The sun streaming through criss-crossed trees over the path casts a pretty pattern of dappled light on the worn trail at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary.

Its beauty serves as one of many entry points for forest bathing guide Agnes Kedmenecz to lead her group deeper into their senses.

In 2023, she earned her provisional certification as a nature and forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. This spring, she completed full certification.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a personal thing to want to give back to nature, to give back to people,乌鸦传媒� she explains. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 funny how God brings this nature and healing together for me.乌鸦传媒�

The idea to become a guide was rooted in her during a parking lot conversation, two decades ago, with a colleague while working as an educator with a counselling agency. The subject of forest bathing came up as a wonderful option for the staff themselves; it seemed a good healing and recovery tool.

That former colleague was the first emotional phone call when Kedmenecz finished full certification in Japan this spring.

She乌鸦传媒檇 been giving presentations on forest bathing, forest therapy 乌鸦传媒� or Shinrin-Yoku 乌鸦传媒� for years already. When explaining it, she starts with a bit of silliness as a prelude, showing a photo of her washing a tree, then washing herself in the woods.

Neither is forest bathing.

乌鸦传媒淪hinrin-Yoku is taking in the forest atmosphere with all your senses.乌鸦传媒�

While easily done solo, a guide pulls the connection deeper. She乌鸦传媒檚 trained in sequences and segues with flexibility to engage with individuals or class groups.

It乌鸦传媒檚 an exercise in mindfulness that might start with a soft question: 乌鸦传媒淲hat乌鸦传媒檚 in motion?乌鸦传媒�

This day, it乌鸦传媒檚 a cobweb glittering in the spring sun and softly quivering in the gentle breeze that also creates a shimmer among the trailside bushes. Bugs flit about, and suddenly, now noticed, there seem to be more of them.

Motion is one of her favourite invitations.

乌鸦传媒淚t calms me and gets me to the reality of the moment,乌鸦传媒� Kedmenecz said. 乌鸦传媒淭his intentional being outside, it乌鸦传媒檚 like a refresh for me.乌鸦传媒�

Forest bathing walks include several thought-through invitations 乌鸦传媒� including one on dappled light 乌鸦传媒� that lead participants to a solo moment before meeting back at a pre-set home base for a final tea, where everyone乌鸦传媒檚 invited to share something 乌鸦传媒� or not.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 all invitational,乌鸦传媒� Kedmenecz emphasizes. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 your guide. There乌鸦传媒檚 no test at the end.乌鸦传媒�

Some people feel like sharing, others don乌鸦传媒檛.

Some are playful, others introspective, sometimes both.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 glad people are out and doing it. They乌鸦传媒檙e here, they乌鸦传媒檙e out for me; that乌鸦传媒檚 a win.乌鸦传媒�

It also affords a silver lining, fostering a connection with nature that can lead to deeper care for the environment around them.

乌鸦传媒淭his is such a simple way to change someone's behaviour to be more nature-centric,乌鸦传媒� Kedmenecz said.

Currently, she leads monthly walks through Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary (best suited for those aged 10 and older, register ). The Saanich park provides easy access; the walk is an amble on a wide, gravelled path.

One key is to prepare for the weather. There乌鸦传媒檚 nothing as distracting as being too cold, too hot, or too thirsty.

乌鸦传媒淲hen people are not prepared for the weather, their connection changes,乌鸦传媒� she said.

While it affords someone the opportunity to slow down, unwind and just be, other benefits include improved immune function, cardiovascular and respiratory health and ideally reduced stress, Kedmenecz said.

乌鸦传媒淣ature is the therapist. I乌鸦传媒檓 just guiding.乌鸦传媒