Join us in the Hocking Hills for a powerful nature based experience of Forest Bathing, seasonal insight, meditation, movement and walking.
This Free, 2-hour Mindful Outdoor Hike will be an easeful walk through a beautiful nature preserve in the Hocking Hills in Hocking County, Ohio, Bison Hollow Preserve. The preserve is near Ash Cave, and detailed directions will be posted later.
We will incorporate gentle movements and breath to warm and center ourselves, before walking into the preserve. During the walk, you will be invited to "forest bathe", which is the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku - opening sensory awareness to the forest or natural area that surrounds you. We will also learn to cultivate a "sit spot" and practice open awareness meditation. The goal of this walk is not really to have a goal, but to just be immersed in the natural surroundings. We will only walk a short distance, with pauses and times to sit and reflect.
This event is sponsored by the Applachia Ohio Alliance, an organization dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of our land and water as sustainable natural resources that are an asset and legacy for our community. The AOA is 22 years old and holds over 15,000 acres in conservancy.
More about Bison Hollow - https://appalachiaohioalliance.org/preserves/other-preserves/bison-hollow-preserve/
Registration is not required, but will be helpful to be kept up to date on further details and directions. Participants can show up on the day of the event!
Location: Please register at my Eventbrite page to be updated on location.
Benefits of this experience include
Stress reduction through connection with nature,
Re-awakening our senses to the world around us,
A break from technology-centered lifestyles, and
Increased sense of our place in the world.
Elements of a mindful outdoor hike include:
Forest bathing - taking in, with all of our senses, the forest atmosphere
Biophilia - remembering to focus on life and lifelike processes
Species re-connection - breaking through isolation from the natural world
Refuge - finding peace and refuge in the natural world
NOTE: A Mindful Outdoor Walk is not a continuous hike, trying to get to somewhere specific. Nor is it a strenuous hike for exercise. It is more of an easy saunter. We walk a bit, we stop, we walk more, we stop, we sit down for time (on the ground, a rock, a fallen log). The guide gives invitations for the participants to consider, which brings them into a deeper presence in their natural surroundings. We do not try to identify species or name things – it is not a naturalist lead educational walk. We do steep ourselves in the beauty and appreciate the species surrounding us. We also walk without technology or taking pictures – we leave cell phones and cameras at home or in the car. This is a chance to have a tech break.