The sun streaming through criss-crossed trees over the path casts a pretty pattern of dappled light on the worn trail at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary.
Its beauty serves as one of many entry points for forest bathing guide Agnes Kedmenecz to lead her group deeper into their senses.
In 2023, she earned her provisional certification as a nature and forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. This spring, she completed full certification.
“It’s a personal thing to want to give back to nature, to give back to people,” she explains. “It’s funny how God brings this nature and healing together for me.”
The idea to become a guide was rooted in her during a parking lot conversation, two decades ago, with a colleague while working as an educator with a counselling agency. The subject of forest bathing came up as a wonderful option for the staff themselves; it seemed a good healing and recovery tool.
That former colleague was the first emotional phone call when Kedmenecz finished full certification in Japan this spring.
She’d been giving presentations on forest bathing, forest therapy – or Shinrin-Yoku – for years already. When explaining it, she starts with a bit of silliness as a prelude, showing a photo of her washing a tree, then washing herself in the woods.
Neither is forest bathing.
“Shinrin-Yoku is taking in the forest atmosphere with all your senses.”
While easily done solo, a guide pulls the connection deeper. She’s trained in sequences and segues with flexibility to engage with individuals or class groups.
It’s an exercise in mindfulness that might start with a soft question: “What’s in motion?”
This day, it’s a cobweb glittering in the spring sun and softly quivering in the gentle breeze that also creates a shimmer among the trailside bushes. Bugs flit about, and suddenly, now noticed, there seem to be more of them.
Motion is one of her favourite invitations.
“It calms me and gets me to the reality of the moment,” Kedmenecz said. “This intentional being outside, it’s like a refresh for me.”
Forest bathing walks include several thought-through invitations – including one on dappled light – that lead participants to a solo moment before meeting back at a pre-set home base for a final tea, where everyone’s invited to share something – or not.
“It’s all invitational,” Kedmenecz emphasizes. “I’m your guide. There’s no test at the end.”
Some people feel like sharing, others don’t.
Some are playful, others introspective, sometimes both.
“I’m glad people are out and doing it. They’re here, they’re out for me; that’s a win.”
It also affords a silver lining, fostering a connection with nature that can lead to deeper care for the environment around them.
“This is such a simple way to change someone's behaviour to be more nature-centric,” Kedmenecz said.
Currently, she leads monthly walks through Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary (best suited for those aged 10 and older, register swanlake.bc.ca). The Saanich park provides easy access; the walk is an amble on a wide, gravelled path.
One key is to prepare for the weather. There’s nothing as distracting as being too cold, too hot, or too thirsty.
“When people are not prepared for the weather, their connection changes,” she said.
While it affords someone the opportunity to slow down, unwind and just be, other benefits include improved immune function, cardiovascular and respiratory health and ideally reduced stress, Kedmenecz said.
“Nature is the therapist. I’m just guiding.”
