What to Expect

While Shinrin-Yoku is better understood through experience than words, there are a few things that can be said about what to expect when joining us.

In our time together the guide will offer every aspect of the practice as an invitation or simply a suggestion. In fact, we are encouraged to remain open to an invitation that nature may provide that is different than the guide’s suggestions. After all, this is an exercise in the therapeutic practice of being fully present with Nature, not an instructional class on mindfulness nor a naturalist walk, by any means. There is no survey or quiz at the end or expectations to meet. We simply give ourselves and each other permission to set aside time to experience the joy of being fully present in the here and now with nature and let what may unfold as a gift to ourselves.

For a typical practice, we begin our immersion experience in an outdoor setting with some light, mindful movement. These are gentle yoga stretches to bring us more into an embodied state and prepare us for our time with Earth. This will be followed by a sensory awareness meditation. Thankfully, our senses are always in the present, connecting us to the world around us, though often we are so absorbed in our thoughts that we miss out on noticing this delightful connection. These practices therefore help us to move from a cognitive way of being into a more holistic way of being, encouraging the reconnection of the mind and body.

We will then be invited to practice mindful walking together, drawing our attention to one particular sensory experience at a time. Our invitations may include favorite quotes, poems or exerts from authors, connecting us to our collective wisdom. After each invitation, we pause to share with one another what we notice during our practice, creating space for the reconnection between our self and each other.

We bring our practice to an end with a tea meditation. This is a simplified version of the tea meditations one may experience in Japan, with an offering of gratitude to the Earth for all that we receive not only in this practice but in our daily life. This may serve as an act of reciprocity or one of the many means of reconnecting humanity to Earth during a Shinrin-Yoku practice.

A simple online search can bring our awareness to the many health and wellness benefits people across the globe are experiencing from the routine practice of Shinrin-Yoku. But this is just the beginning. This practice is a path toward bettering the health and wellbeing of not only our minds and bodies, but the whole of humanity and this planet we call home.