THE LONG-AWAITED INTERNATIONAL FOREST THERAPY DAYS HYBRID EVENT IS BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2023!

Who are we ?

The International Forest Therapy Days (shortly IFTDays) have been organized since 2018 as a not-for-profit initiative. We bring together individuals all around the world to represent a variety of disciplines from science and practice. We want to raise awareness of forest-based wellbeing and offer a space for learning, exchange, and reflection. Subscribe to mailing list HERE.

What are we doing?

This year we are exploring forest bathing beyond acute stress reduction interventions, nature connection practices, and group-based activities. We are inviting you to question and reflect together as we try to understand what it would mean if we LIVED A FOREST-BATHING WAY OF LIFE.

How & When?

June 6th & 7th: The Seminar Days

The online Seminar is honoring our tribe residing around the globe in different timezones by being split into morning and afternoon sessions: June 6th afternoon and 7th morning (CEST). Choose what suits you best!

We hope to welcome a diverse lineup of presenters and audiences from science, practice, art, religion, and contemplative practices. The language used in seminar days is English.

Summer months: The Immersion Days

As meeting each other face to face is a cornerstone of IFTDays, we have invited people from the IFTDays tribe to organise their own local events in the forest. The events are low-threshold: free of charge, easy to access, low-effort arrangement, and environmentally friendly. To connect the events to each other in the wrap-up session, we invite the immersion day events to reflect with their group on the theme of this year’s event: forest bathing as a way of life, and share with us at the online wrap-up session in September.

September 9th: The Wrap Up Day

On September 9th we will gather again online to discuss the findings we made in our live local events to weave a global story. We invite everyone to share their input and linger for a while in that cosy IFTDays atmosphere!

If you want to organise your own local immersion day event, register it through the following link before the end of May.

IFTDAYS 2023 PROGRAMME

Online Seminar Days

June 6th

13.00 Opening words

13.15-14.45 Forest bathing as a way of life – A guide’s point of view (Panel discussion)

15.00-16.00 Creating a soil for forest bathing / Kati Kiiski

16.00-17.30 The body as doorway to wisdom and belonging in the natural world / Peter Gill

June 7th

08.00-10.00 People Need People – Bathing in our lives like we bath in the forests / Warm Data hosts

10.15-11.45 Tree of my life: drawing new possibilities within forest bathing / Xavier Hulhoven and Vitalija Povilaityte-Petri

11.45-13.00 Lunch pause

13.00-15.00 Writing(with)Plants / Wendy Wuyts

 

Free of charge

No registration – Zoom link will be sent for everyone on IFTDays mailing list. Subsribe to the list here.

Local Immersion Day Events across the globe

June 2nd, Czech Republic

June 6th, Colorado, US

June 18th, Switzerland

July 2nd, Finland

July 15th, British Columbia, Canada

July 22nd, Finland

August 24th, Finland

September 10th, Uganda

Register for these events through the hosts that are presented below.

IFTDAYS 2023 IMMERSION DAYS - Presenting local events & hosts

Zoë D. Lorek

www.achtsamkeitimwald.ch

Waldbaden Ausflug am Sonntag, 18.6.2023 | 9.00-12.00 Uhr | in 8330 Pfäffikon ZH: typische Waldbaden Übungen. Eine Teezeremonie rundet den Ausflug ab.

Registrierungslink: www.achtsamkeitimwald.ch/agenda-uebersicht/

IFTDays Immersion Day in Forest Studio Mustikkarinne

www.mustikkarinne.fi

Time 22.-23.7.2023

Come create the finnish edition with us: we will gather around music and fire, deep in the forest of mustikkarinne. On board Sanni Orasmaa, Sini Malminiemi, Sara Malve- Ahlroth, Katriina Kilpi and Heidi Korhonen.  Starting at 9.00

Come join us:

https://soundbynature.as.me/iftdays

Sam Foster

The Wild Lifers

Time: 15.7.2023 10am – 12pm. Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch, 1739 Oberg Johnson Rd, Golden, BC V0A 1H1, British Columbia, Golden, BC, Canada.

Experience nature connection and forest bathing in the beautiful setting of the Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch, Golden, BC. $10 booking fee goes to the Rocky Mountain Buffalos.

wearethewildlifers(a)gmail.com

Christine Spiri

WaldWieseWein

Time: 18.6.2023 9:30 – 12:00. Pump Track Mollis, Glarus, Schweiz.

Schnupperangebot: Waldbaden? – Tut gut! Was erwartet Dich? Nach einer kurzen Einführung zum Thema Waldbaden leite ich Dich beim Schlendern und Eintauchen mit allen Sinnen im Wald an.

christine.spiri(a)solnet.ch

Senfuma Moses

Attitudinal Counseling and Healing Society Ltd/Smokey Natural Resources Foundation Enterprise.

Time: 10.9.2023, 11;30am. Kifu central forest reserve  – Kabembe-kifu-Bukerere – kiyunga road, Mukono.

