Nordic Journey: Nature and Forest Therapy Walk with Nordic Flavors
***Event postponed until further notice***
Location:
Holly Hill Farm, Cohasset, MA
Are you curious about getting a sense of the Nordic lifestyle? Have you heard about “Forest Bathing” and want to know how you can experience nature using all your senses? Live Nordic, Blue Stone Journeys and Mettä Nordic are teaming up to bring you an afternoon outdoors combining the practice of nature and forest therapy with the flavors of a Nordic palette.
One of the fundamental parts of Living Nordic is spending a great deal of time outdoors connecting with nature. In the North, where winters are long and summers short, people have learnt to embrace each season. Likewise, Nordic people share a unique connection with forest. Throughout history, forests have offered shelter, food and medicine. Berry and mushroom picking are common Nordic cultural traditions that are enjoyed together as a family or with friends.
Nature and Forest Therapy offers the opportunity to slow down the pace, tune in to all one’s senses connecting with nature, self and others in the group. The health benefits of spending time in nature have been well documented and include, to name a few: reducing stress levels, lowering blood pressure and heart rate while building the immune system.
Join Henna Capone, founder of Live Nordic, and certified nature and forest therapy guide, Kirsten Snow, for a gentle walk in nature, experiencing the grounding elements of nature. We’ll walk about one mile with stops along the way, and you’ll have time to spend together in the group as well as on your own.
Register here
Event Details
Fee $75 – includes guided walk, snack and a portion will be donated to preserving the natural setting where we walk.
Space is limited to 20. Registration closes Wednesday, March 25. Pre-registration and payment reserves your spot.
The walk follows a structure so it’s important you plan to be part of the experience from start to finish. If the timing is not convenient for you, we invite you to join us another time.
Although we love kids and dogs, this walk is not designed for our canine friends. The experience is geared for those over the age of 14.
You will receive an e-mail within three days of the walk providing location information and other details. However, should you have any questions, please let us know.
Kirsten: info@bluestonejourneys.com or Henna: henna@livenordicusa.com
Cancellation policy: We gladly offer a full refund if we cancel the experience due to weather or when you notify us at least 72 hours/three days before the day of the walk, if your plans change. No refund or credit is given if you do not show up on the day of the walk or cancel less than 72 hours/three days before the experience.
Kirsten Snow - Blue Stone Journeys
Forest Bathing: Reconnecting with Ourselves and the Natural World
Who: Kirsten Snow is a certified nature and forest therapy guide and a founder of Blue Stone Journeys. Kirsten leads private and public walks for groups throughout New England and will be partnering with Live Nordic on an upcoming walk in March 2020
Current Gig: Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and Founder of Blue Stone Journeys
Location: How fortunate for me - outdoors - all over the world. And if participants aren’t able to join me outdoors, I can bring nature to them!
Favorite way to relax: It’s actually pretty simple, I love sitting on my deck, listening to music watching the marsh change as the water and sky move or if I want to be a bit more active; taking a walk on the beach, in the forest, snowshoeing in the fields. Creating art and cooking also get me to that place of serenity.
LN: What inspired you to become a nature and forest therapy guide?
KS: There sure is a personal story! Believe it or not, I was pretty close to purchasing a women’s
European clothing store, when I got “the call” from Mother Nature. I’d first heard of forest bathing
several years ago at a retreat I attended and then for a couple of years, the subject kept “popping up” in
magazines I was reading or on NPR. The morning after the 2016 election, I knew the world as we knew
it was going to get a bit crazy, and I knew I’d need to use all the tools in my toolbox to stay centered.
There was a little voice in my head that told me I should share some of these tools. I did not know what
that meant, until a year later, when I experienced forest bathing for the first time. As I laid down on a
lush green mound of moss, I was brought back to my childhood and a place that was special to me. It
was at that moment that I knew how I could help others … and help the planet at the same time.
"It was at that moment that I knew how I could help others… and help the planet at the same time."
LN: How can the modern-day lifestyle benefit from nature and forest therapy?
KS: We live in a world that moves at record speed, we spend less time outdoors, and more on our
devices. Loneliness, anxiety, and stress are all at record levels. We have lost our connection to nature
and the way it grounds us. Many see nature as “something else”, rather than realizing we are all
connected. Being in nature brings us back to what is authentic, that which is real – helping us to re-
connect with ourselves and the natural world.
"Many see nature as 'something else', rather than realizing we are all connected. Being in nature brings us back to what is authentic, that which is real."
LN: What are the most significant and scientifically proven health benefits of forest bathing?
KS: Studies done around the world have proven that spending time in nature is good for our health and
well-being. The Japanese have studied the benefits of phytoncides, a chemical the trees produce –
lowering our blood pressure, reducing our heart rate, and increasing production of NK cells which help
fight cancer.
