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SHINRIN-YOKU | FOREST BATHING

Image by Michal Vrba

INTO THE

FOREST

Founder of Wildeye Adventures Yara is a certified Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) Practitioner guiding people into forests. 

 

Yara has a strong relationship towards trees, woodlands & rainforest environments. Experiences have led spending time in forests around the world in Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Borneo and the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. 

As a bushcraft & survival skills instructor and environmental educator. Yara shares valuable knowledge on the healing power of trees & nature, fungal networks and ancient woodland ecology.

 

Enter the magical world of woodlands. Tune senses into nature, harness your intuition and let the forest to be your guide. 

"There is no wifi in the forest, but I promise you will find a better connection"

Unplug from the system, get away from artificial frequencies and tune back to nature. Breathe deeply, be in the moment and exist (even for a short while) with no plan or schedule. Allow the mind to let go of a fast pace lifestyle. Become still.

 

Retune the human beingHumans are nature.

 

Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) helps to rebalance the mind, body and spirit. 

The natural world is the real world. 

Stay human. Go to nature.

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NEXT PUBLIC FOREST BATHING SESSIONS:

DATE:

Sunday 14th May 2023

LOCATION:

PENN WOOD, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

TIMINGS:

8am to 10am  or 11am to 1pm

BOOKING REQUIRED. PLEASE EMAIL:

Maximum 15 people per forest bathing session. Please email to book your place.
Sessions are free to attend, however, cash donations are kindly accepted.
You will also have the opportunity to learn more about ancient trees, forest protection & regeneration and how you can support the UK's leading Tree Planting & Woodland Conservation organisation.

Wildeye Adventures is helping to raise awareness on woodland ecology and the importance of ancient trees, woodland protection, preservation and forest regeneration. Spending time around trees & woodlands is supportive to mental health & wellbeing.

HEALTH BENENITS OF SHINRIN-YOKU

  • Boosts Immune System

  • Lower blood pressure

  • Relieves stress & anxiety

  • Increases the body's Natural Killer Cells (Cancer fighting)

  • Improves creativity

  • Improves focus

  • Enhances your senses

  • Improves vision

  • Lowers blood sugar levels

  • Improves concentration

  • Improves sleep (Insomnia)

  • Improves cognitive skills

Image by Olena Sergienko
Forest bathing.jpg

WHAT IS SHINRIN-YOKU?

The Japanese practice of "Shinrin yoku" aka Forest Bathing, is beneficial for both physical and mental wellbeing. It is proven to reduce stress hormone production, improve feelings of happiness & free up creativity, as well as lowering heart rate and blood pressure, boosting the immune system and accelerating recovery from illness. “Social prescribing” and "nature therapy" is a growing movement in the NHS.

 

Doctors in Scotland have even started to prescribe bird watching & hiking as a form of nature healing & therapy. It is scientifically proven that just staring at trees through a window can help to reduce stress and lower anxiety levels. So imagine the positive health benefits of being in a forest.

 

“Forest bathing is an opportunity for people to take time out, slow down and connect with nature. We believe it could be part of a mix of activities for social prescription,” Stuart Dainton of the Woodland Trust says.

 

“Evidence about its benefits is building.”

 

Shinrin-yoku was developed in the 1980s in Japan. Although people had been taking walks in the country’s forests for centuries, new studies showed that such activity could reduce blood pressure, lower cortisol levels and improve concentration and memory. A chemical released by trees and plants, called phytoncides, was found to boost the immune system. As more research highlighted the benefits of Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese government incorporated it into the country’s health programme.

 

Li - president of the Society for Forest Medicine in Japan, and the author of Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing – is a world expert and has conducted numerous studies. “It’s a preventative medicine, not a treatment,” states Li.

People spend their lives increasingly indoors. About 80% of Japan’s population lives in urban areas, and the average American now spends more than 90% of their time indoors. But we are designed to be connected to the natural world.

GROUP BOOKINGS & One to one sessions

WHO DO WE WORK WITH?

  • SCHOOLS & YOUTH GROUPS

  • CORPORATE GROUPS

  • SOCIAL / COMMUNITY GROUPS

  • INDIVIDUALS

  • FAMILIES / COUPLES 

  • EVENTS / FESTIVALS

WOODLAND LOCATIONS:

  • Brasted Chart, Sevenoaks, Kent

  • Buckinghamshire

  • Dulwich

  • We are happy to travel to different woodland locations (Please email us to discuss possibilities) 

PRICING:

Pricing depends time of year, group size and dynamics. One to one forest bathing sessions are also available.

Please enquire via email to discuss options and location. Wildeye can support you in creating a woodland wellbeing experience. 

Pricing ranges between £8 - £15 per head for group bookings. Timings are flexible and forest bathing sessions can normally last between 2 hours - 4 hours long. 

Tree Leaves

We are based in a 23 acre private ancient woodland in Brasted Chart, in Sevenoaks, Kent.

We also conduct forest bathing sessions in woodlands in the Buckinghamshire area.

We can also travel to different woodlands, if you have a woodland space you would like us to travel to, this can also be arranged.

 

You are welcome to arrange a forest bathing session for any type of group. All forest bathing sessions take place in woodlands. 

We work with schools, youth groups, teachers, corporate teams, social & community groups, as well as with families, individuals & community groups.

 

Please enquire for dates so we can arrange a woodland space in advance. 

As well as taking part in forest bathing / mindfulness techniques, you will go on a walk through the woods to learn more about trees, plants, ancient trees & woodland ecology.

 

Wildeye Adventures incorporates hammocks into forest bathing sessions. Nothing like laying in a hammock and staring up at the canopy. The best view. Please enquire via the contact page.

TESTIMONIALS

"Yara was fantastic! We were encouraged to explore our surroundings and pay close attention to our senses, feeling, smelling, hearing, seeing and even tasting! (Did you know pine leaves taste like citrus and are full of goodness?) As it got darker, our senses became even more switched on as we had to follow the sound of Yara's flute back to our meeting spot where we learned about the science behind how trees communicate with each other, how the bacteria in the outdoors supports a healthy microbiome and the neurobiology behind how trees and woodlands can help our bodies immune systems. Yara is incredibly knowledgable and passionate about her work which really captured the imaginations of our group. We managed to stumble our way back to the cars (without torches) feeling relaxed, calm and refreshed! My colleagues all messaged me the next morning telling me what a fantastic time they had, and how relaxed they still felt. One is excited to try out the hammocks on our next outing! 10/10 we are already planning our next one!" - Ben Wingrove | Marish Academy Trust

"Thank you for a very special unique wonderful Shinrin Yoku walk with the group in the beautiful bluebell woods last Wednesday for Mental Health Awareness week. Still feel calm and relaxed" - Ginette Goulston-Lincoln

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