Nature Experience day: Donations

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Our leisurely Nature Therapy walks are carried out in Surrey Wildlife Trust nature reserves across the county.

"Newlands Corner is a popular reserve with superb views of the surrounding countryside. There are 103 hectares (255 acres) of open chalk downland and peaceful woodlands to explore. The woodlands here are mixed, with some deciduous trees like oak and birch, plus evergreen yew. Some of the yew trees are hundreds of years old. The woods shelter roe deer and are home to green woodpeckers, nuthatches and tawny owls."

We will spend the majority of our time exploring an ancient Yew Tree Grove; this area has a wonderfully serene atmosphere. We have selected Newlands Corner as it offers a rare chance to explore a large Yew Tree Grove, sadly most have been lost over the ages! Once you have experienced the area you will understand why we have fallen in love with it; we take great joy from sharing this space with others and watching their enjoyment.

Short video overview

In this video Gary from Holistic Healing Therapy answers the most common questions about Nature Therapy – how can Nature Therapy help you? How Nature Therapy can help reduce stress and blood pressure, improve the immune system, and boost creativity? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyX7Twag_5s

PLEASE BRING LAYERS - THE WEATHER IS LIKELY TO BE CHILLY!

There are on-site toilets and a coffee shop with food. There is a maximum of 20 places; this will ensure Gary and Olga can give each person private tuition.

ABOUT NATURE THERAPY:

Nature Therapy, as defined and practiced by Holistic Healing Therapy, is a type of relaxation involving spending time in nature to promote health and well-being. We combine different practices including mindfulness, grounding, and natural aromatherapy; using short exercises we also encourage the development and use of various senses. We aim to give you an opportunity to stop and look at life from a larger perspective. We have been inspired by forest bathing, currently widely practiced for its therapeutic properties in Japan and the USA.

In Japan, a forest bathing trip is called Shinrin-yoku.

"A forest bathing trip involves visiting a forest for relaxation and recreation while breathing in (wood essential oils). Incorporating forest bathing trips into a good lifestyle was first proposed in 1982 by the Forest Agency of Japan. It has now become a recognized relaxation and/or stress management activity in Japan." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_bathing

Some of the scientifically proven benefits of spending time in nature include reduced stress levels, stronger immune system response, and a stabilised cortisol cycle. You can read more about the benefits of Nature Therapy on our website www.holistichealingtherapy.co.uk (http://www.holistichealingtherapy.co.uk/)

ABOUT GARY AND OLGA:

Gary and Olga have traveled extensively visiting ancient sites and forests, from their studies of indigenous wisdom they have come to understand that something vital has been missed from modern educational systems. Where was our education on emotional health and well-being? How should we handle stress when life takes an unexpected turn? Most of us have no idea what to do. To find useful and helpful tools, we have to look to other cultures and times long past.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

We will start with an introduction: who we are, what we do, and give simple tips for the session ahead. We will also show you the facilities available on site.

We will take a walk around the site and then gather to start some simple relaxation exercises, these will involve breathing exercises, aimed at calming your breath and bringing mindfulness to your senses.

We will then do a guided grounding meditation. Our walk will include different exercises to sharpen your senses to make you more aware of your surroundings. Please note, the exercises will be aimed at sensual experiences rather than intellectual understanding – we want you to learn about the environment with your senses rather than with your mind! We will work on sharpening the sense of smell, hearing, touch, and sight.

The rest of the walk will be in silence – we call it a “mindful walk.” There are many benefits to mindful walking, including, by playing the part of the observer you will notice a lot more wildlife as this is a quiet exercise, animals, and birds will not be scared away by human voices.

To finish, we will walk back to where we started; we will sit down undercover, which will provide us an opportunity to discuss our experiences. Gary and Olga will be available for any questions, and will also provide details for future events.

Throughout the 3 hour walk, you will be supervised by Gary and Olga, who will do their best to give you as much attention as possible, and take the best care of you. After some of the exercises, we will join in a group to briefly discuss our experiences, which will help us learn from each other and, maybe, notice something new about ourselves.

GETTING THERE:

LOCATION: There is a large free car park onsite; we will meet at 12pm at the far end away from the road. You will see us holding a sign "Nature Therapy."

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:

The nearest train station is 3.5 miles away in Guildford. We will do our best to help facilitate pickups from the station if required.

SPACE IS LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE– please, ensure you RSVP and pay to secure a place.

PRICE:

Donations only.

HOW TO BOOK A PLACE:

To guarantee your place, we ask you to RSVP YES on Meetup. If you are unable to RSVP, please, contact us directly. Please, let us know you are coming by contacting us before the event.

CONTACT US:

If you have any questions, please, contact us by Meetup message or by filling in the Contact Form on the Contact us page on our website: www.holistichealingtherapy.co.uk (http://www.holistichealingtherapy.co.uk/)

If you would like to speak directly with us, you can find our phone number on our website.

Please note: “RSVPS CLOSED” means the event is full.

ADVICE: BEFORE AND AFTER THE EVENT - WHAT TO BRING:

We advise you to drink plenty of water before and after, bring some water with you, and eat enough food before the walk to prepare you for the three hours ahead – if needed, please, bring snacks with you. We also encourage you to wear loose fitting comfortable clothing.

As Nature Therapy Walks are outside, we advise you to dress appropriately. For rain, bring an umbrella, raincoat, and boots. For hot weather, bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. We ask you to wear good outdoor boots or shoes with a decent grip. Ideally something waterproof with ankle support. If we do encounter wet weather, there will be certain sections of the site which are slippery. We also advise you to bring layers, including long-sleeved tops, long trousers, and long socks for protection against insects.

We advise you to bring any necessary medications; if you are allergic to insect bites you should bring appropriate medicine to cover any eventualities.

Please, note that some of our exercises will involve sitting on the ground, so we advise you to bring something waterproof to sit on.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

We kindly ask anyone attending the event to read our TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Please, be aware that by clicking “RSVP YES” or/and coming to the event, you confirm you have read and agreed to our TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Minors: Please, be aware our walks are aimed at adults due to the profound nature of Nature Therapy. We ask that 16 and 17 years olds are accompanied by adults (guardians or parents), and we will need a written consent letter from their parent/guardian. We can not admit anyone younger than 16 years old (sorry!).

Medical conditions/prescribed medications/pregnancy: We advise those in the first trimester of pregnancy to abstain from our events. If you are pregnant, please, inform us before the event. If you have any medical conditions, are on a prescribed medication, are pregnant, or have any concerns, please, see your GP and inform him/her about attending our Nature Therapy sessions, this will allow your GP to give appropriate advice. If you currently experience or have a history of serious health issues (including mental health issues, operations, medical procedures, seizures, implants, special needs), please, inform us before the walk.

Please, be aware that we will not be able to answer emails, messages, or calls from 10 am to 5pm on the day of the event. For those that sign up, we will forward you our mobile numbers in case you need to make contact on the day.

We are very excited about these new events and look forward to sharing the restorative power of nature with everyone attending. We hope to see you at our Nature Therapy Walk!

Gary and Olga

Holistic Healing Therapy