Living in Awe - Bay Area

Living in Awe - Bay Area Bring Awe and Wonder into your daily life through deep experience with nature. Books, Courses, and Guided Forest Bathing Walks in the Bay Area.

Rediscover meaning, reduce stress, and feel connected to something larger than yourself. Groups or Individual. Forest Therapy or Shinrin Yoku in Japanese was inspired by ancient Buddhist practices of allowing nature enter the body through all five senses. Shinrin-yoku means "taking in the forest atmosphere" or "forest bathing" and is a meditative like practice that was developed in Japan during the 1980s. It has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Since the 1980 doctors in Japan and South Korea have established a body of scientific research on the health benefits of spending time in nature, particularly under trees in the forest. Studies show that phytoncides emitted by plants and trees in the forest support our “NK” (natural killer) cells that are part of our immune system's way of fighting infections and cancer. In particular a 2010 study shows that a 2-hour forest walks on two consecutive days increased the number of NK cells by 50% and even a month after returning to urban life levels remained 23% higher than before the walks. Moreover, extended time in a forest decreased inflammatory cytokines implicated in chronic disease by roughly one-half (2012 study). Being in nature also creates a feeling of awe and wonder for us (also a common feeling confirmed by research). This sense of awe moves us from a ‘me’ (self centered state) to a connected perspective, feeling connected to nature and others around us. In a sense we become “more” than our common day to day experience. This makes us calmer, slows us down and gives us a deeper sense of belonging into the world. It also improves our capacity to communicate and share with others. Forest Therapy incorporates Buddhist mindfulness and meditation practices and principles from native, North American Indian traditions with the original Japanese Shinrin Yoku. The experience is designed to open and deepen your senses. A guided walk should help you get grounded in nature, increase your intuition, and experience the forest in a deeper and richer way. The approach entails guided walks in the forest along with a series of invitations. Invitations are guided activities and meditations designed to open your senses and help you connect with the forest beings around you. Beings are everything alive around you, plant, animals, fungi, etc.. A guided walk will last about 3 hours,

🌲 Bringing the Magic of Forest Therapy into Everyday Life! I'm thrilled to announce the release of my new book, Living i...
11/14/2024

🌲 Bringing the Magic of Forest Therapy into Everyday Life!

I'm thrilled to announce the release of my new book, Living in Awe Journal! Inspired by the practice of forest therapy, this book attempts brings the healing benefits of nature and the experience of awe directly into your everyday life. Forest Therapy works amazingly well to calm the mind and become present, but not everybody has the time to spend hours in nature every weekend.

Designed especially for those with busy, overactive minds, Living in Awe offers an alternative path to mindfulness through 70 unique exercises that fit seamlessly into daily routines. Using principles from forest therapy, art, relationships, and more, this guide shows you how to access the profound sense of wonder that comes from truly being present—anytime, anywhere.

Ready to unlock a new way of living with less stress and more joy? Grab your copy of Living in Awe today and start seeing the world with fresh eyes!

Living in Awe Journal: Rediscover Wonder, Find New Meaning, and Alleviate Stress in 60 days

Amazing visit to Humboldt State Park in Northern California. Three days under the redwood trees along the Eel river.
08/15/2024

Amazing visit to Humboldt State Park in Northern California. Three days under the redwood trees along the Eel river.

07/30/2024

🌲 Hello everyone! 🌲

Over the past few months, I have become more and more interested in the topic of awe. The experience of awe is a key element that makes Forest Bathing so enriching.

I'm excited to announce that I'm putting the finishing touches on a book designed to help infuse the experience of awe into daily life. The journal-based book draws inspiration from Forest Bathing concepts.

In anticipation of the book launch this fall, I've given this page a new name: "Living in Awe". While the page has been quiet the last couple years due to the pandemic fallout and a variety of personal reasons, that's all about to change!

Get ready for exciting new activities, including:
📘 A sneak peek of the book
📚 An upcoming course centered on awe and wonder
🌳 Forest Bathing walks and nature adventures

I can't wait to share this journey with you and help bring more awe and wonder into our lives. Stay tuned!

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Novato, CA

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Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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(415) 446-9070

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Forest Therapy or Shinrin Yoku in Japanese was inspired by ancient Buddhist practices of allowing nature enter the body through all five senses. Shinrin-yoku means "taking in the forest atmosphere" or "forest bathing" and is a meditative like practice that was developed in Japan during the 1980s. It has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Since the 1980 doctors in Japan and South Korea have established a body of scientific research on the health benefits of spending time in nature, particularly under trees in the forest. Studies show that phytoncides emitted by plants and trees in the forest support our “NK” (natural killer) cells that are part of our immune system's way of fighting infections and cancer. In particular a 2010 study shows that a 2-hour forest walks on two consecutive days increased the number of NK cells by 50% and even a month after returning to urban life levels remained 23% higher than before the walks. Moreover, extended time in a forest decreased inflammatory cytokines implicated in chronic disease by roughly one-half (2012 study). Being in nature also creates a feeling of awe and wonder for us (also a common feeling confirmed by research). This sense of awe moves us from a ‘me’ (self centered state) to a connected perspective, feeling connected to nature and others around us. In a sense we become “more” than our common day to day experience. This makes us calmer, slows us down and gives us a deeper sense of belonging into the world. It also improves our capacity to communicate and share with others. Forest Therapy incorporates Buddhist mindfulness and meditation practices and principles from native, North American Indian traditions with the original Japanese Shinrin Yoku. The experience is designed to open and deepen your senses. A guided walk should help you get grounded in nature, increase your intuition, and experience the forest in a deeper and richer way. The approach entails guided walks in the forest along with a series of invitations. Invitations are guided activities and meditations designed to open your senses and help you connect with the forest beings around you. Beings are everything alive around you, plant, animals, fungi, etc.. A guided walk will last about 3 hours,