Forest Bathing/Nature Immersion
The Moment
by Margaret Atwood
The moment when, after many years
of hard work and a long voyage
you stand in the center of your room,
house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,
knowing at last how you got there,
and say, I own this,
is the same moment the trees unloose
their soft arms from around you,
the birds take back their language,
the cliffs fissure and collapse,
the air moves back from you like a wave
and you can’t breathe.
No, they whisper. You own nothing.
You were a visitor, time after time
climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming.
We never belonged to you.
You never found us.
I was always the other way round.
Lie Down
by Nancy Paddock
Lie down with your belly to the ground,
like an old dog in the sun. Smell
the greenness of the cloverleaf, feel the damp
earth through your clothes, let an ant
wander the uncharted territory
of your skin. Lie down
with your belly to the ground. Melt into
the earth’s contours like a harmless snake.
All else is mere bravado.
Let your mind resolve itself
in a tangle of grass.
Lie down with your belly
to the ground, flat out, on ground level.
Prostrate yourself before the soil
you will someday enter.
Stop doing.
Stop judging, fearing, trying.
This is not dying, but the way to live
in a world of change and gravity.
Let go. Let your burdens drop.
Let your grief-charge bleed off
into the ground.
Lie down with your belly to the ground
and then rise up
with the earth still in you.
Nature Therapy is a research-based framework for supporting healing and wellness through deep sensory immersion in natural environments.
My nature immersion experiences are inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, which translates to “forest bathing.” We remember that we are a part of nature, not separate from it, and are related to all other beings—human and other than human—in fundamental ways. Every guided walk is an act of intention and serendipity, cultivating deep connections that can have transformative impacts on people the environment and culture.
What can I expect if I do a forest bathing session?
Forest Bathing is a practice of developing a deepening relationship of reciprocity, in which nature and the practitioner discover ways to work together that supports the wholeness and wellness of all. There is a clearly defined sequence of guided invitations that provides structure to the experience, while embracing the many opportunities for creativity and serendipity offered by the numerous entities and energies present on the day.
Studies have demonstrated a wide array of health benefits, specifically with the cardiovascular and immune systems, as well as a stabilization and improvement of mood and cognition.
Nature Immersion can:
Reduce inflammation
Reduce cortisol
Increase energy
Increase healing speed
Decrease pain
Restore balance to the body and mind
Ease sleep disorders
Ease anxiety and depression
Being guided in an immersive grounding practice can aid in releasing repetitive thoughts about past or future events or feelings and brings your focus, instead, to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings in the present moment. Rather than being trapped by circulating thoughts or fears, we can create a space of openness that allows for substantive relaxation and healing.
A nature immersion experience with me will be a custom mixture of practices that includes the following: forest bathing, guided meditation, reiki and medicinal herbal tea.
Join me for Forest Bathing events at the following SoCal Gardens:
-
The Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens
Restore + Explore with me in weekend forest bathing series. Come by after hours once a month for a special New Moon nature immersion. Or, bring the little ones for family forest bathing.
-
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
Saturday Forest Baths & after-hours Full Moon Forest Baths every month.
Recent Press
Recent Press
As the grove fills with glistening bubbles popping in the trees, we enjoy one final circle share — and then we mingle. It’s a tea party in the forest.
“It’s easy to get all caught up in the news, in the fear, in what’s happening in our own lives,” says Shannon Leavitt, 60, a first time Forest Therapy participant. “Just the habit of having to do, and go fast, and get stuff done — it’s a hamster wheel and it’s really nice to be reminded to step off and just be.”
I'm on the list!
I'm on the list!
“I took my partner, Abby, on a nature bath with Debra for her birthday. It was absolutely fantastic. Debra was the perfect host. She helped us slow down, take a deeper breath into the lush surroundings and appreciate how incredible the natural world really is. As someone who places a high value on outdoor experiences, I think Debra does an incredible job of strengthening this bond for people who already have a strong relationship with nature or even open up this relationship for newbies. Debra has a very calming and soothing personality and is very knowledgeable of the natural world. We loved all the immersive moments of exploring the diverse range of plant species. By the end of the experience, Abby and I both felt rejuvenated and an overall sense of happiness. It was exactly what we needed. We ended the experience with tea that Debra prepared from her garden. It capped off a beautiful morning and we were walking on clouds for the rest of the day. I can't recommend this experience with Debra enough. It will do wonders for you!” ~ Wade Holland and Abby Wren
“Debra's nature immersion sessions are the perfect way to spend an evening with friends and family. You get the sense that she is very tapped into her surroundings and makes you feel very included as part of a magical experience. The evening was well-organized with a diverse array of experiences. I noticed people of all ages really getting into a mindful space and enjoying Debra's guidance. I think my favorite part was when Debra made the most delicious tea I've ever had, all made from herbs she'd cultivated herself! I highly recommend Debra's nature immersion and sound bath experiences; I'll definitely be back again and again!"“ ~ Charles Ray Hamilton
The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-than-Human World
“The English word human is cognate with the English humus, or soil. Both are derived from the proto-Indo-European root that signifies “earth” or “ground,” which suggests that in English that which most deeply defines the human is our own derivation from (and kinship with) the ground underfoot. Another term that shares the very same ancestry as human and humus is the word humility: the state of being close to the humus, close to the soil. An abiding humility in the face of the Earth’s exuberant multiplicity, wildness, and weirdness is, I believe, a necessary quality of our kind and the best possible medicine for what ails us.”
