“I recently participated in one of NatureWalksRx sessions in the redwood forest and it was an awe-inspiring experience! It really made me slow down and become consciously immersed in the sounds, smells, sight, and feel of the forest. I’ve worked my whole life in the outdoors, and have a deep appreciation and love for nature, but even so, I gained something through shinrin-yoku, that perhaps I forgot or got too busy to notice. It’s that amazement one feels beholding nature, its the healing and peace that come from not having a destination or goal while in the forest (as we often do on hikes, exercise runs, or work outings), it’s simply being fully aware and involved in the surroundings; the flight of the insect, the smell of the duff, the feel of the moss. This therapy is just as much for the outdoors people as well as those new to nature.”
~ Amy Ziegler
Fire Planner
National Park Service
