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Vind info over Bosbaden, gidsen, opleidingen en interessante tips en artikels. Beheer: VZW Natuurlijk in verbinding Boek een activiteit voor je groep Bosbaden is de natuur beleven met al je zintuigen. Het is je terug verbinden met de natuur om je heen. Er worden uitnodigingen aangereikt onder de vorm van belevingsoefeningen waarbij je, in volle aanwezigheid en via zuivere waarneming, ruimte kan maken voor jezelf. Elk van deze begeleide wandelingen is een pad naar meer veerkracht en rust, in verbinding met jezelf, de ander en de natuur. Je krijgt concrete tools aangereikt die je ook kan toepassen wanneer je alleen of met gelijkgestemden op pad gaat. Het tempo ligt laag en de afstand die we afleggen is beperkt dus hoef je helemaal geen geoefende wandelaar te zijn.Insteek van de wandeling afhankelijk van de gids. Het thema van de wandeling is afhankelijk van de gids en kan besproken worden. Zo zijn er bijvoorbeeld creatieve- en blote voeten bosbaden. Maar ook stiltewandelingen en veerkrachtwandelingen. Duur activiteit: 2 à 3 uur Aantal deelnemers: 8 tot 12 per gids. Prijs op aanvraag Neem contact op voor boeking en verdere vragen. Masterclasses en verdiepingsdagen 2026 In 2026 organiseren we enkele masterclasses. Elk van deze dagen gaat rond een specifiek thema en is afzonderlijk te volgen. Deze verdiepingsdagen worden ook telkens door een andere gids georganiseerd. ... maart 2026: Bosbaden in Beweging vr 24 april 2026: Verdiepingsdag over boomoliën, het lichaam & de geest (regio Leuven) zat 23 mei 2026: Creatief bosbaden (Kluisbos grens Oost-Vlaanderen/ Henegouwen) Deelnamebedrag: 150€ per persoon Max 8 tot 10 deelnemers Voor wie: therapeuten, coaches, lichaamswerkers, bosbad- of zorgbegeleiders (mensen die natuur al integreren of dit graag dieper willen verkennen) Meer details via onze site: Opleidingen | Bosbaden Met natuurgroeten, Team Bosbaden Vlaanderen VZW Natuurlijk in verbinding

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educations On the rest of this page you will find a list (in alphabetical order!) Of the different courses that exist 'world forest'. Be sure to let us know via the contact form if a course is missing. In addition, you will also find a list of extra training courses that are often useful or even asked to obtain a certificate from ANFT, such as the Wilderness First Aid Training. Academy for Healing Nature This Belgian academy organizes the training to become a shinrin-yoku guide every year. The training runs over 6 months and consists of an intensive 5-day course followed by separate training days and practical. The theoretical deepening and the experience-oriented structure of the training offer a broad baggage, skills and techniques with which the guide can then set to work with confidence. https://www.academie-voor-helende-natuur.be Academy for Healing Nature This Belgian academy organizes the training to become a shinrin-yoku guide every year. The training runs over 6 months and consists of an intensive 5-day course followed by separate training days and practical. The theoretical deepening and the experience-oriented structure of the training offer a broad baggage, skills and techniques with which the guide can then set to work with confidence. https://www.academie-voor-helende-natuur.be Academy for Healing Nature This Belgian academy organizes the training to become a shinrin-yoku guide every year. The training runs over 6 months and consists of an intensive 5-day course followed by separate training days and practical. The theoretical deepening and the experience-oriented structure of the training offer a broad baggage, skills and techniques with which the guide can then set to work with confidence. https://www.academie-voor-helende-natuur.be Academy for Healing Nature This Belgian academy organizes the training to become a shinrin-yoku guide every year. The training runs over 6 months and consists of an intensive 5-day course followed by separate training days and practical. The theoretical deepening and the