Mindfulness
“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”
— Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program
Mindful practice
Mindfulness is the ability to pay attention to the present moment without judgment — acknowledging that this is what the present moment looks like, feels like, sounds like, etc.
Forest therapy, also called forest bathing, is an example of a mindful activity. So is sitting quieting as you focus on your breath, moving your body intentionally, or contemplating deeply a word or phrase.
Your guide’s background in mindfulness
Certified Forest Therapy Guide Linda Coutant has had a daily meditation practice for more than 25 years and has 100+ hours of retreat experience, including multi-day retreats with Southern Dharma Retreat Center in North Carolina and the Center for Mindfulness in Health Care, Medicine and Society in Massachusetts.
Linda’s dissertation for her Doctor of Education degree focused on the use of mindfulness and other contemplative practices in higher education. She introduced the Koru Mindfulness Curriculum at Appalachian State University, where she taught mindfulness classes as a certified Koru teacher to small groups of students, faculty, and staff for 6 years.
She has presented her research at professional conferences and was the keynote speaker at the 2022 Conference on Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World in Savannah, Georgia.
Linda brings this background in and embodiment of mindfulness to her forest therapy work, supporting participants as they relax and give their full attention to nature.