Forest bathing as a lifestyle for everyone, kifu central forests reserve Uganda. (I) Reaching the site, (2) plugging off from screens and electronics except the video coverage,(3) Getting consent from nature for using her space for the event(you don’t just enter someone’s house and proceed to the fridge and sip juice, we got to respect her), 4) Breathe -in-out as we get the consent and our minds to nature, (5) pay attention to the surrounding we sight, smell, sound and touch or feel with barefoot the earth or the trees epidermis, (6) choosing a leading sense that liberates our senses , (7) learn to communicate with nature in her non-verbal language, (8) nature as a teacher “where does she heap garbage?”, (9) nature as a relaxer and the ambience she provides, (10) nature’s tolerance to all who visits her, (11) nature as a unifier ” we become more friendly and cooperates with each other,(12) a mood enhancer cleans out mind of economic cities complications the mood become fresh.

senfumamose(a)yahoo.com

Martina Holcová

Lesní mysl – Dusíkova 5, Česká republika, Česko2.6.2023 16 hodin.

We would like to invite people to go with us to forest to experience some exercises and also free style forest bathing with some piqnique and discusion afterwards.

Degustation of forest bathing (workshop) plus gathering with discusion. Voluntary contribution.

m.holcova(a)gmail.com

Pauliina Salminen

Viheriä

Sastamala Finland, Ritajärven luonnonsuojelualue –  2.7.2023, lähtö kello 15.00.

Lumoudu luonnosta! Lähde voimaannuttavalle Natural Mindfulnes -kävelylle Ritajärven luonnonsuojelualueelle. Oppaana mielenrauhaan ja rentoutumiseen toimii luonto -ja ympäristöneuvoja ja Natural Mindfulness ohjaajaa Pauliina Salminen.

pai.salminen(a)gmail.com

Carmen Rothmayr

Carmen Rothmayr Mediazione Natura.

Time: 18.6.2023, 10 am to 12.30. Obere Bühlstrasse, 8700 Küsnacht, Zürich, Schweiz.

natura(a)carmen-rothmayr.ch

Karin Hilfiker

Waldstudio GmbH

www.waldcoaching.ch

18.6.2023 time 12.30 Halenstrasse 2, Bern (Halen-Playground), Bern, Switzerland.

Learning together in nature Doing a forest walk including self-reflection and a case clinic, we address individually and in group the two topics “What do I receive from forest bathing” and “How could I integrate forest bathing into my daily life”. Procedure: Mindfulness practice – perceive distinct forest images as a group – recognise associations and metaphors related to the two topics – self-reflection – group exercise (case clinic) – go on with the forest walk that time at your own and feel what you perceive – share your experience in the group – end. Duration: 3.5 hours

Anmeldungen:

www.waldcoaching.ch/angebot/modul-lernen-in-der-natur

Zuza Bohley

Love4Nature – Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado, United States. Time: 6.6.2023, 8:00am

Find new ways of relating to and interacting with nature in the Gardens. Forest bathing, inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, is known for promoting overall wellness and inspiring a sense of awe in nature. By simply slowing down and carefully observing through our senses, we experience the incredible sights, sounds and smells that may have been eluding us. Escape the rapid pace of daily routines and relax into the unparalleled beauty all around.

The first 6 participants can attend without entrance fee (part of my membership), others will need to pay the entrance fee to the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Zuzabohley(a)gmail.com

Silvia Gemperle

Lukrez NATURAL COACHING

www.lukrez.ch

Time: 18.6.2023, 9.00 – 12.00. Place: 9000 St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Schweiz.

Waldbaden – Achtsamkeit – Naturtag

Eintauchen in den Wald, mit Achtsamkeit und Freude. Ein kostenloses Schnupperangebot zum Waldbaden.

Anmeldung: silvia(a)lukrez.ch

Sara Malve-Ahlroth & Porvoo Public Library

24.8.2023 Porvoo Public Library, Japanese Garden at 17.30-18.30

No registration

Forest bathing in the library’s garden and opening to all senses in the nature. Short introduction to forest bathing in the beginning.

Healing Forest org

Healing Forest org

A mindful forest retreat in Himachal Pradesh, India
from 15th – 18th June 2023

Benten Martens

Heel je Natuur – Time: 7.7.2023, 10 – 16u. Place: Rue de l’Hippodrome 17, 7973 Stambruges, Hainaut, België.

A day where we immerse ourselves in the magical forest of Stambruges.
From 10 – 12h I will offer a forest bath to slow down and connect to nature and ourselves. From 12 – 13h we will picknick together in the forest (bring your own lunch). From 13 – 16h we will co-create with nature, so bring a journal and some writing/drawing materials.

bentenmartens.be; nature(a)bentenmartens.be, instagram or facebook

Sebastian Koplin

Time: 8.7.2023, 09:30.

Place: Projensdorfer Str. Kiel, Deutschland.

“Waldbaden als Naturerfahrung” – Nach einer kurzen Vorstellung des “Shinrin-Yoku”-(Waldbaden) Konzepts werden wir die Natur auf uns wirken lassen und eine Zeit gemeinsam unterwegs sein. Dabei können einige Übungen ausprobiert und Fragen gestellt werden. Der Waldbaden-Schnupper-Kurs ist kostenlos. (max. 10 Teilnehmende)

coaching(a)sebastian-koplin.de

Alena Valkova

Stromosvet

Time 29.7.2023, 9:00 – 11:30.

Place: Bratislava Forest Park, Kamzík (meeting point to be confirmed), Slovakia.

Forest Bathing Walk with mindful exercises focused on noticing nature with our senses

Registration via www.stromosvet.sk/lesne-kupele