experience-oriented structure of the training offer a broad baggage, skills and techniques with which the guide can then set to work with confidence. https://www.academie-voor-helende-natuur.be Academy for Healing Nature This Belgian academy organizes the training to become a shinrin-yoku guide every year. The training runs over 6 months and consists of an intensive 5-day course followed by separate training days and practical. The theoretical deepening and the experience-oriented structure of the training offer a broad baggage, skills and techniques with which the guide can then set to work with confidence. https://www.academie-voor-helende-natuur.be Academy for Healing Nature This Belgian academy organizes the training to become a shinrin-yoku guide every year. The training runs over 6 months and consists of an intensive 5-day course followed by separate training days and practical. The theoretical deepening and the experience-oriented structure of the training offer a broad baggage, skills and techniques with which the guide can then set to work with confidence. https://www.academie-voor-helende-natuur.be Association of Forest & Nature Therapy (ANFT) North American organization that organizes on-site training (anywhere in the world), followed by a 6-month practical. You will not receive your certificate until you have followed a WFA training. They draw inspiration from Japan and North American indigenous culture. https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/ Forest Therapy Institute (FTI) Just like ANFT, FTI organizes courses that consist of an on-site training, followed by a practicum of 3 months (forest pool guide) and 6 months (forest therapy guide). https://foresttherapyinstitute.com/ Association of Forest & Nature Therapy (ANFT) North American organization that organizes on-site training (anywhere in the world), followed by a 6-month practical. You will not receive your certificate until you have followed a WFA training. They draw inspiration from Japan and North American indigenous culture. https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/ Forest Mind (Mestämieli) Forest Mind was founded in Finland by Sirpa Arvonen, who has written and published 4 books on this topic since 2014. This Forest Mind guide training gives you the certification to become a Forest Mind guide and the right to use the supporting materials and branding in your activities. The training is intended for people from the health and social sector and / or the nature sector. http://metsamieli.fi/Forestmind-fi/ Shinrin-Yoku Academy Natascha Boudewijn of the Shinrin-Yoku Academy gives annual courses in the Netherlands. Flemish people also make the crossing to the center of the Netherlands to receive lessons from her. https://shinrin-yoku-academy.nl Natural Mindfulness Guide Training This English-language, (always) online training of 21 days has the experience-connect-share as key points. The course is structured in such a way that you can perfect it in your own time frame. Being in connection with Nature, and thus also with your own Nature. You can then pass on this experience as a guide to your audience / clients, who in turn share their experience with you and / or the group. https://www.ianbanyard.com/home/guide-training/ Additional training The above training courses can be supplemented with training on game harvesting, herbs & plant knowledge, Wilderness first aid training and so on. We only list the training that takes place in Belgium and (more south of) the Netherlands. Click on the image to visit the website. Be sure to let us know via the contact form if you know of more training. Wilderness First Aid Trainings Unknown Come later Rewilding Mike organizes various day courses for wild harvesting in the Kempen. Rewilding Drum Kiki and Bert van Leuven organize and coach courses, workshops and retreats. Herbal course Lieve Galle organizes courses, workshops and guided walks. Forest to Plate The goal of Forest To Plate is to educate people in the wonderful world of wild edible plants and show them the possibilities.

