Forest Bathing

Week of March 16, 2024

Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, is the practice of immersing oneself in a natural environment, mindfully engaging with all senses. With no specific agenda, it’s a serene journey fostering a deep connection with nature. This experience promotes stress reduction, tranquility, and an interconnected sense of well-being by appreciating the sights, sounds, and scents of the forest.

Not a hike, environmental education, or a typical nature walk, instead, it is a 90-minute stroll through the oak-filled areas of Rancho La Puerta. Guided by Paula Pijoan, your experienced guide, this immersive experience involves gentle invitations to open up and explore nature through all your senses. This allows you to fully embrace and enjoy the therapeutic benefits that Nature has to offer.

 

Paula Pijoan has been a long-time naturalist and advocate of the native plants of Baja California, having co-authored the book “Edible native plants of Baja California”.

Originally trained as an Oceanographer, the plant world stole her attention fully in 2007 and, aside from studying them and teaching others about them, she felt a strong inner healing by spending time with them, outdoors. This coincided with a newfound interest in meditation which led her to become a meditation teacher in 2012. However, she felt she could unite both worlds -teach about plants and the environment AND meditation- in one same format and that´s when she found the practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or Forest Bathing. In 2017 she became a certified guide by ANFT (Association of Nature and Forest Therapy), making her the first certified guide in Mexico and one of the first in Latin America. She has been leading dozens of walks since and is always astounded by the profound experiences many of the participants have.

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