Posted on: September 17, 2018
When I first learned of the practice of Forest Therapy, I was surprised I hadn’t heard of it before. A local surge in popularity, most recently at the Morton Arboretum, spurred the Glen Ellyn Park District to partner with one of the Arboretum’s staff members. Forest Therapy Walks are inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, which offers participants an opportunity to spend peaceful time in a natural environment in a way that invites healing interactions with their surroundings.
I recently experienced my first Forest Therapy Walk, courtesy of Retta Hennessey who is a certified guide through the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy. I brought my 20-year-old daughter Kerry along, and while we’d been to Glen Ellyn many times, we’d never visited Lake Ellyn Park, where the walk was scheduled to take place. The park, along with Lake Ellyn and the beautiful Boathouse, was a sight to behold.
The weather was iffy; it was trying to decide whether or not to rain. We arrived and quickly spotted Retta, who had told me she’d be the one with a big straw hat. When we met, she explained what our Therapy Walk would entail, and offered us ponchos (just in case) and bottles of water, and let us know that she had a first aid kit, snacks, and foam mats if we wanted to sit down. We were also pleasantly surprised to meet Renae Frigo, Naturalist for the Glen Ellyn Park District, who joined us for the experience.
The Forest Therapy Walk began with Retta explaining that she would present us with a series of invitations; each invitation would ask us to focus on something specific and to be prepared to share what we noticed during each slow 5-10 minute walk. The first invitation was to notice what we felt, or what was touching us. I personally noticed the breeze blowing, as I felt it on my bare arms, and I felt the cloth of my shirt moving and touching my arms in various places. I noticed sporadic raindrops hitting my hair and my face. The act of slowing down our minds, and focusing on very specific things that we normally might not notice, created a feeling of calm and relaxation for each of us. After about 10 minutes of slow meandering, we gathered in a circle and took turns holding a black walnut, which served as a “talking piece”. Whoever was holding it spoke and shared what they had felt during that session, and it was passed around until we each had a turn.
The second invitation was “sound”. We slowly walked and paid attention only to what we could hear. The birdsong instantly seemed louder and more sharp. Airplanes high overhead could be heard, along with cars driving by in the distance. The path we were walking on was a soft mulched trail through huge oak trees, amid prairie grasses and other native plants; our footsteps on the path made only slight noises. We heard the plants rustling, and could hear, although we couldn’t always see, small animals scurrying about. Again, after 5-10 minutes, we gathered in a circle, took turns holding the black walnut, and shared what we had heard.
The third invitation was even more exciting – it was called “zoom”. We were invited to zoom in our focus on anything that caught our interest, and Retta even handed us small magnifying glasses to aid in our investigation. Kerry found a dead cicada, and was fascinated by it. She also discovered a small white caterpillar with big black eyes, stuck to a leaf but moving its head every which way as if trying to zoom in on something for itself. I was drawn to the bright green moss on a large tree trunk, which had vertical ridges that reminded me of a miniature mountain range. It was as if I was in an airplane, looking down on mountains that were covered in trees. I wouldn’t have considered it in that way if I hadn’t zoomed in on it. We met to discuss what we found, it was very interesting to hear everyone’s ideas. The nice thing about the sharing at the end of each invitation was that participants were also encouraged to “pass” if they couldn’t think of something to share. No judgement, no worries, and no stress.
The final invitation was called “sit spot”, where we chose a place to sit down and just watch whatever was going on around us. We were given the foam mats, which came in handy as the light rain had made the ground and other sitting surfaces a little wet. By the time we reached our sit spots, the sun had come out and was making Lake Ellyn sparkle. I chose a bench by the walking path, which afforded me the delight of watching people walk by with their dogs. I saw a leaf blowing across the grass in a way that suggested to me that it was doing cartwheels. I watched a grandpa fishing with his young grandson, which reminded me of the importance of human connection. I focused in on the beautiful trees, exuding strength and providing a wonderful canopy overhead, protecting us from the last of the stubborn raindrops.
After our “sit spot”, we concluded our Forest Therapy Walk with a tea ceremony. Retta made tea from hot water she’d brought in a large thermos, and used dried red clover and other plants that she’d harvested from a previous Therapy Walk that she had led at the Morton Arboretum, where she has worked for several years. It was delicious and relaxing, and we all felt happy just sitting together and sharing stories. As if on cue, a fearless squirrel approached our picnic table where we were enjoying our tea, and Kerry handed it a peanut from a snack bag Retta had provided. The squirrel took the nut from her hand and scampered away, but stayed close enough for us to watch it eat its prized possession. Joy all around.
Forest Therapy Walks are perfect for relieving stress, meeting new friends, and enjoying nature. The walks help participants focus on the “here and now”, and to notice little things that come to the forefront of the mind, pushing back the negative, stressful things that we usually have trouble avoiding. I’ve practiced yoga, pilates, and meditation, and this is right up there with them in terms of providing a restful, enjoyable, and mindful experience. For more information about the terrific series of Forest Therapy Walks offered in October and November, and to sign up, please visit www.gepark.org/register.
Written by Denise Freese