Previously asked questions Here we list the questions that guides (in training) or people who would like to do training have already asked. Can you make a living as a forest bath guide? No. Not full time. Not in Flanders. I definitely recommend reading an interesting blog by an experienced (and well-known international guide) before you resign and start training: https://juliaplevin.medium.com/can-you-make-a-living-as -a-forest-therapy-guide-30033a04ec02 You certainly cannot get rich. And even then it would not fit the authenticity of your calling. My costs (including investment costs) are even greater, but since I see forest bathing guide training and the things that will happen to you afterwards as part of my personal development and health promotion and quest for authenticity, that's okay for me. Which training suits me best? You will already find a (not complete) list on the page of courses. We recommend that you first find out for yourself why you want to do a training and what you want to get out of it. From this you can distil your own criteria. Contact different study programs and see which study program best meets your criteria. Here are some guiding questions: Do you want to strengthen your own 'nature connection'? Do you also want to make a personal development yourself? Do you already guide forest baths? Are you a nature coach? And are you mainly looking for a way to validate that with a certificate? Are you a clinical psychologist or doctor and would you like to understand the (medical) science behind forest baths? How much money do you want to spend? How much time do you want to - and can - invest? (Usually the time to want is longer than to be able to). Do you want to do this in Belgium? Or are you willing to go abroad? Do you want to do this at your own pace? Or via a timetable of the trainer? How creative and enterprising are you? (Especially if you want to earn some money afterwards) ... At FTI and ANFT we have to take an outdoor / wilderness first aid (4 pm - 2 days) to obtain our certificate. Are you informed or can you recommend an organization in Belgium? An organization organizes it once a year, but then I have to wait another 9 months. Ah yes, the wilderness first aid training is really very difficult to find in Belgium. I also had to do that from ANFT. It is also recommended by ANFT to do this every two years as well, as a kind of refresher. You can also contact an organization to provide training this summer in Belgium, perhaps especially for forest bathing guides. There are several organizations that can give that in Belgium. You must have a minimum number of participants, but maybe you can look through the facebook group of the FB guides to see how much interest would be in such training and then appeal to an organization? Another option is to follow that online. I was lucky that ANFT allowed me to do it online at the end of my practical, also because that was all I had to do and the pandemic was then called. The problem is that there is a lot of physical contact: you should always have a regular 'sidekick' to practice on. I had to take pictures of how to care for a broken leg and was lucky that my mum (my hug contact) was willing. Don't they allow online courses in FTI as well? More questions Don't hesitate to ask us. --- These questions have been answered by Wendy Wuyts.

Vanaf eind september 2021 In augustus 2021 verhuisde Wendy voor minstens een jaar naar Noorwegen. Zelf is ze al sinds haar achtste geboeid door Noorse folklore en mythologie. Deze negen cirkels zijn deels gebaseerd op de structuur van de eco-heldinnenreis (model van Dr. Sharon Blackie), op zoek naar worteling en troost in een wereld vol onderdrukking, verandering en dreigende milieuproblemen. Noorwegen is een prachtig land als 'virtuele setting': vol oude landschappen en verhalen over vrouwen die zich verzetten tegen onderdrukking, landschappen waar niet-menselijke natuur met een harde klimaat moeten leven Negen maandelijkse cirkel met Wendy Wuyts (wereldwoud ) Een uitgraving van Noorse landschappen en verhalen Op zoek naar (ecologische) wijsheid 16 september 2021 t.e.m. 19 mei 2022 Waar is thuis? Sommigen zeggen dat thuis is waar je geboren bent. Vroeger was het ook normaal dat thuis de plek is waar je geboren bent, maar nu wonen personen vaak op verschillende plekken. Thuis kan ook iets meer zijn dan een plek, maar in deze negen cirkels koppelen we het idee van worteling aan een plek waar je heel je leven of maar een week hebt gewoond. Zelf ben ik als geograaf al bijna vijftien jaar bezig met de studie van 'plekken', heb zelf in verschillende plekken, en zelfs continenten geworteld, en heb ik het volgende geleerd: Plekken zijn er altijd, ze zijn er, ze herbergen je, laten je thuis voelen, jagen je weg, roepen herinneringen op, verleiden je. We maken niet alleen plekken, maar plekken maken ons en doen