Hi First name / friend,

 

 

🌿 Curious to learn more about Forest Bathing? Discover the science, the benefits, and how our sessions work here: Explore Forest Bathing with us

 

🍂 Already joined us before? Scroll down to see details of our recent and upcoming sessions, including seasonal dates and special themed walks.

 

August drapes the land in mellow richness, a golden pause before the turning wheel shifts once more. The sun lingers low and amber in the sky, casting long shadows through the trees, while the air carries the hum of high summer—dry grasses whispering in the breeze, the chirr of crickets, and the rustle of leaves beginning to curl at the edges.

🌾 Meadows are flecked with the seed heads of spent flowers, and the first fruits swell on bramble and branch. Blackberries blush from green to deep plum, while hawthorn berries redden in quiet anticipation of autumn’s approach. The occasional fallen leaf, curled and crisp, reminds us that the wheel is always turning.

🌼 Wild mint, tansy, and mugwort release their potent aromas as they brush against bare legs on woodland paths. Dragonflies dart over still water, flashes of iridescence that dance in the thick, warm air.

🦋 August invites stillness and reverence. A time to soak up the last of summer’s ease—whether lying beneath a sun-dappled canopy, meditating by a stream, or simply watching butterflies drift across the hedgerows.

✨We take a restful pause this month, with no public Forest Bathing sessions in August—but we’ll return in September, refreshed and ready to welcome you back into the woods.

August takes its name from Augustus Caesar, adopted son of Julius, who became the first Roman Emperor. In 8 BCE, the Roman Senate renamed the month Sextilis to Augustus in his honour, marking not only his military victories but also a sense of stability and ripening glory.

🌾 Long before Roman times, the Anglo-Saxons knew this month as Weodmōnaþ—“Weed Month”—a wonderfully evocative term that captures nature’s wild abundance as hedgerows and fields burst forth with tangled growth and flourishing life.

✨ Weodmōnaþ invites us to wander slowly and appreciatively through the late-summer landscape. Fruits swell in the hedgerows, the days stretch lazily onward, and the Earth hums with a drowsy, golden energy. It’s a time to notice the quieter miracles—the glint of wings in the sun, the softness of moss beneath bare feet, the turning of leaves beginning to whisper autumn’s approach.

 

According to author Robert Graves and the modern Celtic tradition, August marks the transition between the eighth & ninth moon months of the Celtic calendar. The Holly Moon runs from 8th July to 4th August and the Hazel Moon runs from 5th August to 1st September.

 

In the mythology of the Celtic year, this is when the Holly King takes the reins from the Oak King, reigning over the waning half of the year from Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice. While Oak represents expansion and outward action, Holly teaches us about restraint, maturity, and channelled power. It is the energy of the wise warrior—one who leads with integrity, compassion, and focus.

🌿 Holly's glossy leaves and protective spikes are nature's shield. In ancient times, it was planted near homes as a living guardian, believed to repel negative forces and invite benevolent spirits. Its evergreen presence symbolises resilience in the face of seasonal decline.

✨ In the heart of summer, while the Earth still glows with warmth, Holly whispers of preparation—of harvesting wisdom, conserving energy, and nurturing spiritual boundaries.

This is a potent time for:

Cleansing and clearing—removing what no longer serves you

Fortifying your boundaries, both energetic and emotional

Committing to your spiritual path with renewed clarity

🌑 With the New Moon rising during this tree month on 24th July, it’s an auspicious moment to sit in stillness beneath the stars, perhaps beside a holly tree, and plant your intentions for inner strength, truth, and protection.

 

Wherever you meet the Holly—be it in the wild, in a memory, or in your meditation—may it remind you of your quiet strength and sacred sovereignty.

🌰 The Hazel Moon – A Portal to Wisdom, Insight & Inspiration 🌰

As the warmth of late summer ripens the land, we enter the time of the Hazel Moon, a sacred lunar phase associated with inner knowing, intuition, and poetic inspiration. In Celtic and Druidic lore, the hazel tree was revered as the Tree of Wisdom, growing near sacred wells and feeding the Salmon of Knowledge with its magical nuts.

