Journal
Autumn Equinox
In these early Autumn days Blackberries glowing purple in the soft, warm light of a low sun, I experience a strange sense of nostalgia – it happens every year and has done since my early twenties. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe, fleeting memories fused with a...
Plant Intelligence
Thoughts like Ivy Your brain, the seat of your consciousness, is as natural as a leaf. It arose in the world in the same way as a finch’s wing, a cricket’s song. Wherever you are right now, the part of you that's awake and reading this is in nature. There's a...
Forest Bathing and Forest Braining
The main reason that we do this work is because Nature makes us feel better. We know how being in Nature positively affects our mental health. We have discovered the unique rejuvenating, soothing properties of just being and breathing in the forest, sharing our breath...
Happy Spring Equinox
Happy Spring Equinox everyone! Gosh, Spring is here, equal days, equal nights, and the Sun getting higher in the sky. Those very first pioneers of Spring are already doing their stuff – Primroses of course, and Celandines bright yellow sparkle, and now Alexanders...
Crossing the Threshold – Part I
Every time we leave the confines of our homes and workplaces and head out into the woods we cross a threshold between 2 realms. We may consciously acknowledge that transition with a greeting, a gesture or ritual as we enter, or it may just be a feeling of relief, of...
Happy Lammas
Happy Lugnasadh This is probably the least known or least celebrated of the traditional Celtic cross quarter festivals, yet I think in the past it would have had great import for rural communities. The reaping of rewards for the hard work on the land, the vagaries of...
Ahh – Beltane
Ahh – Beltane That wondrous time of the year when everything in Nature is fresh and new, when we enter the garden of earthly delights, and light fires honouring life, fertility and love. Traditionally 2 fires were lit on a hill, and the cattle were driven between...
Forest Bathing & Sensitivity Research
Forest Bathing and Sensitivity Research by Daniella Coronelli This essay is about a research project to find out the possible effects Forest Bathing may have on sensitive people, as there is very limited research on this topic. Before entering into the project...
Celebrating Imbolc
Imbolc is the first of the Celtic religious festivals after the Winter Solstice. From the shortest day – the very depths of Winter we now emerge into the dawn of a new Spring, a new agricultural year gets under way and so it becomes important to do 2 things: shed any...
In Winter I die. Seasonal Contemplations
All through my twenties I always regarded Winter as a magical, nostalgic time of long psychedelic walks through silent forests, low orange sun across ploughed fields, afternoon stars, past the beautiful haunting characteristic silhouettes of Elm trees, like skeletal...
Interview with Stefan Batorijs on ‘Shinrin Yoku‘ (Forest Bathing)
Peace and Wild Things Podcast Stefan Batorijs discusses the work of 'Nature and Therapy UK' making use of the Japanese practise of 'Shinrin Yoku' (Forest Bathing) in Dartmoor woods.
The language of nature and a cathedral made of trees
FINDING YOUR RIGHT MIND — WITH VANESSA POTTER | Series 4 We are kicking off this series with a thought-providing conversation with Stefan from Nature and Therapy UK, where he combines a mixture of ancient wisdom with modern science to help people navigate their lives...
Cultural Perception of nature…
and how this impacts on our environment Notes of Nature | episode #10 | with Stefan Batorijs. Today we chat about cultural perception of nature and how this impacts on our environment.We also talk about the training that Stefan offers and some of the projects he is...
Shinrin Yoku & Ecotherapy
The OCD Stories | episode 257 | with Stefan Batorijs. In this episode I chat with Stefan about why he became a therapist specifically doing ecotherapy, his relationship with nature, what is Shinrin Yoku, the benefits of being in nature and practicing Shinrin Yoku,...
Forest Bathing with Stefan Batorijs
Roots and All Podcast Episode 26 – Forest Bathing with Stefan Batorijs of Nature and Therapy UK Forest Bathing, or Shinrin Yoku, is the practice of immersing yourself in nature as therapy. It’s the perfect antidote for those who feel disconnected from the land and...
Thresholds #2
Happy New Year to you all, it feels like we have crossed some arbitrary threshold based on the Gregorian Calendar from the debris of 2023 into the unknown and precarious expanses of a new year and who knows what it will bring, but my prayer is for peace – both...
Samhain Blessings
Happy Samhain/Hallowe’en/All Saints Eve.
Here in Catalunya families celebrate All Saints Day, not so much ‘Dia de Los muertes’ as they do in other Latino cultures. The honouring of the dead is done with families attending the local cemetery and taking flowers for their deceased loved ones, but also remembering their ancestors. Here, high in the mountains in rural southern Catalunya and throughout Spain, the ancestors are never far from the dinner table conversations.
What Is Japanese Forest Bathing and How Can It Improve my Health?
Episode two of our newest podcast series, Roots & Ritual, explores Shinrin Yoku, the traditional Japanese practise of immersing oneself in nature. Trippin’s co-founder Yasmin Shahmir and co-producer Robyn Landau, speak to leading experts and locals to uncover the...
Nurtured by nature
By JOHN NAISH FOR THE DAILY MAIL Nature's Nurturing Touch: Soothing Dementia, Lowering Blood Pressure, and Boosting Immunity. Discover the hidden wonders of nature that have the power to calm minds, heal bodies, and rejuvenate souls. Dive into our insightful article...