Forest Bathing Retreat
Our Forest Bathing Retreat is a luxury small group 3-day, 2-night experience designed to nourish your mind, body and soul. As an extension of the 2-hour Forest Bathing Sessions we have been running for the last 3 years we are now offering a deeper dive into this ancient practice. This retreat is for anyone who has the desire to reset, rejuvenate, nourish, heal, transform or to just take a mini break from the busyness of the everyday. We have partnered with new renovated luxury boutique hotel, Osborn House, so be amongst the first to stay at this stunning hotel.
This holistic wellness retreat makes the most of the highlands location, integrating forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) practices with meditation and gentle yoga. You will spend time in the beautiful gardens of this property as well as visiting the nearby Morton National Park for a more wild nature connection experience. You will also have time to enjoy your luxury accommodation, relax around the pool, use the sauna and book in for a massage at the Osborn House Day Spa.
There has never been a better time to explore new wellbeing opportunities as we embrace the benefits of slowing down and putting our health first. Forest bathing is a wonderful way to recharge, connect with nature and regenerate our souls as the practice involves a series of guided methods to help us relax, become more present and connect with the natural world.
The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku—literally translated as “forest bathing”—is based on a simple premise: immerse yourself in the forest, absorb its sights, sounds, and smells, and you will reap numerous psychological and physiological benefits.
A wide range of scientific studies show that time spent in nature positively alters the biomarkers of stress and wellbeing. Our heart rates slow, blood pressure decreases, cortisol levels in the blood decline, sympathetic nervous system activity decreases and parasympathetic nervous system increase. In addition, the chemical compounds – phytoncides, released by trees positively impact our immune systems protecting us from illness and disease.
Osborn House is a one-of-a-kind, truly bespoke experience so the perfect backdrop for our nurture by nature getaway. Less than a two hours’ drive from Sydney, in the picturesque Southern Highlands, choose between Cotswold cabins with bathtub balconies or twin share suites in the main part of the property. Our packages includes use of the extensive facilities from 25 metre indoor heated pool, tennis court as well as all meals during your stay.
The rustic yet sophisticated food offering at Osborn house will be led by executive chef team Segundo Farrell and Luz Gimenez, who both spent considerable time learning the art of fire cooking with Latin American food legend Francis Mallmann. Their approach champions the regional produce which abounds in the Southern Highlands to create a generous and seasonally led menu which feeds the soul.
What to expect
Day 1
Arrive in the afternoon and check into your luxury accommodation. Explore the grounds and settle in before indulging in a 2 course meal prepared by the Osborn house chefs.
Day 2
Begin with optional early morning meditation and yoga on the purpose-built forest deck
Breakfast
Forest Bathing Experience in the grounds of Osborn House
Lunch
Forest Bathing Experience in the Morton National Park
Afternoon Tea
Free time at the hotel to nap or enjoy the facilities.
3 Course Dinner with wine
(Optional) Meditation practice to prepare for sleep
Day 3
(Optional) Early morning meditation and yoga on the purpose built forest deck (optional, or enjoy a sleep in, in your soft bed and luxury linens).
Breakfast
Forest Bathing in the nearby Morton National Park
Wild forage for tea to have with your lunch
Picnic Lunch
Free time at the hotel for swimming, massages
Close and farewell.
Don’t delay as spaces are limited. Friday 18 – Sunday 20 March 2022 OR Tuesday 22 – Thursday 24 March 2022
Prices start from $1620 per person for a 2-night, 3-day retreat with activities, nature therapy sessions, all meals and use of facilities included.
Description
In Germany, where it originated, it is known as “Waldtherapie”, in Japan it is called “Shinrin-yoku” (森林浴) or “Shinrin-ryōhō (森林療法)”, in Korea it is referred to as “Sanlimyok (산림욕)” and in China and Taiwan people call it “Sēnlín liáofǎ (森林療法)”. Here in Australia the practice is known as forest bathing, shinrin yoku, or forest or nature therapy.
Forest bathing is a great way to invite listening, healing, reflection and accepting into our environment in a low impact way. Learn how to find yourself in the company of trees or more succinctly master the practice of creating physical and psychological wellness through immersion in the natural environment at our 2 night, 3 Day Forest Bathing Retreat.
