Your Guides:

Jane Saiers

Darin Knapp

at Dix Park, Raleigh

Sunday, March 29, 1-3pm

Sunday, May 31, 1-3pm

UPCOMING WALKS 2026

at RambleRill Farm

Saturday, March 21, 3-5pm

Saturday, June 20, 3-5pm

Saturday, September 26, 3-5pm

Forest Bathing 

Our guided, mindful walks through the woods and gardens are inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku  (also known as forest bathing  or forest therapy)---immersing oneself in the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and touches of the forest. Participants are invited to relax in the present moment and to use their senses to engage with nature. The point is not to reach a destination, or to exercise, or to identify the flora and fauna; the time in the forest and gardens is devoted to sensing and to being.

The Japanese government integrated forest bathing into its national health program in the 1980s in an attempt to counteract the negative impact of sedentary, indoor, high-stress jobs on citizens' health. Research establishes that forest bathing benefits both mind and body with beneficial effects on mood and cognition as well as cardiovascular and immune function.