ons thuisvoelen, thuiskomen. Dit komend jaar ga ik zelf wortelen in Noorwegen, een land dat me al meer dan twintig jaar riep. Ik heb dit land al een paar keer bezocht, maar altijd voor een korte tijd. Nu ga ik daar werken rond duurzame ontwikkeling. Ik zoek vier tot zeven andere mensen die graag met mee maandelijks willen nadenken, praten, creëren, filosoferen... over de vraag van thuiskomen en wortelen. De cirkels zullen online plaatsvinden, maar als de groep het wil en de mogelijkheden het toelaten wil ik ook graag een korte inspiratiereis organiseren (voor een laag budget) in juli 2022, in een berglandschap in Noorwegen, met een rijke culturele geschiedenis, waar we gaan bosbaden, wandelen en van het buitenluchtleven genieten, terwijl we nadenken wat thuiszijn en worteling in een ruig landschap. Ken je mensen die interesse hebben? Voor wie? Mensen met interesse voor de mythen, verhalen en andere beenderen van dit land. Mensen met interesse voor traditie en verhalen in België. Veel verhalen zijn niet alleen een Germaanse en Keltische erfenis, maar ook een Noord-Europese erfenis. Mensen met interesse voor Noordwest-Europese landschappen: ik heb al gemerkt dat Noorwegen en België enkele 'landschappen 'delen; Vooral voor mensen met interesse voor de cultuurhistorische en mythische lezingen van Noorse landschappen en de verhalen zelf, en aan de hand daarvan aan hun eigen positieve gezondheid willen werken, verbinden met zielen met dezelfde interesse voor Noorwegen Datums + voorlopige inhoud 1) Donderdag 16 september: Introductie Elkaar beter leren kennen: van waar komen jullie? En waarom zijn jullie hier? Niet-menselijke gast: Röyskopp Introductie ‘walking & talking about the land’ Theorie: ecolinguistiek & herwilderde taal 2) Donderdag 21 oktober: Njord & Skadi Wijsheid cirkel: Wat is thuis? Theorie: heldenverhaal vs heldinnenverhalen? Ook: mythen, hervertellingen en mythische fictie Verhaal: Njord & Skadi Woord: ‘Hefted’ Niet-menselijke gast: Lijsterbes 3) Donderdag 18 november: De Sneeuwkoningin Theorie: Model van Sharon Blackie Niet-menselijke Gast: Wolfsroosje Mythische fictie: De Sneeuwkoningin in tijden van klimaatsverandering Landschap: 'dynamietrivieren', visboerderijen, olievelden 4) Donderdag 16 december: Het droomlied Theorie en reflectie: De roeping Verhaal: het droomlied Orientatië: kompas met de windrichtingen Het geheim van de Kerstman Niet-menselijke gast: Spar 5) Donderdag 20 januari: Nokken en duistere poelen Theorie en reflectie: De ketel van transformatie Verhaal: van de nokken in Noorwegen naar de nekker in Brussel & Mechelen Niet-menselijke gast: baardmos 6) Donderdag 17 februari: De Drie Nornen Theorie en reflectie: de pelgrimstocht Verhaal: drie Nornen, de drie koninginnen Aurora Borealis Niet-menselijke gast: Berk 7) Donderdag 17 maart: de Mijnwerkersdochter Theorie en reflectie: Het begraven vrouwelijke opgraven Een Noorse heldin: Ann-Magrit Paskekrimme i Norge Niet-menselijke gast: klein hoefblad 8) Donderdag 21 april: Trollen Theorie en reflectie: balans herstellen Woord: Bergtatt Verhaal: Huldra Roep van de Berg - Arne Naess #deepecology Gast: Trollenboom 9) Donderdag 19 mei: De terugkeer van het licht Theorie en reflectie: de terugkeer Verhaal: De dood en terugkeer van Balder Gast: jeneverbes ... What's next? Idee thema's voor inspiratiereis Heilige boerderijbomen / Tuntreet Odin, runen & Yggdrasil Wat gaan we doen? Elke sessie bestaat uit een welkom, check-in met iedereen en een korte zintuiglijke uitnodiging (meditatie, naar een mooi lied luisteren etc.). Ik hou een korte kennisoverdracht, maar ik werk ook met de wijsheid van de cirkel. We geven (de virtuele) praatstok door zodat iedereen kort en bondig zijn verhaal met de kring kan delen). Elke sessie heeft ook een thema (zie voorlopig curriculum). Na een pauze geven we eventjes aandacht aan een plant of boom. We sluiten af met een individuele creatieve oefening en een groepsreflectie. In de laatste cirkels is er ook tijd om jullie verhalen of nieuwe kennis te delen, of om de inspiratiereis in Noorwegen voor te bereiden: vragen, opmerkingen, wensen, ambities te delen. Inbegrepen in de prijs: Negen cirkels inhoud en begeleiding via maandelijkse zoom en e-mails Toegang tot meer bronmaterialen via GoogleDrive. creatieve vibes, een nieuwe 'tribe' en andere 'dingen' die onbetaalbaar zijn Niet inbegrepen: fysieke bijeenkomst Nog in overweging (niet in prijs inbegrepen): een inspiratiereis in Noorwegen (langs de Glomma rivier), met enkele bosbaden, gemakkelijke wandelingen, momenteel voor creativiteit en kampvuurgesprekken, rond het thema: wat kunnen landschappen ons leren over thuisvoelen en hoe kunnen we landschappen helpen? -- eind juli 2022 Kostprijs: Prijs per sessie: € 12 Als je voor alle 9 sessies inschrijft: € 90 De ticketprijs mag geen drempel zijn en we geven ook 2 vrijstellingen (neem contact op via de contact form ). 