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Mindful Outdoor Walk at AOA’s Menchhofer Preserve
June 22 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Free
Join us for a Mindful Outdoor Walk – a guided “saunter” into a natural setting to share mindfulness practices that break down the barriers that separate us from the rest of nature. Note: Due to the heat this week we will take things slow and easy. It is usually 10 degrees cooler in the deep woods.
In addition to mindful walking, we will do ‘centering’ and breath work, learn to ‘forest bathe’ and enjoy open meditation in a ‘sit spot’. Benefits of this experience include enhanced stress management through connection with nature, re-awakened senses to the world around us, a break from technology-centered lifestyles, and increased sense of our place in the world.
NOTE: A Mindful Outdoor Walk is not a continuous hike, trying to get to somewhere specific. Nor is it a strenuous hike for exercise. We walk a bit, we stop, we walk more, we stop, we sit down for a time (on the ground, a rock, a fallen log). The guide gives invitations for the participants to consider, which bring them into deeper presence with the natural surroundings. We do not try to identify species or name things – it is not a naturalist lead educational walk. We do steep ourselves in the beauty and appreciate the species surrounding us. We also walk without technology or taking pictures – we leave cell phones and cameras at home or in the car. This is a chance to have a full tech break.
Elements of a mindful outdoor experience include:
- Forest bathing – taking in, with all of our senses, the forest atmosphere
- Biophilia – remembering to focus on life and lifelike processes
- Species re-connection – breaking through isolation from the natural world
- Refuge – finding peace and refuge in the natural world
Michelle Greenfield will serve as our event leader. Michelle has a Mindful Outdoor Guide certification and has taught Yoga for 15 years. She has completed The Power of Awareness meditation training and is currently enrolled in Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher training.
Located just west of Ash Cave, the Menchhofer Preserve contains spectacular Hocking Hills geology, including a deep gorge, waterfalls, high sandstone bluffs, a large cave, mature older forests, hemlock groves, and a high-quality stream tributary of Queer Creek. The preserve is part of AOA’s Hocking Hills Conservation Initiative that has conserved 93 properties and 5,500 acres of natural features, landscapes, habitats, heritage areas and water quality in this special Ohio region.
This and other AOA events are free and open to the public.
Time: Meet at 10:00 a.m.
What to Wear: This activity will be held rain or shine – so please come prepared and dress appropriately for the weather and hiking on slopes. Appropriate footwear and outerwear is essential so plan accordingly!
What to Bring: A small mat or blanket to sit on. Lunch, snacks and/or drinks of your choice. Insect repellant of choice is recommended during tick season.
Location: AOA’s Menchoffer Preserve is located on the north side of Highway 56 west of Ash Cave. The street address is 24490 Highway 56, South Bloomingville, OH 43152. Look for the barn with the painted Mail Pouch sign along the road. We will park around the barn and in the grassy field behind the barn.