Four Seasons
This course is designed to build your relationship with a location throughout the seasons. You'll get direct experience of the changes in the woodland during Spring, Summer, Autumn and yes, Winter. We undertake two sessions each season. We'll plan the dates in advance (usually a Sunday) so you know you'll be able to attend.
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Once you sign up, we'll send you a welcome email with instructions of how to get to the woodland, what to wear and what to bring depending on the time of year. We'll only reschedule sessions if the weather poses a serious safety threat (e.g. storm conditions), so it is likely you'll need waterproofs and warm clothes.
£80 per person.
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What your sessions will include...
01
Nature Art
Don't be put off by the word 'art'. It's nothing fancy. We use some time in our sessions to gather fallen materials, or (only if there is an abundance) we might pick some petals, flowers or leaves for making temporary decorations, drawings or miniature sculptures to leave to the woodlands and others who visit or live there.
02
Grounding
Connecting our skin to the earth. This might be through grounding and getting our bare feet in the mud, or through getting our hands muddy. There's a biofeedback loop between humans and soil that increases serotonin (see Further Reading for more info). Our relationship with Earth is reciprocal.
03
Plant & Tree Identification
During the winter and autumn when many plants lose their leaves and flowers, we may develop our knowledge of plants and trees through storytelling or learning their other properties.
04
Sit Spots & Reflection
Sit Spots are an opportunity to come away from the group experience and enjoy some peace and quiet to yourself. Some people like to use this time to meditate, others just like the break from social interaction. There's no pressure for sit spots to be anything other than a bit of 'you time', whatever that looks like.
05
Walking, Talking and Building Community
Our sessions include walking as a form of gentle exercise. As a group activity there is an opportunity to connect and socialise with others. We might share thoughts and reflections together throughout the day. If you prefer smaller groups or individual sessions, we can facilitate that too.
06
Tree Time
This might simply mean standing in the close presence of a tree, touching a tree, hugging one or climbing one. You might sit near by and simply listen out for the sounds surrounding you. You'll be encouraged to use all of your senses and do what feels right for you.
07
Games & Play
Turn off being an adult for a minute and enjoy playing, exploring and seeing the world with the curiosity and wonder that children do. We suggest that adults shouldn't have to grow out of everything and so we bring some of our Forest School games out for grown ups.
08
Gratitude
We will always offer our thanks and gratitude to the woodland. We might spend time considering all the ways that the plants and trees have contributed to human life. It is our hope that through the identification part of our programme we'll cultivate a deep sense of wonder and reverance for our local flora. But thanks will be spoken as part of the session.
