Forest Therapy & Bathing: Harvesting the Light (Sunday 27 September)

In the quiet darkness of the new moon, you may turn inwards, sensing the gentle glow within yourself, and allow a new intention to take root. In the gentle glow of the full moon, you may begin to sense what feels complete, and perhaps what is ready to be laid down. Visit https://ohmori.sg for more information about Forest Therapy & Bathing, and https://www.ohmori.sg/harvesting-the-light for more information about the Harvesting the Light Forest Therapy & Bathing session. Meeting Point Bidadari Park, Sang Nila Utama Boulevard Session Fee S$ 38 per participant Caring for the Land 10% of your session fee will be donated to the Give To The Gardens Programme, managed by the National Parks Board (NParks), in support of our UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Singapore Botanic Gadens A Few Gentle Notes ○ Minimum 1 participant to commence each session ○ Maximum of 10 participants per session ○ Bookings open 45 days before each session ○ Bookings close 48 hours prior to each session Harvest Moon 27 September Edition Under the Harvest Moon on 27 September, the Harvesting the Light night Forest Therapy session gently carries themes of fullness, gratitude, and gathering in. The Harvest Moon asks us to notice what has quietly grown, to give thanks for it, and to let the rest fall softly away. You are invited to walk under the moonlight, to gather what nourishes you, and to carry that light home with you. You are welcome to arrive just as you are, into this Harvest Moon edition of Harvesting the Light on 27 September. About Your Forest Therapy & Bathing Session A Forest Therapy & Bathing session follows a simple structure. While there is a structure, there is no right way to move through it. You are not expected to perform, to feel a certain way, or to share if you do not wish to. The structure simply provides a gentle container so that you can settle more fully into your own connection with nature. You arrive as you are, and you participate in the way that feels most natural to you. Arrival and Sensory Awakening We begin with a short introduction and a guided sensory practice to help everyone arrive, settle, and transition from the pace of the day into a slower rhythm. Gentle Invitations A series of sensory invitations will be offered in partnership with nature. These invitations are always optional, and you choose how and whether to engage. Optional Sharing After each invitation, there is intentional space to gather and share. Sharing may be through words, sounds, or silence. All forms of sharing are welcome. While always optional, sharing often deepens the practice, as listening to one another can gently expand our own noticing. Closing We close the Forest Therapy & Bathing session by coming back together and expressing gratitude to nature and to the land for hosting us. About Shinrin yoku 森林浴 or Forest Bathing Shinrin-yoku (森林浴 or forest bathing) is a Japanese practice that began in the 1980s as a way of encouraging people to reconnect with nature. Rather than being a strenuous hike or outdoor workout, Shinrin-yoku is about slowing down, opening the senses, and simply being present in nature. The term literally means taking in the forest atmosphere, and it emphasises relaxation, mindfulness, and deep connection. A forest bathing experience often involves walking slowly among trees, breathing deeply, and paying attention to sensory details. By inviting awareness to simple encounters with nature, participants discover nature not just as scenery but as a living presence that supports rest and renewal. Research in Japan and beyond has shown that Shinrin-yoku can lower stress hormones, reduce blood pressure and heart rate, and strengthen immune function, particularly through increased activity of natural killer (NK) cells. It also supports mental clarity, mood improvement and overall emotional well-being. Many participants describe leaving a forest bathing session feeling calmer, more balanced, and more connected to themselves and the natural world. About Your Forest Therapy Guide Long Yuan is a certified Forest Therapy Guide in Singapore, trained under the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). Long Yuan's Forest Therapy guiding practice is shaped by his own personal healing journey and his relationship with nature. In 2025, he found himself learning how to slow down, and to rediscover himself. In the quiet presence of trees and open skies, he began to soften. Nature became a steady companion, a place where he could breathe differently and remember that he did not have to carry everything alone. Two moments in nature stay with him. One in Bali, at a sacred Kayu Putih tree; another on Yakushima, where he was drawn to a particular Sugi tree. Both times he felt called to rest his palms on the tree. Both times something he could not name moved through him and left, and he came away feeling held rather than alone. He guides gently and without hurry. He invites participants to slow down, notice what is around them, and allow nature to meet them as they are. Through this guided sensory practice, one that deepens over time, he hopes participants come home to nature, body, and self. His Forest Therapy practice, ohmori, takes it names from his surname (Oh) and mori (森), the Japanese word for forest. It's a nod to shinrin-yoku, where forest therapy began. Beyond nature, Long Yuan is a psychotherapist in training. His work is grounded in attachment theory, along with experience in crisis intervention and addiction recovery work. He believes in holistic wellness, that body, mind, and our relationship with the living world are not separate things to tend. He is also a ceramic hobbyist, and runs a small-batch handmade ceramic brand, where clay becomes another way of slowing down. The invitation is simple: come as you are, and see what nature is offering in this season of life.