??Nature Nerd News from Adore Your Outdoors
Sonya Dibbin - The Nature Lady
??Forest Bathing Guide & Nature Connection Training ??Your roadmap to a business rooted in nature ??FSB Winner 2024: Self-Employed Business ??WORKSHOP 21 March: How to use Forest Bathing techniques in your work????
Hey, how are you? Fine and dandy, I hope.?
I'm here with your mid July Nature Nerd News so grab a cuppa and get ready to relax, learn and smile.?Read on to discover what's been going on, including:
?? An update from the Restore Nature Now march
?? Lots of interesting learning about 'Your Brain in Nature'
?? Join me to forage some lovely linden/lime?
?? Take some time to watch a heartwarming nature documentary
?? Treat yourself at the end of the summer holidays
?? Relax and take some time off if you can!
And just for you dear reader, in case you can't get to me for some guided bliss this summer, here's your free guide to The Secrets of Solo Forest Bathing. Download it and save it - it might just save your life this summer!
Looking Back
You might remember that I was going to the Restore Nature Now march in London? I took Leo as I felt he was old enough and it was a family-friendly event. Wow, what an incredible experience! Leo took it all in his stride, even helping to hold the banner from time to time, but the rally after the walk was too loud for him (and for me to be honest!), so after the march we left early for ice cream ?? Great to be involved and show our support and thanks to the Hampshire and IOW Wildlife Trust for letting us travel on their coach.
I also helped raise over ￡120 for our local hedgehog hospital by running a raffle at the village fête; did you know that ￡1 feeds four little hoggies breakfast? Neither did I ????????
The last few weeks have also been ace for me and my little business Adore Your Outdoors .
Training
The 'Ash' training cohort completed their online training weekend and the feedback was glowing and brought a tear to my eye. Now that I've taught it a few times, I've really nailed it and know exactly how to ensure the students get the maximum benefit from our time together.?
The group then split into two, with some opting for the in-person week in Hampshire and others doing the fully-online learning option. This was my first time teaching this part of the course online and, to my delight,?it was a resounding success!?I've refined the coursework slightly to seamlessly fit both modalities, and I am truly loving teaching people in Romania, Canada and Germany.?Where next?!
Most of the group have now grown from 'Ash keys' (seeds) into 'Ash saplings', and the next stop, before year end, is The Mighty Ash Tree (dieback-resistant, obvs) ??? They'll also become changemakers,?leading nature-based businesses that pave the way for a more joyful life for the planet, for us, and for future generations.?
Workshops
I also ran the first of a handful of special workshops I'm running this year - a collaboration with the incredible Jo Richards Artist in Paices Wood on the West Berkshire/Hampshire border. The group enjoyed a sensory awakening while lying on the ground in the warm sunshine, a mindful walk collecting natural materials such as leaves, twigs, cones, flowers etc as long as they were in abundance, some mark making with our finds using watercolours and some sketching by the lake.
The participants loved the combination of nature and art and I have three more opportunities for you to have a go in Winchester and Newbury over the summer. Find out more here.??
Let's Get Foraging
If you’re out on a foraging adventure this summer, I highly recommend hunting down some delights from the Common Lime tree (Tilia x europaea).?Unrelated to the lime fruit, the flowers are delicious and versatile, perfect for treating your body to some natural freshness. For free!?
You can use the leaves in salads but the best part is the fragrant flowers. Widely used across the world and available to buy (but don't do that!), they can be dried and made into a lovely tea, known for its relaxing properties and traditionally used to aid digestion and ease coughs and colds.?
For best results, gather the flowers when they have just opened. Harvest them during a dry spell or at least 24 hours after the last rainfall, in the morning if possible. Pick the flowers by pinching off the stems just above the lobed, pale green bracts, which are also used.
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or run down by the frantic rush, then definitely take some time to yourself and brew some linden tea!
领英推荐
Recommended Viewing
I recently rewatched The Biggest Little Farm, an absolutely heartwarming documentary following John and Molly Chester's eight-year journey to build a sustainable 200 acre farm outside Los Angeles.
The film is stunning and it artfully captures both the beauty and the challenges of restoring biodiversity. Watching a barren plot transform into a thriving ecosystem teeming with life is a testament to the intricate balances of nature and the resilience needed to create harmony between humans and the environment - but - that it pays off in the end. It’s a hopeful and inspiring watch, leaving you with a renewed appreciation for the power of nature and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Watch it on Netflix here.?
Your Brain in Nature
I recently attended a fascinating course on how our brains change in nature. You probably already know there is a lot of evidence now to support how nature affects wellbeing, including:
So how to achieve all this? Come on one of my sessions of course ??? But even alone, here are a couple of ways that are accessible to all:?
1) Head anywhere outdoors.?Staying close to nature improves focus and attention span, was suggested in the Attention Restoration Theory by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan (1989). The theory explains why staying close to nature re-energises us and reduces fatigue. Encounters with any aspect of the natural environment – sunset, beach, clouds, or forests grab our positive attention without us paying much effort to it, and the whole process restores the life energy that negative emotions have taken away from us.
2) Notice your surroundings, and in particular, fractals. Fractals patterns are patterns that repeat at different scales, often called 'self-similar' because?a little piece of the shape looks similar to itself. Think fern or bracken leaf. These patterns are all around us in nature and we feel better by simply looking at them. Have a look for more examples here.?
Plus, you can take the Secrets of Solo Forest Bathing?guide with you, too!
Signing Off
We're moving at the speed of light into the summer holidays, and as Leo is still young, spending quality time with him will be my priority, so I'll be taking some time off work. I will mostly still be around, but I won't be as responsive and visible as usual.?
BUT, I am running a few events throughout the summer holidays and I hope to see you there! There are spaces on half day events in Winchester and Romsey, and I have longer retreat days with some other amazing artists in Newbury, Winchester and Salisbury?running through to September.?
If you know you'll be frazzled by the end of the holidays, get yourself a September treat booked in NOW - you deserve it. Lauren sent me this message after her session last week:
"Hi Sonya! It's Lauren from the Forest Bathing group today - I just wanted to say thank you so, so much. I just wasn't ready for how much I got out of the whole experience. You led us all with such kindness - we had such a beautiful group! I'm just so, so grateful, what you do is amazing!".
Check out the sessions listing here.
And, of course, here’s your joke before I sign off…?
Q:?How do trees get on the internet?
A: They log in ??
Thanks for reading and I’ll be back soon enough. In the meantime, I hope you’re having a lovely summer so far, and I’d love to know what nature-nerderie you’ve been getting up to!
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Best wishes,
Sonya ??
Adore Your Outdoors
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