ABOUT CHRISTIE
We are delighted to welcome our collaborator Christie Little back to the Highlands to run our forest therapy retreat.
Christie Little is a holistic psychotherapist, counsellor and retreat facilitator with certifications in Somatic Coaching, Embodied Flow Yoga, Positive Neuroplasticity Training, Biofeedback for Stress and Recovery, Wellness and Nutrition Coaching and Nature therapy. She was the first Nature Therapy guide certified in NSW by the International Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.
Christie regularly spends time in nature both personally and professionally and partners with Experience Nature to offer Forest Bathing sessions in the Southern Highlands. She is the nature connection guide for Pymble Ladies College, Vision Valley Campus. She lives in the Blue Mountains, hikes each day and often spends her weekends solo at her off-grid wilderness property. With more than 15 years experience working with individuals and groups to bring about healing and transformation she now weaves together her broad expertise to meet the unique needs of each individual she has the honour to work with.
Relevant Professional Experience:
- Founder, House of Healing Collective. Holistic Psychotherapy, Counselling and Coaching
- Founder, Frontier Wellbeing, Organisational wellbeing, resilience and performance consultancy (current)
- Stream Leader, Leadership, Homeward Bound, world’s leading global program for women in STEMM, including a month in Antarctica. (current)
- Advisory Consultant & People Lead, Leadership Development, Korn Ferry (Awarded 2020 Leadership Program of the year for Boral Leadership Program)
- Co-Founder The Performance Clinic, Executive Coaching Consultancy now owned by KPMG
Relevant Education & Certifications:
- Bachelor of Economics, First Class Honours, Sydney University
- Graduate Certificate, Change Management, AGSM
- Holistic Psychotherapy and Counselling, Metavision Institute
- Nature Therapy Guide, Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, USA
- Biofeedback for Stress Management and Coaching, International Association of Psychophysiology, USA
- Positive Neuroplasticity Training and Mindfulness, with Dr. Rick Hanson through Openground.
- Somatic Leadership, Strozzi Institute and Coaches Rising. USA
- Wellbeing and Nutrition Coaching, Nature Care College.
- 200 hour Teacher training with Embodied Flow Yoga Institute.
- Permaculture Design Certificate. Studied with David Holmgren.
- Wilderness First Aid Certificate
A typical forest therapy walk may take 2 hours but covers less than 0.5km of trail. Christie ensures that you connect to the present moment through a range of sensory awareness activities. The senses are the gateway to joy and pleasure and too many of us have forgotten how to enjoy our lives. By drawing on the ancient practice of mindfulness and meditation, Christie create the space for participants to pause deeply. The busier we are the more deeply we need to pause.
Additional information
| Experience | Forest Bathing Retreat |
|---|---|
| Day | Fri 18 & Sat 19 March 2022, Tues 22 & Wed 23 March 2022 |
| Accomodation | Cabin, Suite, Premier Suite, Garden Terrace or Highland Suite, Twin Share Suite |
| Guest | One, Two |
“The time I spent with Christie gave me far more than I expected to receive. She has created such a unique experience with Live.Well.Wild, you truly are being nourished within nature and nourished by all that Christie has to offer.
Working full time at a large consulting firm, and recently nurturing my son through serious health complications, I have had no time to slow down, let alone stop. This retreat offered all of that, but importantly to me, an opportunity to connect within and to the incredible natural beauty of wilderness around me. It has had a profound and lasting impact on me.
I came away from the retreat with a completely different outlook on the world feeling lighter and completely recharge and re-energised”.
“Through the nature connection retreat you will experience a deep connection with a beautiful part of the world, great food and a wonderfully guided experience. You will have a chance to reset and decompress. You will leave feeling lighter and fresher.You will have fun. Through the Forest Bathing and Nature Connection, I also experienced profound personal insights. The clarity of thought and personal growth has been significant for me”.
“It was so lovely to be part of the program. You made everyone feel so welcome and relaxed and very quickly connected. We felt by the end we would have walked over hot coals for each other”