 

This is a lunar month for reflection and insight—less about outward growth, and more about turning inwards to harvest the wisdom you’ve gathered through the year. Hazel’s association with learning and divination makes this a potent time for journalling, dreamwork, and connecting with the subtle messages of nature.

 

✨ The Celts called this month Coll, which translates to “the life force within you”—reminding us that true understanding arises not just from facts, but from quiet observation and lived experience.

 

Folk tradition tells us that hazelnuts were once carried as charms to heighten intuition and protect against deception, and a hazel wand was the tool of choice for dowsers and seers seeking truth below the surface.

 

As the first signs of autumn begin to stir, allow this time to be one of gentle contemplation. Sit by a stream or under a hazel tree, and open your senses to nature’s whispers. The Hazel Moon invites you to pause, listen, and realign with your inner truth.

☄️ Celestial Spectacle – The Perseids & Other August Meteors ☄️

August’s night skies offer one of the year’s most anticipated celestial displays: the Perseid Meteor Shower, famed for its brightness, abundance, and occasional fireballs. Peaking around 11th–13th August, the Perseids can produce up to 100 meteors an hour under optimal conditions. Their radiant—located in the constellation Perseus—rises in the north-eastern sky from late evening, but the meteors may appear anywhere overhead.

These ‘shooting stars’ are remnants of Comet Swift-Tuttle, their glowing trails ignited as they strike Earth’s atmosphere at high speed. Best viewed in the darkest hours before dawn, this magical display encourages us to pause, lie back under the stars, and wish upon the heavens.

 

🌌 Other meteor showers active this month include the Kappa Cygnids (peaking around 17th August) and the Alpha Aurigids (towards month’s end), both offering subtler activity yet contributing to the sense of wonder in late summer’s sky.

 

🌕 The Full Moon graces the skies on Friday 9th August at 08:54—a luminous companion, though its brilliance may slightly dim the peak Perseid display. 🌑 The New Moon follows on Saturday 23rd August at 07:06, offering inky skies ideal for stargazing and meteor spotting in the final days of the month.

Corporate Away Day Group by Lorraine Ellery Matthews of Hedges & Hurdles

🌿 Looking for a Memorable Corporate Away Day? 🌿
Last week, we delivered a truly enriching full-day corporate experience for 44 participants, in collaboration with Hedges & Hurdles. The day was beautifully balanced between creativity and calm—half spent in mindful willow craft, where teams wove dragonflies, bird boxes, and dreamcatchers with Lorraine and Debbie, and half immersed in the peace of the woods for a guided forest bathing experience.

 

With Katie resting a healing foot in a cosy camp shelter (and still warmly welcoming the group), Jo and Julli led participants on a gentle, sensory journey through nature. The feedback was glowing—and so are we! 🌞

 

✨ If you're planning a team-building, wellbeing, or staff appreciation day, we’d love to co-create something special with you.
📩 www.harmonyinnature.uk
📩 hedges & hurdles corporate experiences

Surrey Hills & Rivers Event with Ukrainian Families

It’s been a busy and joyful few weeks in the woods!

 

Together with Surrey Hills and Rivers, we hosted a calming forest session for Ukrainian parents during a family camping weekend in Surrey. While the children played, we offered peaceful time in nature—complete with a sheep encounter on the way back! Big thanks to Ben for the invite and the delicious BBQ.

 

On June 22nd, Katie brought forest bathing tasters to the Surrey Hills Country Fair at Merrist Wood College. It was a vibrant day full of traditional crafts and items, local food, animals, music—and a serene tree-filled spot where we shared nature’s healing benefits. Mark your calendar for next June—we hope this weekend event returns!

 

On 16th July, Joanna joined the annual gathering hosted by Natural Light Wellness Spa in support of the Ancient Tree Forum. It was a warm but inspiring day, enriched by guest speaker Tom Hill, Tree Specialist and host of The Meaning of Trees podcast (linked below), who shared profound reflections on how trees shape our lives and connect us to nature.

