forest Bathing Walk! Begin the year connecting to the Earth and your senses in a way that is uniquely yours.

Forest Bathing or shinrin yoku is a nature-based mindfulness practice that invites us into our senses and relationship with our bodies and environment. Health benefits of this practice include lowered blood pressure, boosted immune system, enhanced focus and a sense of relaxation.

Taking Good Care: (AKA Release form)

Please complete the form here in order to participate in the walk:

https://forms.gle/4yY88vdpiBiddQ2a7

What is a Remotely Guided Forest Bathing Walk?

A remotely guided walk is an amazing experience for different bioregions, humans, and More-Than-Human communities of the Earth to speak to each other!

As your guide, I will help you settle into embodied practice. Then, I will offer invitations to you to explore. Part of exploring includes not using the invitation, but rather responding to who or what is drawing your attention. The core practice is your own response to invitations on the land where you are. We will spend time responding and then return to our Zoom circle to share. Sharing is always optional. Holding supportive space while others share is an amazing offering. We follow this pattern until we end with a Tea Party.

*A walk is not a hike. You will likely walk less than 1 mile and can fully participate without walking about if circumstances require.

What you will need:

Location:

Choose a place outdoors (weather and health permitting) where you would like to be guided. Maybe this is a favorite park, your backyard, a nearby body of water. If the weather is inhospitable or you would not feel safe alone on a trail be sure to acknowledge this.

Be aware of any trail hazards in your bioregion such as poison ivy, uneven trails, etc.

Important points: Let someone know where you plan to go and when you will return. A location with public restroom facilities is an asset.

Technology requirement:

Smartphone devices with internet connection and video recommended for remotely guided walks.

You may require additional power supply for smartphones during the session.

If you are joining from home and using a laptop computer, be sure to have a timepiece with a timer that you can bring with you out into your yard so you know when to return to the group for sharing.

Materials:

Tea or coffee or your favorite beverage and a snack to save for the end of the walk Tea Party. Clothing appropriate for the weather where you are, water for hydration, sunscreen, bug spray if applicable, hat, comfortable shoes, possibly a camp chair to sit, Epipen if prescribed.

Hi! I'm Justin Ferko. I'm a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. I have guided over 50 walks in-person and on Zoom! I'll be your guide on this remotely guided Forest Bathing Walk! I look forward to sharing this experience of connecting to our senses and the Earth together.

Check out my other events at Wild Spirit Paths, LLC, including Forest Bathing Walks in-person and remotely guided and Spiritual Guiding.

Support my work here: buymeacoffee.com/wildspiritpaths

Event Venue

Online