1/3e wordt gebruikt voor het goede doel van Robur op Den Eik vzw. 1/3e is voor vrijwilligersbijdragen. 1/3e is voor een zoom abonnement en andere kosten. Voorbereiding Ter voorbereiding op de start van de cirkel, zorg ervoor dat u beschikt over: Een goede stabiele internetverbinding. Zoom geïnstalleerd hebt op uw toestel. Indien nodig kunt u het hier gratis downloaden : https://zoom.us/download Zorg ervoor dat Zoom geüpdatet is naar de laatste versie, anders kan u problemen ondervinden bij het inloggen. Als u een deel van het live-evenement niet kunt bijwonen, zullen er opnames beschikbaar zijn. Inschrijven: Inschrijven kan via de contact form . Laat zeker weten of je een sessie of de hele serie wil volgen. Na de bevestiging krijgen de deelnemers een e-mail van Wendy. Deelnemers sturen daarna het geld naar de rekening van Robur op Den Eik vzw om dan de zoomlink te krijgen. Deze cirkel gaat door zodra er vier inschrijvingen zijn. Heb je nog andere vragen? Stuur een bericht via de contact form.

Collective 'Belonging in the Belgian nature *' * Broad definition: everything that touches our roots and feeling of belonging * Narrow definition: places like forests, meadows ... Fragmented Belgian nature Belgium is a highly densely populated country with land-use conflicts and which knows many different ethnical communities with their own epistemology. In addition, the 'other' nature in Belgium is very fragmented, resulting in Belgium being one of the forest-poorest countries in Europe. For instance, there are not many nature parks or wild, non-managed nature in Belgium. Belgium has not many forests, with many protected and fenced areas, resulting in a huge pressure on nature if many people come there. In many forests, moving is only allowed on paths. Under influence of COVID-19 restrictions we witnessed how paths became more muddy and wider. During the first lockdown, when ways of virus spreading were not clear and pandemic management measures were still not well established and clear, some parts of forests were closed off. However, already before the pandemic, the availability of natural public places has already been an issue. Only few places in Belgium are designated for swimming and camping outdoors due to possible harmful human pressure on fragile nature environments and lack of human knowledge to engage safely and in autonomous manner into nature relationships. The COVID-19 measures only made some uneven distributions of land (and other resources) more visible. Our collective wants to use systems thinking and design thinking to identify and expand the pathways towards justice, inclusion, sharing and belonging in the Belgian nature (and beyond). Inspired by the Belonging and Other Institute , we identify these pathways as following: “Systems thinking offers a holistic approach to analyze exclusive societal dynamics by focusing on the way that a system's constituent parts interrelate across domains, disciplines and borders. Design thinking is an iterative process that seeks design solutions by deepening one's understanding of the problem through empathizing with the problem's stakeholders, questioning assumptions and implications, and identifying creative strategies that might not be instantly apparent. ” Although the center of this collective is Belgium, the activities will extend to European and possibly Planetary dimension by using hybrid working methods: combining physical learning spaces with virtual, open to all. The Collective We are all fascinated by the questions around othering and belonging, because of our professional and personal backgrounds. Our collective aims to explore the impact of nature based health and art practices on the feeling of belonging among citizens from different backgrounds. Our collective is formed by: active members of the informal community of forest therapy / bath guides based in Belgium (apparently, but subject to change) serial rooters; we have rooted in several places and experienced personally that each place can give valuable lessons and gifts, which manifest as internal need and desire to give 'something' back or share to more places People with experience in research and / or practice in nature based art and health practices People with a deep interest (perhaps partly because they are serial rooters themselves) for rooting, place and sense making, belonging, othering and intersectional environmentalism . Learn more about the collective: The 'Humans' behind this Collective (Planned) Activities Soul Activities = Activities of partner organizations or our affiliations which are in compliance with the mission of the collective Tools and methods Gossip from the Belgian Nature The case studies Please let us know if you want to be part of this collective or collaborate as a partner, through the contact form; then we arrange one or more 'nature walks' and discuss ideas.

