Forest Bathing/Shinrin-yoku for organisations

Forest Bathing/Shinrin-yoku for organisations

With Justine Clement

As modern life becomes ever more mechanised, and the social, economic and political systems we once considered to be robust are becoming increasingly fragile, we are all thirsting for something more to hold onto. We’re yearning for meaning, for ways to feel at home in the world. We long to see the world as we once saw it when we were children: a world that’s full of mystery, bursting with possibility; a world that will challenge us to become all that we could ever hope to be.”  Sharon Blackie, Author

Who is this for?

Getting a team out of their present environment (home or office – either way, out from behind a screen) and into the forest.  It’s suitable for any team, at any level, within an organisation.  The session can be adapted according to level, outlook and challenges. That said, this session can also be run as a 1-1 for someone looking for clarity, a mind shift and a reset.

Why?

Research, primarily conducted in Japan and South Korea, has proven the enormous health benefits of spending time amongst the trees. Every study so far has demonstrated that forest bathing positively creates calming neuro-psychological effects through changes in the nervous system, reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting the immune system – all invaluable to flourish and thrive in a tough working environment. Every study conducted so far has shown proven reductions in stress, anger, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness amongst participants. In fact after just 15 minutes of forest bathing blood pressure drops, stress levels are reduced and concentration and mental clarity improve.

How?

Forest Bathing can be used in a number of ways to enhance training and leadership skills. If you are organising an off-site board meeting or away day and there is access to a forest, we can come to that location and hold the session there. These can be used in so many ways, but a few examples include boosting customer and staff engagement in retail stores, as inspiration for the creative industries and by CEOs seeking a breathing space and by individual senior staff members as a powerful personal tool.

What?

Justine, your guide, will facilitate a safe gentle walk, providing instructions — referred to as “invitations” — which are used as ways to open up the senses. We spend so much time using our vision that the other senses often get forgotten and are under utilised. Each walk begins with establishing embodied contact with where you are. Next comes a series of connective invitations, often improvised in the moment and adapted to the needs of the team. These may be followed by wander time with a specific focus and/or sit spot. The walk ends with tea made from foraged local plants.

Shinrin-yoku walks are not hikes in the traditional sense.  An entire walk is typically four hours in duration and often covers no more than a quarter mile distance. In that relatively short distance and time most people experience contact with nature in a much deeper way than they ever have prior to the session. People have a wide range of experiences, some of which they feel are significant, even profound. As a guide, Justine is a CPD-certified Shinrin-yoku practitioner, awarded by the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine (INFOM) trained in the skills and perspectives needed to be a supportive witness of these experiences.

Four hours is the ideal time you should allow for this experience and it’s ideally run for up to 8 people. It doesn’t matter if you are all from one team or spread amongst a few different departments. The session is based on you coming to Surrey, Kent or Sussex in the forests I work in there. But if you’re short on time, it’s also possible to run a shorter two-hour session. If you’d like us to travel to woods/forest near you, that’s also possible and London sessions are also available.

Duration and cost

2-4 hours

4 hours £1200 for up to 8 people or 2 hours £950

Dates

Shinrin-yoku, or Forest Bathing, is run on a bespoke basis, so please get in touch to discuss your needs and for more details.

Anything else to consider?

We also run this session to include breathwork, which is a very powerful combination. Please see https://thelifeadventure.co/workshop/shinrin-yoku-and-connected-breath-for-organisations/?r_to=8572 for more details.