Join Patton Stephens for a forest bathing walk along Sligo Creek designed to help you unwind from the stresses of daily life while restoring connection and relationship with the living world. Space is limited so please register by clicking on the button below.

When: 1pm to 3pm, Sunday May 17th

Where: Section 3 of Sligo Creek park, near the corner of Parkside Road and Hilltop Road in Silver Spring (Meet on the paved Sligo Creek trail near that intersection)

Map Coordinates: 38.98770° N, 77.00593° W

Parking: Street parking available and a small parking lot nearby on Sligo Avenue

Forest bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku, originated in Japan in the 1980s as a wellness practice designed to help people unwind from the stresses of daily life. Research and practice in Japan have documented a range of health benefits, including lower blood pressure, pulse rate, and cortisol levels; increased heart rate variability (a positive indicator of resilience); improved mood; and enhanced immune function.

Today, forest bathing is gaining popularity around the world—not only for its health benefits, but also as a way to restore our sense of connection and relationship with forests and the natural world. A typical forest bathing experience involves slow, relaxed walking in a natural setting, with gentle invitations to engage the senses: seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling nature more fully. The walk is not strenuous, though participants should be comfortable walking about a mile on uneven terrain.

This forest bathing walk will be led by Patton Stephens, a longtime resident who lives near Sligo Creek. Patton brings a thoughtful blend of experience to her walks, grounded in a deeply felt connection to nature. She is an experienced facilitator, long-time meditator, and certified in restorative yoga. Her approach supports participants in engaging with their own unique experience of nature and integrating it through reflection.

🌿 Reconnect, restore, and remember your place within the natural world 🌿