Mindfulness 

There’s no WiFi in the woodland but you’ll find a better connection

Just spending time in a woodland, without an agenda to achieve anything in particular, can quieten the mind, relax the body and benefit wellbeing.

Practicing non-doing is at the core of mindfulness, which is why a natural setting works so well because there is much to engage with through the senses, with comparative ease.

Soft focus opportunities in a woodland are everywhere, engaging the senses. Nature connection happens naturally through just ‘being’ in a woodland, non-doing, without any conscious striving to achieve any goals.

Learning about mindfulness could be described as following a fitness programme for the mind, training the brain to be more flexible in how it responds to negative thoughts and emotions.

Practicing Mindfulness can enable effective ‘rearrangement’ in the way you feel about yourself, which impacts on your relationship with the wider world

Practicing Mindfulness in our private, tranquil woodland is also a great way to experience some “me time” in a place where the paths that exist are made by the animals that live there.

Sessions run at Oxlip wood, a ancient woodland where humans can only visit as invited guests. The 20 acre woodland is fenced all around and surrounded by fields, providing a unique, tranquil and inspiring place.

“Time spent in nature is the most cost-effective and powerful way to counteract the burnout that we feel when we sit In front of a computer all day”  Richard Louv

There is scientific proof that periods of immersion, or bathing in nature, particularly in woodlands, can have positive effects on wellbeing, delivering benefits that can last well beyond a session. We don’t expect people to be involved in any long formal meditation practices, rather we introduce gentle ways to soothe the mind and body through connecting with nature. 

The health and wellbeing benefits

Apart from the positive benefits of enjoying some ‘Me time’, spending time quietly in nature can really help to make you feel better emotionally. Other benefits to  wellbeing include increases in energy and vitality, boosting of the immune system and lowering of blood pressure and heart rate through reducing anxiety and muscle tension.