My favourite thing to do is to do an Eco Soul Wander and I would love to invite you to join me!
Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of positive effects. It can:
- improve your mood
- reduce feelings of stress or anger
- help you take time out and feel more relaxed
- improve your physical health
- improve your confidence and self-esteem
- help you be more active
- help you meet and get to know new people
- connect you to your local community
- help you feel more connected to nature – Mind
On an Eco Soul Wander we will:
- Forest Bathe somewhere beautiful in nature
- Walk Mindfully and slowly in nature engaging all the senses, resensitising, soothing the nervous system
- Be immersed with gratitude for the macro ( the elements of earth, air, water and fire) and the micro in the ecosystem
- Mindfully and creatively sketch or write something about what you notice or what arises in your body, emotions, thoughts or memories as you wander
- Walk in silence with a group of like-minded people to bathe in the community effervescence while listening deeply
- Listen deeply to the nature around you and see what you can learn from Mother Earth.
- Ask the more-than-human world questions and listen deeply, explore what natural wisdom is there in nature when you walk with a question, how might the more-than-human world support you and how might you support the more-than-human world
- Practice the Active Hope Spiral from Deep Ecology and Work that Reconnects (Gratitude, Honour the Pain of the World, See with New and Ancient Eyes and Go Forth with Active Hope)
- Tune in to your outer surroundings and find something that represents your parts and something that represents your Soul/Self, listen deeply to what you can learn from this externalisation of your parts/Self/Soul (read more about IFS here)
- Share the findings and learnings of the wander in a circle at the end (as everybody’s share has something profound for all of us).
- Join our Facebook Group and stay up to date with invitations for an eco-soul wander even if you can’t join in each week.
Findings suggest that arts in nature practice contributed towards eight (eco-)capabilities: autonomy; bodily integrity and safety; individuality; mental and emotional wellbeing; relationality: human/nonhuman relations; senses and imagination; and spirituality. Walshe, Moula & Lee 2022
Details:
Every Friday leaving 8-9am (depending on the season) starting in September 2024, for 90 mins, at different nature locations around Nipaluna, depending on the weather, $30 pp, $10 from each wanderer will be donated to Bush Heritage Australia. Chat to Sara for a concession rate if needed.
Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so we have time to introduce ourselves, and prepare for the walk. Bring clothing for all weather. Often we can have a cuppa after the Eco Soul Wander but this is just an additional bonus depending on our location.
Please email Sara on saraphillipstas@gmail.com for more info or to register your interest.
Wellbeing benefits of engaging in nature:
- increased physical activity -less
obesity and chronic disease- increased social activity – less
loneliness and isolation- lowered stress levels – greater
happiness and life satisfaction,
improved stress recovery- improved immune functioning –
less allergies, greater resilience- improved mindful attention –
better ability to focus and
concentrate- a greater sense of joy, beauty,
peace and freedom.- READ MORE HERE
Please email Sara on saraphillipstas@gmail.com for more info or to register your interest.
