JO DAVIES COUNTY, Iowa \u2014 An evening forest bathing experience at Oakland Cemetery invites participants to slow down and reconnect with nature on Halloween weekend.<\/p>\n
EarthMind\u2019s Hallowmas Nature Therapy is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the cemetery\u2019s main west entrance, 1000 Brown St., Iowa City. The guided experience will move through the cemetery as daylight fades, with participants invited to notice the sounds, scents and textures around them.<\/p>\n
Forest bathing is a guided practice of experiencing nature through the senses. It does not involve hiking for distance or learning facts about the landscape, organizers say. No outdoor skills or prior meditation experience needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are carrying a lot right now, and many of us rarely give our bodies and minds a chance to settle,\u201d said Emelia Sautter, the class instructor and a certified nature and forest therapy guide. \u201cForest bathing offers a simple invitation to stop performing, stop scrolling, and pay attention to what is actually around you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The class will take place among Oakland Cemetery\u2019s autumn leaves, old trees and historic gravestones, including the Black Angel monument.<\/p>\n
Registration is required. The fee is on a sliding scale from $5 to $30.<\/p>\n