Along the tranquil banks of the York Land Trust Smelt Brook Marsh Preserve, immerse yourself in a guided Forest Bathing & Tea Ceremony experience inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku. Through gentle, sensory invitations, we’ll slow down and connect with the land, noticing the quiet beauty of late Summer in Maine. Following our gentle 1/2-1 mile walk, we’ll gather for a waterside tea ceremony, savoring each sip as a way to deepen our connection to nature and ourselves. A peaceful, grounding experience to restore balance and presence.
Forest Bathing is an outdoor guided mindfulness group practice with proven health benefits. The session offers a slow guided walk through natural forest settings, several 10-15 minute guided sensory invitations done individually, and then a final tea gathering at the end. Every part of the session is done in a quiet forest setting. The many health benefits include slowing your pulse, lowering blood pressure, improving natural immune system, lowering stress, and increasing creativity...to name a few. Free and Open to the public and donations to York Land Trust always welcome. Sign up required, space is limited.
Details:
• Walk begins promptly at 1pm. Please arrive 5-10 minutes early for orientation. Nev will be greeting people starting at 12:30 at the Highland Farms Sign in the main parking lot.
• Tripod camp chairs provided.
• Please dress in layers for the weather. Rain jackets and umbrellas encouraged in case of rain.
• Bring/wear bug repellent, if desired. I will have some on hand too.
• Bring water or blanket if desired. Event is rain or shine. A note: rain is a sensory delight, but lightning, heat warnings, and high winds/storms are not safe. So we will
announce via email and social media of a high winds weather cancellation (Rain date is September 14th.)
• We love our furry friends, but please no dogs allowed for this group guided session in order to ensure a comfortable and mindful experience for you and for
others.
• Please note there are no bathrooms at the site.