Hi First name / friend, 

 

Welcome to our Harmony In Nature July Summer Issue. To ensure you receive our emails without any issues, please add katieandjo@harmonyinnature.uk to your ‘safe sender’ list.

 

🍃 As summer reaches its fullest expression, the woodlands are alive with birdsong, lush greenery and the quiet invitation to slow down. In this issue, we share seasonal reflections, highlights from recent gatherings, nature connection inspiration, and details of upcoming events designed to help you pause, restore and reconnect.

 

🌿 If this is your first introduction to Forest Bathing, or if you feel inspired to deepen your relationship with nature, we invite you to discover more about this gentle practice, its research-supported wellbeing benefits, and what you can expect from our guided sessions here: Explore Forest Bathing with us

 

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🌿 July - Settling Into Summer's Rhythm

As July unfolds, the exuberance of midsummer settles into a gentler, more mature rhythm. The rush towards Summer Solstice has passed, yet the season remains rich with life and abundance. Ancient woodlands offer cool green refuge beneath their leafy canopies, hedgerows brim with berries in the making, and meadows shimmer with wildflowers dancing amongst grasses warmed by the sun. Butterflies drift through sunlit clearings, dragonflies patrol ponds and waterways, and the air is alive with the hum of insects gathering the season's bounty.

This is a time of fullness and fruition, when nature invites us not only to celebrate abundance but also to savour it. The longer evenings encourage us to linger outdoors, to walk more slowly, to notice the subtle beauty often missed in the busyness of everyday life. July reminds us that wellbeing is not always found in striving, but in presence — in taking time to pause beneath a tree, listen to birdsong, inhale the sweetness in the air, or simply breathe deeply in the company of the natural world.

As summer continues to unfold, we share reflections from recent woodland gatherings, seasonal inspirations, and opportunities to reconnect with nature, community, and yourself through the restorative practices that lie at the heart of Harmony in Nature.

🌾 From the Light of Alban Hefin to the First Harvest of Lúnasa (Lughnasadh/Lammas) ✨

As the brilliance of Alban Hefin (Summer Solstice) begins to soften, the Wheel of the Year turns towards Lúnasa (Lughnasadh/Lammas), the ancient Celtic festival of the first harvest, usually celebrated around 1st August. While summer still surrounds us in warmth and abundance, subtle changes are already unfolding across the landscape. The sun sits a little lower in the sky, grasses begin to turn gold, and the first fruits and grains of the season reach maturity.

In the old traditions, Lúnasa was a time to honour the gifts of the Earth and the labour that had nurtured them. Associated with the Celtic god Lugh, master of many skills and crafts, it celebrated not only the harvest of crops but also the harvest of wisdom, experience, and personal growth gathered throughout the year.

Across Celtic lands, communities gathered for seasonal fairs, games, storytelling, music, and thanksgiving. The first loaves were baked from newly harvested grain, and offerings were made in gratitude for the abundance that sustained both people and land. It was a festival that recognised the sacred balance between effort and reward, giving and receiving. In Wales, the season was marked by Calan Awst, welcoming the beginning of the harvest and the gradual turning of the year towards autumn.

Even today, many of us feel the subtle shift that arrives at this point in the seasonal cycle. The exuberance of midsummer begins to mellow into a quieter appreciation of what has been cultivated and what is beginning to bear fruit.

As you spend time outdoors this month, notice the signs of the approaching harvest. Hedgerows begin to fill with berries, seed heads sway in meadows, butterflies dance across sunlit clearings, and woodland paths offer cool refuge beneath their leafy canopies.

July invites us to pause and reflect upon the seeds we planted earlier in the year. What has flourished? What is beginning to ripen? And what gifts, insights, or opportunities are now ready to be gathered with gratitude as we move towards the first harvest festival of Lúnasa. 🌾🍃

As the Oak Moon reaches fullness, it brings illumination, gratitude, and the fruits of what has been quietly growing, often out of sight. Traditionally in North American cultures, this was named the Strawberry Moon, for the time of the ripening of wild strawberries, and this period signals a season of sweetness, nourishment, and the first gifts of summer’s abundance.

Within the steady energy of oak, this Micro Moon may feel subtle in appearance, yet emotionally and spiritually it offers profound clarity. Intentions that were planted earlier in the month now begin to reveal their direction, offering insight into what is strengthening, what is maturing, and where your energy is best invested.

Oak encourages discernment, courage, and heart-led leadership. This midsummer moon invites us to celebrate growth, acknowledge resilience, and honour how far we have already come.

Joanna’s online Full Moon Meditation takes place on Tuesday evening, offering a beautiful opportunity to pause, reflect, and align with the wisdom and abundance of this sacred lunar peak. 🌕🌿

🌑 Tuesday 14th July at 10:43 – Holly Super New Moon

The Holly Moon arrives as a powerful Super New Moon, inviting us to pause and reconnect with our inner strength as the Wheel of the Year gradually turns towards Lúnasa, the first harvest festival. While summer still flourishes around us, nature is beginning to shift from rapid growth towards ripening and the gathering of resources for the seasons ahead.