"The Japanese have studied the benefits of phytoncides, a chemical the trees produce – lowering our blood pressure, reducing our heart rate, and increasing production of NK cells which help fight cancer."
Jonna Huomo - Mindstone Forest Therapy
Wellness from the Woods
Who: Jonna Huomo
Current Gig: Forest Health Coach, Entrepreneur, Public health nurse, Mindfulness Instructor
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Favorite way to relax: Reading, listening to music, walking in the forest and meditating
LN: What inspired you to become a Forest Health coach? Is there a personal story behind it?
JH: I was working as a public health nurse, helping companies and individuals stay healthy, but I always felt that there should be a more comprehensive way to help people. When individuals are faced with stress, particularly in this age of information overload, we remind them to eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep. While these are sensible suggestions, I have always felt that we could do more to help people.
When my daughter got sick, I had to leave my job to be more available to her, so I decided to start my own business. This gave me an opportunity to start helping people and organizations in ways that I found effective, and I got to put my ideas into practice. I started adding some new elements to my work: mindfulness and forest health. Taking people into nature and having them work on mindfulness there makes for a perfect mix. Combined, these two practices work as an “effective medicine”, and my patients are able to develop awareness, balance, recovery and restoration.
"Taking people into nature and having them work on mindfulness there makes for a perfect mix."
I am very happy, and I love my job. It is amazing to see how people are starting to feel more balanced and focused again. Some feel that through these practices, they are getting their life back, which makes my work very rewarding. My work schedule also allows me to be available to most important people in my life (my daughter has type 1 diabetes, so it’s important for me to be available to her). My work schedule also gives me time to do voluntary work; I know how stressful life can be with chronic diseases, so I volunteer with families of those with type 1 diabetes to help in any way I can.
LN: Nordic people share a unique connection with the forest. What expertise or knowledge can Nordic lifestyle bring into Forest Therapy, if any?
JH: Nordic people have always felt connected to nature and have learned to live in harmony with it. Our forests were there for us during wars and poverty- feeding us, sheltering us, comforting us, and offering us medicine. This ancient knowledge is still available to us and to anyone who is interested in learning about it. For those of us who choose to learn, it is then our duty to understand the relevance of this knowledge in modern times and share it with the rest of the world.
"Our forests were there for us during wars and poverty- feeding us, sheltering us, comforting us, and offering us medicine. It is our duty to understand the relevance of this knowledge in modern times."
Nordic cultural traditions also factor into why the Nordic people have a unique connection with the forest. For example, children often play in the forests, and adults and children alike enjoy spending time picking berries and mushrooms, hiking and camping. These are wonderful, natural ways to enjoy nature and I think it’s imperative to keep telling stories of these activities to inspire others to do the same.
"Research institutions in Finland are continuously working on discovering new ways we can benefit from natural substances."
Additionally, it is important for us to tell the world about the amazing Nordic research findings about the health benefits of nature. Research institutions in Finland are continuously working on discovering new ways we can benefit from natural substances. For example, there are many studies focusing on the compounds in trees, and exploring their capabilities to cure diseases or aid other health conditions. I am hopeful that these findings will help us respect nature even more. After all, our relationship with nature comes intuitively- humankind won’t survive if we destroy it. I also think that by encouraging people to spend more time in nature, it will bring us closer to greater humanity, peace and balance.
"..by encouraging people to spend more time in nature, it will bring us closer to greater humanity, peace and balance."
LN: Today, we see Forest Therapy or Forest bathing developing in many countries, in many forms. Amos Clifford concludes in his book, Your Guide to Forest Bathing, that the earth is calling us back into the forest. Why do you think Forest Therapy or Forest Bathing is emerging in these times?
In today’s world, we deal with increased levels of stress and are constantly overloaded with information. Modern technology can be very helpful, but it needs to be balanced with time away from technology- otherwise, we get overstimulated and tense. We have become unaccustomed to actually listening to our bodies and experiencing stillness, and we need to slow down to keep ourselves physically and mentally healthy.
"We have become unaccustomed to actually listening to our bodies and experiencing stillness, and we need to slow down to keep ourselves physically and mentally healthy."
Nature offers us grounding and relaxing elements and experiences. For example, even just being surrounded by trees allows us to breathe clean air, which in turn massively benefits our health and well-being. Walking in nature allows us to get exercise while being surrounded and amazed by the beauty of nature.
"Nature offers us grounding and relaxing elements and experiences."
Nature, for me, is like another home- you can go to the forest at any moment, no matter what else is happening in your life, and you’re always welcome. It doesn’t matter how you look or feel. It doesn’t matter if you’re upset or have a lot on your mind. Nature is always welcoming.
LN: What practical advice can you offer to someone who would like to start practicing Forest Bathing (where to start and how to make it a part of your daily life)?
