Experience the holiday season in a new way! Starting Wednesday, November 8, Sheldrake Nature Center will offer a unique, weekly woodland walk experience that is designed to reduce stress and let nature heal your holiday-related anxieties.
Each week Cindy Olsen, a Sheldrake naturalist and certified mindfulness guide will take a small group on a forest walk, sometimes called “forest bathing.” Starting with gentle movements to stretch and relax your body, the group next walks on slowly, each person at his or her own pace. This is not like a hike. Rather, the focus is on connecting to nature, experiencing the sounds and smells of the forest– a kind of sensory immersion in the forest ecosystem. You hear the sound of the river rushing by. You notice the birdsong and the leaves falling in the wind. The focus is on connection in the present, here and now.
The walk winds up in a forest clearing where each person sits down on the ground leaning up against a chosen tree–another living being–for about 10 minutes of open meditation. The goal is to notice what is happening around you now.
Afterwards, the group comes together to share thoughts while sitting in a circle during a lovely herbal tea ceremony, which ends the session.
Before each walk, you will receive a backpack with a seat cushion and blanket to stay comfortable during your seated moments under the forest canopy.
Olsen is the founder of Cindy By Nature, LLC. and has been trained as a Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide, and by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides (ANFT). She is passionate about sharing the powerful physical and mental benefits of nature and mindfulness with others. Additionally, she runs award-winning mindful awareness programs for various schools, organizations, and private clients.
Dates: Wednesdays – November 8-December 20 (6 sessions; no session on 11/22)
Time: 10:00-11:30 am
Format: This program is conducted entirely outdoors.
Fee: Members: $200; non-members: $225
Please register. Advance registration required. Space is limited.