🌿 The Ancient Tree Forum works to protect Britain’s irreplaceable ancient and veteran trees through training, advocacy, and education.
🎧 The Meaning of Trees

🌿 Immerse Yourself in Woodland Tranquillity 🌿

 

Join us for a transformative Forest Bathing session in the stunning private semi-ancient woodland at The Harry Edwards Foundation, nestled deep within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This guided nature experience is based on the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, designed to help you slow down, engage your senses, and reconnect with the natural world in all its seasonal beauty.

 

Led by experienced guides Joanna Bristow-Watkins and Katie Robinson, we will take you on a mindful, sensory journey through the woodland. Feel the changes in the air, observe the seasonal colours, inhale the fresh, earthy scents, and listen to the gentle sounds of nature. As the session unfolds, you’ll deepen your connection through:

🌲 Guided Sensory Exploration – Engaging with nature through sight, touch, sound, and smell.
🌳 ‘Treelaxation’ Nature Meditation – A deeply restorative practice beneath the trees.
🍃 Woodland Tea Ceremony – A soothing moment to close the experience.

 

📅 Upcoming Public Sessions:
📍 The Harry Edwards Foundation, Surrey Hills
⏳ Duration: 3 hours (2.5 hours Dec–Feb)
💷 Cost: £39.77 (3 hours) | £37.77 (2.5 hours)

🗓 2025 Dates:

📢 IMPORTANT: Booking Within 48 Hours?
Please text 07930 414525 before booking to confirm availability. Book any of the above public sessions at the Harmony Shop

 

We also arrange private bookings and/or corporate sessions at a selection of locations in the Surrey Hills (Guildford, Shere, Woking & Tadworth) and London (SW20, SW14, NW3).  Contact us for details on katieandjo@harmonyinnature.uk

Joanna's recent experience: While out walking recently, I found myself meandering along a narrow path between a fence and a hedgerow when something quite enchanting happened—around 30 sparrows began darting across my path, criss-crossing in the air like playful messengers. It felt as though I had stepped into a living tapestry.

 

Sparrows were everywhere during my childhood, chirruping from rooftops and hedges, but these days they seem far more elusive. To witness such a large gathering felt both nostalgic and deeply magical, as if nature were offering a rare blessing—a moment of connection with something greater than myself.

 

So what does it mean, spiritually, when sparrows cross your path?

In many traditions, sparrows are symbols of joy, resilience, and community. Though small and often overlooked, they carry powerful messages:

Self-worth – You are enough, just as you are.

Community & belonging – A reminder to connect with kindred spirits and not go it alone.

Joy in simplicity – Beauty is found in the little things.

Resilience – You are stronger than you think.

Divine care – Even the smallest beings are cherished and protected.

When sparrows appear in numbers, especially in a joyful, swirling dance, it may be a gentle nudge from nature to embrace your inner strength, value your presence, and remember the sacredness of the everyday.

Through Harmony Healing, Joanna offers a variety of online esoteric and energy healing courses, including self-empowerment courses and via the Zenpass platform intuitive readings and 1-2-1 energy healing sessions.

 

Joanna also hosts monthly Full Moon Meditations online from 7.30-9.30pm (UK time) and produces a monthly Celestial Forecast, which includes insights on Moon Phases, Asteroid Showers, and Ancient & Modern Festivals.

 

Katie offers intuitive health mentoring and 1-1 places for Nurtured by Nature One-day Reset Retreats (Facebook Link, or message Katie without obligation for details). These retreats are designed for those needing a complete mind and body reset from their usual work and routines. Tailored to your needs, they include a selection from nutrition, breathing awareness, mindful movement, sounding or chanting, essential oils, ‘de-chemicalising’ your lifestyle, natural first aid, Reiki, and sensory nature connection through Forest Bathing.

 

The full day retreat is £366, with half days, or for 2-3 people, available on request. To discuss your ideal retreat, message Katie directly on 07596 830910.

 

 

mob. 07930 414525 Jo
mob. 07596 830910 Katie