Forest Bathing
森林浴
There is something ontological that happens to us in primordial wilderness. Put a person into direct contact with land that has not been denatured by domination, and the deepest parts of us come back into contact with themselves.
So salutary are the effects of simply being in such a forest, that Japanese doctors prescribe forest bathing (shinrin-yoku (森林浴) to millions of people each year.
Our northern California eco-reserve, near Nicasio California (45 minutes northwest of the Golden Gate bridge), is a ten-acre eco-reserve in a pristine old-growth Douglas Fir forest with dedicated access to 800 acres of private trails. Home to a breathtaking array of species, it is a place of deep refuge in pristine nature: a sanctuary.
After searching for a primary venue for our work several years, we discovered this land in the summer of 2020. We spent the entire first year clearing deadwood. We completed our first building, a film studio with a twenty foot by twelve foot open wall, in April 2022. We have recently built a teahouse and small retreat cabin. We have three outdoor classrooms: one that seats seven, one that seats thirteen, and one that seats forty-five. We have dedicated access to miles and miles of fireroads and trails, as well as access to nearly eight hundred acres of adjacent property that is pristine forest.
In the center of the North meadow is a sculpture we have built from salvaged redwood trees that holds the village fireplace: a communal hearth.