Find a nice and easy place for you to visit- whether it be a park or a guided path in a forest- that’s removed from the sounds of city life. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and feel free to take a friend if you feel that will be helpful. Use all your senses: listen to the birds, feel the sun and wind on your skin, see the trees and smell the flowers. After you’ve spent some time observing nature as it occurs naturally, start focusing on yourself and your sensations. Listen to your breathing and start to notice any sensations in your body. Acknowledge what is going on inside of you.
"After you’ve spent some time observing nature as it occurs naturally, start focusing on yourself and your sensations."
It’s beneficial to practice forest bathing every day, but if it’s not possible for you to make it outside every day, a good and healthy alternative is to look at nature pictures and watch videos. I want forest bathing to be accessible, which is why I co-created the Walk in Finland- application. This is a virtual nature walk application (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) that lets you listen to the sounds of nature if it isn’t feasible for you to make it outside each day. It’s a great way to spend your office break, too!
"I want forest bathing to be accessible, which is why I co-created the Walk in Finland- application."
I wish your journey with forest bathing to be relaxing, refreshing and full of magical moments in nature. And I hope you discover how good it makes you feel.
John Pederson - the 612 Sauna Society Cooperative
Sauna Cooperative Bringing Steam Bathing to Urban America
Who: John Pederson
Current Gig: Founder of the 612 Sauna Society Cooperative and Sauna Society Outfitters
Location: Minneapolis Minnesota USA
Favorite way to relax: Ahhhhh, in the SAUNA of course!
“Since the dawn of humanity, humans around the world have gathered to enjoy the simple pleasures of steam and heat. The sweat bathing traditions of the world have been preserved by their responsiveness to the needs of modern societies”, explains John Pederson, the Founder of the 612 Sauna Society and Sauna Society Outfitters, both organizations sprouting from the Twin cities area. Founded in 2016, the 612 Sauna Society is the nation’s first member owned Sauna Cooperative and the Sauna Society Outfitters was established two years later, to offer the experience of steam bathing through trainings, events and product development.
“…in today’s fast-paced, distracted, divided and noisy world — the therapeutic potential of steam bathing has never been more obvious or more needed.”
John Pederson could be called a pioneer in making Sauna relevant and “cool” in urban America. Since building his first Sauna in 2014, John has hosted over 5,000 guests for sauna gatherings at venues he has created or managed throughout the Twin Cities. Today the 612 Sauna Society has over 150 members, and it owns and operates a mobile sauna unit called the Forge. The Forge has been hosted by dozens of businesses and neighborhood organizations in the Minneapolis area.
In addition to his gig as a Chief Fire Wood Officer at the 612 Sauna Society, John’s other venture, the Sauna Society Outfitters, now organizes guided steam sessions at Hewing Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, followed by a cool down relaxation round and an optional ice bath reset.
We hope that what John has created is just a beginning for a movement to make Sauna a bigger part of urban life in America. As people search new ways to manage anxiety and stress caused by the demands modern society, sauna can improve mental and physical wellness, in addition to the social benefits it generates.
It’s been inspiring to follow John’s journey of making sauna tradition more relevant in North America, particularly for younger generations. We chatted with John about the future of sauna in America and its role in our everyday life.
LN: We think of Sauna as something so inherently Nordic. What does Sauna represent to you?
JP: I think of sauna as one of many Sweat Bathing traditions. Since the dawn of humanity humans around the world have gathered to enjoy the simple pleasures of steam and heat. The sweat bathing traditions of the world have been preserved by their responsiveness to the needs of modern societies. The Finns started calling it Sauna, the Turks Hammam, the Native Americans Sweat Lodge, and the Russians Banya. Each culture developed different customs and practices around the experience to best serve their time, place and communities.
LN: Why has the 612 Sauna Society Cooperative become so popular among the local communities in Minnesota?
JP: Today, the therapeutic potential of steam bathing has never been more obvious or more needed. As a 308B cooperative organization, our Board of Directors is voted in by our Membership on a one-to-one basis (each member has one share and each share gets one vote). The purpose and advantage of this governance is to keep our organization responsive to the needs and priorities of its Member-Owners. In doing so, we are discovering the therapeutic potential of sauna today and actively participating in the preservation of one of the finest traditions of The North.
“I would love to see more innovated projects making the physical, mental and social benefits of steam bathing traditions more available to all.”
LN: Is there anything about Sauna that you consider to be a unique kind of experience that you cannot find elsewhere?
JP: It’s a very unique experience, especially in today’s fast-paced, distracted, divided and noisy world. In these times, the therapeutic potential of steam bathing has never been more obvious or more needed.
LN: How would you like to see the culture and traditions of sauna evolving in America in a few years’ time?
JP: I would love to see more innovated projects making the physical, mental and social benefits of steam bathing traditions more available to all. I would love to see more Sauna Co-ops.
