When I guide a forest bath, I often ask at the beginning if there is anyone who has already tried forest bathing. Often a person answers “yes, I spend a lot of time in the woods walking. Forest bathing is what I do, but alone ”. Then I am very grateful that the person is here and wants to participate in a guided forest bath. Because there is a difference.
The guide will be here for you and the group. He/she has the knowledge to make sure that you dare to experience nature in a different way, that you get to discover new things.
Becoming a forest bathing guide (as I see it) is not something you learn over a day or a weekend. The ANFT education gave me knowledge, theory and tools to guide forest bathing and it is a profession where I am in constant development. I never stop learning about all the aspects of forest bathing.
With a guide you do not have to plan anything, you do not have to know the place where the forest bath will take place; you do not have to look at the time. The guide takes care of planning and preparation: which paths you will walk on, which places you can stop, sit, lie down.
With a guide, you will be able to experience the forest bath 100%: the guide creates a room where you can feel safe to be able to close your eyes if you want to, smell the moss or jump in water puddles if you feel like it. You are allowed to be what you want to be, to find your inner child, to be quiet, to laugh, to cry…
With a guide you will feel the connection to the other, other people and non-people. The guide builds up the forest bath as a journey with different stages.
With a guide, you will have the opportunity to put into words what you are experiencing, to share what you are feeling in the moment and to get back to daily life with a new insight.
With a guide, you will be a part of the history of the forest bath.
You can learn more on the roles and impacts of the guide in this post about the scientific article that we published.