Nature & Forest Therapy with Elena Ríos | Sold Out

Details:

Rediscover your connection to nature in this immersive health and wellness class guided by Elena, a certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide, Cultural Practitioner, and First Responder. Honoring Ancestral Knowledge and rooted in practices of mindfulness, this class is an invitation to step into nature’s rhythms and experience a profound sense of calm and interconnection.
 
As the class begins, we’ll gather in the garden to slow down and transition into a peaceful, natural setting. Our time together may include gentle, mindful walking as we explore, pausing for moments of silent observation and listening. Experience the health benefits of Forest Bathing—a practice of simply being present with the sights, sounds, and sensations around you, allowing the mind to settle and the body to relax. Through a series of guided prompts, you’ll be encouraged to notice the plants that capture your attention and feel a quiet connection to the world around you.
 
Along the way, tune into your breath and the earth beneath your feet. You’ll listen deeply to the sounds of nature, allowing any stress to dissolve and your nervous system to reset. By the end of the class, you may notice a newfound clarity and a deeper sense of presence.

The experience concludes with a sharing of tea with some nourishing snacks. This gathering will allow time to reflect on what you’ve experienced and connect with fellow participants.

Although the Garden is dog-friendly, participants are asked to not bring their dog(s) to this event.

Pricing:

Garden Members: $25

General Public: $40

About the Instructor:

Elena Ríos is a Certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide, Interdisciplinary Artist, and Cultural Practitioner. She is an employee of the Chumash Fire Department-Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. She draws inspiration from her late grandmother, Maria Rios, who was a “curandera” and a “huesera” in the San Fernando Valley. Elena’s journey toward deepening relationship with the healing power of Nature has also taken shape within the context of her life-long participation in inter-tribal circles of learning that are rooted in honoring Ancestral Knowledge, including Danza Azteca Mexica. Collaboration with Japanese Shinto Priest, Hiroji Seikiguchi, has also influenced the approach to her work. She stands in solidarity with that which unites us to our interdependence with the Earth and the great web-of-interbeing. She is a descendent of Azteca Chichimeca, Indigenous Chicana, Multi-ethnic European, Native American Southwest Pueblo, Central Southern California peoples.