It felt strange to pack my backpack with my laptop, phone, portable charger and thermos and head off into the forest on my own knowing I would be guiding for a group for a Virtual Forest Immersion experience.
We connected in over video chat to introduce ourselves, to introduce the experience and then participants awakened their senses, explored, and wandered through a nature space of their choice. For some it was their backyard. For others, a local park and also, from within the home.
In these times of social distancing and restrictions to limit non essential activity it felt really good to be able to share a nature connection experience with others in this way.
I noticed how it is possible to create invitations that people can do from anywhere that can drop us into a space of presence and open minded awareness, and that the sequence of guiding I learnt in my training really helps people to drop in and open to a connectedness with the natural world.
Our tea ceremony we shared with tea that my collaboration partner Danielle and I dropped round in care packages to our participants before the walk. Then the final treat of the experience was the sound bath and meditation that Danielle offered to conclude the experience. To be guided intuitively and to drop into the healing space of resonant sounds was such a beautiful way to close our time together! I was so overjoyed that the benefits of Forest therapy can cross the lines of virtual world and that we could still connect so beautifully in this way. Stay posted for further Virtual walks and Sound Meditation collaborations!
Testimonials from Virtual Walk Participants
‘ Each time I attend a Forest Immersion walk with Rachel I feel like I’ve been bathed in love. The feeling lasts for days afterwards. I find myself smiling a day or two later as I recall a magic happening or gesture of authenticity. There is magic in the offerings Rachel and her co-facilitators are offering.’ – Becky
Highly recommend Rachel’s Forest Immersion. She guides you so beautifully. You can tell she loves nature and the earth and trees as she is so intuitively connected. I’ve experienced her forest immersion in the forest with her and now via social media and both work. Each time has left me feeling grounded and connected to the earth and to myself. Thank you Rachel! – Emma
It was a month ago now that I embarked on a learning journey with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Training was held at Govinda Valley Retreat, right next to a rushing stream in a small town of Otford, between Woolongong and Sydney, near Royal National Park. The training was an incredible, immersive 8 day experience where I slept on the land, connected with the land, the space, and the other guides in training and trainers. We built such a beautiful little community with each other and we were all learning, growing and sharing with the land around us. There was such reciprocity and exchange and this was what I found so beautiful and deeply connective about being in this space and on this training. In the picture below I’m connecting with the tree here, giving it thanks for being here and asking what I can offer, how I can be in this space. A need for openheartedness arose and so this was my intention for the week. To engage with all beings, and with myself with openheartedness.
So much has happened since then! I’m sooo grateful for the learnings, the inspiration, the deep connections I built with my fellow learners and guides and also the connections I built and am continuing to build with the land and the other beings we share our experience with. With the onset of restrictions due to the COVID-19 virus at the end of our training, I returned to a completely new reality and I have been co-creating this new reality in each moment, embracing the changes as they unfold. I am so deeply grateful to everyone that has shared this journey with me and continues to journey with me. Two legged, four legged, winged, and leaf or frond filled, I love you all. Thank you You Min for the photos
