Sylvotherapy · · 1 min read
What is sylvotherapy?
Sylvotherapy means spending time in the forest mindfully and with guidance. Here is what it involves and what it is not.
The word sylvotherapy comes from the Latin silva, forest. It describes guided, mindful time in the woods where you are not hiking to reach a destination but slowing down and noticing.
Where the idea comes from
Since the 1980s, Japan has practised Shinrin-Yoku, "bathing in the forest atmosphere". Many countries have since developed a practice that combines sensory awareness, mindfulness and gentle movement in the forest.
What a session looks like
- Arriving and slowing down
- Invitations to the senses: walking, seeing, listening, breathing, feeling
- Time on your own in the forest
- A calm closing, often with tea
What sylvotherapy is not
Sylvotherapy does not replace medical or psychotherapeutic treatment. It is an offer for relaxation and self-awareness. If you are in treatment, feel free to talk to your doctor first.
The forest asks nothing of you. That is exactly its invitation.
Would you like to experience the forest yourself?
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