FOREST THERAPY
Baiba facilitates private, group and corporate forest therapy sessions. As a forest therapy guide, Baiba hopes to inspire, encourage and nourish love for forests, wild places and Mother Nature.
In May, 2021, after the completion of intensive studies and practices with Selene Calloni Williams, Baiba became an internationally certified Forest Therapy Guide (recognised by AISCON).
A Forest Therapy Guide is a Meditation Instructor that works in contact with Nature. The meditations, rituals, practices and invitations that the Forest Therapy Guide teaches are inspired by the Shinrin-Yoku, the art of bathing in the forest or the art of immersion in nature. Forest Therapy can be practiced in the city, park or even inside as long as there are some notions of nature around, and, of course, it can be practiced in forests, among the tress.
The term Shinrin-Yoku was coined in Japan in 1982. At that time the director-general of the Japanese Forestry Agency, M. Tomohide Akiyama, talked about a total immersion in nature. Today the Shinrin-Yoku is rightly recognised as a preventative therapy. In fact, the immersion into nature has therapeutic effects that are empirically and scientifically proven. Some of these benefits among others include - reduced stress, increased immunity, lower blood pressure, improved sleep quality and overall wellbeing.
Throughout her life Baiba has always nourished nature within and around herself. During her early childhood, Baiba spent most of her winters with her father working in the woods. Whereas most of the summers she spent in the garden helping her mother. Somewhere in between those times, alongside her whole family, she learnt to forage wild edibles and herbs, and tap trees for sap.
After years of urban living, this connection with nature faded. However, after spending some time in Dharamshala, India, in 2016, in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Baiba once again rediscovered her passion and love for nature. Over the coming years she pursued it through yoga, meditation, swimming and running.
By sharing the easeful practice of forest therapy Baiba hopes to create a bit more curiosity, passion and intimacy towards life, mind and body.
The answer lies within.
“Baiba's forest therapy sessions have been such beautiful experiences for me. She has such a calming and peaceful style of guiding meditation, which perfectly compliments this practice. These sessions have taught me to notice the incredible patterns and intricacies of nature more, and deepened my appreciation of our beautiful world. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
— Aoife, forest therapy session