Traditionally associated with protection, courage, integrity, and wise leadership, Holly teaches us how to remain open-hearted whilst maintaining healthy boundaries. Unlike the expansive energy of Oak, Holly encourages discernment, reminding us that strength is not found in force, but in knowing when to act, when to wait, and where to direct our precious energy.

As a Super New Moon, its influence may feel especially potent, making this an excellent time to plant intentions around confidence, self-belief, clear boundaries, purposeful action, and standing firmly in alignment with your values.

As the Holly Moon reaches fullness, it aligns within three days of the ancient first harvest energies of Lúnasa (Lughnasadh/Lammas), bringing a powerful opportunity to acknowledge what has matured, strengthened, and borne fruit during the year so far.

Traditionally known as the Thunder Moon, this lunation carries a dynamic and energising quality. Like a summer storm clearing the air, it can illuminate what requires decisive action whilst helping us release hesitation, uncertainty, or patterns that no longer serve our highest path.

Holly offers clarity, courage, and protective strength, supporting us in establishing healthy boundaries without closing the heart. This Full Moon encourages us to step forward with intention, integrity, and discernment, recognising that true power is most effective when consciously directed.

Through controlled fire and storm symbolism, Holly reminds us that courage is not the absence of challenge, but the willingness to move forward with purpose despite uncertainty. As the first harvest season begins, this moon asks us to consider what is now ready to be claimed, celebrated, and shared — and what must be released to create space for the next stage of growth.

Joanna's online Full Moon Meditation takes place on Wednesday evening, offering a powerful opportunity to align with the wisdom, courage, and transformative energy of this Holly Thunder Full Moon as we approach Lúnasa. 🌕⚡🌿

At this annual celebration of Surrey’s countryside heritage, Harmony In Nature offered three free introductory Forest Bathing taster sessions across the weekend. One-hour events usually feel a little hurried, given our preference for three-hour events where we have time to linger, but we found a nice route, passing by a flower bed full of herbs and roses, which was a treat for our noses!

Each session was a little different, and participants did manage to get a feel for the slowing down and immersing of our senses in nature, including a brief experience of our ‘Treelaxation’ meditation under a spectacular tree canopy. We will enjoy seeing some of the attendees at our July and September events in Shere.

 

🎷 Jazz in the Courtyard at Cherry Trees in June
A beautiful summer fundraising event supporting the inspiring work of Cherry Trees, supporting young people and families dealing with disabilities. 

We were delighted to have donated a Forest Bathing experience as part of the raffle prize draw, offering one winner and a companion the opportunity to step into a deeply restorative guided woodland experience. The raffle raised over £1000, and the charity is continuing to host fundraising events through the summer, so do look on their website.

Book any of our public sessions, below, at the Harmony Shop 

 

🌳 Pause, Breathe and Reconnect with Nature 🌳

A short 36-second film, kindly created by Hunter Delves (Community Engagement & Fundraising Manager at Harry Edwards), beautifully captures the atmosphere and restorative nature of Forest Bathing at this special venue. You can watch it on YouTube here.

🌿 What You'll Experience on Sunday 19th July | 11:00am – 2:00pm
Summer Forest Bathing at the Harry Edwards Foundation

By mid-summer, the woodland has settled into a rich and nurturing rhythm. The canopy offers cooling shade, wildflowers and grasses flourish along the pathways, and the air is filled with birdsong, buzzing pollinators, and the gentle rustle of leaves overhead.

This is a wonderful time to immerse yourself in nature's abundance whilst taking a welcome pause from the pace of everyday life. As the Wheel of the Year gradually turns towards Lúnasa, the first harvest festival, the season invites us to reflect on what is flourishing, what is ripening, and how we can restore balance within ourselves.

Our guided Forest Bathing experience offers a series of gentle sensory invitations, encouraging you to slow down, engage your senses, and reconnect with the natural world in a mindful and restorative way.

✨ Expect:
• Deep relaxation and a nervous system reset
• Time to slow down, reflect, and simply be
• A renewed sense of calm, clarity, and wellbeing
• Meaningful connection with nature and like-minded people

Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning to deepen your nature connection practice, July offers a beautiful opportunity to recharge, restore, and immerse yourself in the healing presence of the woodland. 🌿

📅 Event Details

📍 Harry Edwards Foundation, Surrey Hills
⏳ Duration: 3 hours
💷 Investment: £39.77

Upcoming Dates:
Sunday 19th July | 11:00 – 14:00

Saturday 19th September | 11:30 – 14:30

Saturday 10th October | 11:30 – 14:30

Sunday 8th November | 11:00 – 14:00

Saturday 28th November | 11:30 – 14:30

📢 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

 Our Other venues

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

Through Harmony Healing, Joanna offers a variety of online esoteric and energy healing courses, including online and in-person self-empowerment courses, 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, subscribe here.

 

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, away 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. You will take away tips to transmute stress into calm.

 

This full day retreat can be arranged for 2-3 people, available on request. To discuss, message Katie directly on 07596 830910.

 

 

mob. 07930 414525 Jo
mob. 07596 830910 Katie