Forest Bathing Walk

825 Stagecoach Trail South,Afton MN 55001

09 April, 2022

Description

Stressed out or tired of being stuck inside this winter? Join me for a forest bathing walk where we'll slow down and connect to nature. What is forest bathing or shinrin yoku you ask? It's a wellness practice that was started in Japan in the 1980s as a way to help urban people relieve stress but in my opinion, it’s been with us since the beginning of humanity. People have always found profound mental, physical, and physiological benefits from being in nature. But we’ve become more and more disconnected from the natural world and often rarely get into nature and the forest. How it works: We’ll meet at the Belwin Conservancy parking lot off of Stagecoach and gather for our walk. I will brief you on what forest bathing is and is not, review the logistics of the location (things such as restrooms and potential hazards), and introduce you to some of the methods we’ll be using during the walk. As we begin our walk I will be offering you invitations to activities that will enhance your experience in nature. You can choose to accept the invitation as it is and participate in the activity, adapt the activity to your preferences, or decline to participate in the activity. It’s completely up to you! After each activity, I will provide you with a prompt as a way to share your experience. Again, you can choose to either share by answering the prompt, remaining silent, or declining to participate. There’s no wrong way, you are free to choose. At the end of the walk, we will debrief and say goodbye. How to prepare: Dress for the weather. We'll be walking slowly and won't travel a great distance (~1 mile) so dress appropriately. Wear appropriate footwear. The trail may be snow-covered, icy, or even muddy (this is Minnesota after all!)Consider such things as sunscreen and sunglasses. The snow can be quite bright if it's a sunny day.Prior to the day of the walk, you will need to sign the Liability Release and Waiver. You cannot participate without signing the waiver. The waiver can be found here.