Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is set to debut its new Mindfulness and Well-being Series in July and August 2025.
“The response from individual mindfulness events we’ve held in the past was outstanding,” said John Caveny, director of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “It was clear to us that folks got a lot out of the workshops, so we wanted to create more opportunities through a series.”
The Mindfulness and Well-being Series provides attendees an opportunity to focus on being present in the moment through forest bathing, deepening their connection with nature and community and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer.
“Forest bathing” is a walk in nature, during which a guide shares mindfulness practices and invitations designed to connect people more deeply to their inner landscapes as well as the world around them. Inspired by shinrin-yoku (literally ‘forest bath’), the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, forest bathing walks invite guests to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for them, their fraught ecosystems and their communities.
Dr. Mattie Decker, a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT), will lead these courses in 2025. She is a mindfulness teacher, a Zen practitioner, an Episcopal oblate and a retired professor of education. She is also certified in wilderness medicine and first aid.
Each session in this series is limited to 20 or fewer participants, so they are expected to fill up quickly. Workshops include:
Nature and Forest Therapy at Grandfather Mountain: July 25 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This session includes a relaxing 2 to 2.5-hour stroll through the forest at Grandfather Mountain. Through a series of invitations, attendees will have an opportunity to focus on being present in the moment, deepening their connection with nature and community and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer.
This event costs $34 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club and $40 for non-Bridge Club members, plus tax. Tickets go on sale online on May 27 at 10 a.m.
Exploring Forest Bathing with Creative Experiences: Aug. 22| 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
This course allows participants to bring whatever items they please to express themselves (e.g., musical instrument, camera, journal, art, etc.) in order to form a deeper connection to nature. Through a series of invitations, attendees will have an opportunity to focus on being present in the moment, deepening their connection with nature and community and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer.
This event costs $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club and $60 for non-Bridge Club members, plus tax. Tickets go on sale online on June 24 at 10 a.m.
To learn more about this new Mindfulness and Well-being Series, visit www.grandfather.com/mindfulness-series.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.
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