Wereldwoud is the 'overarching' project of Wendy Wuyts. Working as a volunteer on this portal website falls under 'world forest', but also organizing circle moments, writing creative stories, helping partner organizations and so on. Communication: Instagram account (since spring 2019) 'world forest' English blog (since autumn 2018) ' woodwidewebstories' Forest baths: See the separate page about forest baths . Virtual Circle and learning moments: Root-wise (February 21 to December 21, 2021) Re-rooting (February 22 to December 22, 2021, in English) A guest at: 5th Earthwise Circle (February 9, 2021): The role of ecolinguistics and the stories we live with The Nature of Cities Festival 2021 exhibition, with work 'A pine tree in the Campine' (end of February 2021) Virtual Forest therapy Guide (April 12-13) at 5th International Conference on Ecolinguistics Podcasts: Climate festival Antwerp # 14 Circular economy: what can we learn from nature? (July 2020) Inspiring Different: # 38 Forest Therapy Guides Make Better Lovers? (February 2021) - or see the podcasts page Publications on the Internet MO * magazine - zeronauten blogs (selection of the most relevant for the forest baths website): Even on the last day of the world I will still plant trees (November 2020) When a white nature person wanted to write about whiteness (June 2020) Hay fever in times of corona (and tree sexism) (April 2020) On foraging and Dòigh Nàdair, the Scottish way of nature (March 2020) Tree Time in Scotland (March 2020) Doctor, can you prescribe some more forest? (November 2019) Forest baths on samurai trails (June 2019) Uneven Earth - Short story A wood wide web story: an apple tree in Daegu (February 2020) About Wendy: Wendy Wuyts ( instagram @wereldwoud ) is an eco-communicator, a certified forest bathing guide, an academic researcher in environmental science, and writer. She has worked for television and documentary houses, has been writing blogs for Mo * Magazine since 2016 and has already published two fiction books herself: 'Als Meubels Konden Speken' and ' the white dream '. In the writers academy she is working on a third book project. Roots and sense of belonging have been a major theme in her projects for almost fifteen years: as a geographer, she studies the importance of place in our well-being. She is also a serial rooter: she has rooted in various places in the world, received many of those stories of deeper rooted beings in that place, and also given something back. In countries such as the Czech Republic, Japan, Norway and the USA she has built up experience and knowledge in ecolinguistics, ecopsychology, natural philosophy, deep ecology, ecofeminism, intersectional environmentalism and change management. She works as a volunteer, sometimes in tractor roles this portal website (bosbadenvlaanderen.com) international collective of collectors of stories about the relationship between forests and humans (woodwidewebstories.com Bold Burners ( boldbranders.org ) Robur op Den Eik vzw ( https://roburopdeneik.org/ ). International collective of ' Belonging in Belgian Nature ' international collective of ' Health Gardens Brussels ' ...

Forest Baths for Companies Update February 20, 2021: This page (and its subpages) are not yet complete and published, but in the following weeks I will write out why forest baths can (and should) be part of the business (in times of corona) . The era of corporate offices is over. Facebook, twitter and other large companies have already announced that employees now have the choice to work part-time or fully from home. Only a small percentage must be in an office full-time after the corona crisis. However, there are other diseases and crises that disrupted the business world, such as burnout and the local effects of climate change, soil depletion and pollution. Perhaps now the era of corporate forests and associated activities has arrived. Outdoor meetings that increase the productivity, creativity, health (physical and mental) health and resilience of your employees. Forest bathing is part of nature-based practices for which more and more scientific evidence of its usefulness is emerging. Which Flemish companies will be the first to offer forest baths as an activity, or even convert a meeting into an adapted 'company forest pool'? ------------- Not something new Our ancestors also held meetings in the shade of lime trees. More information follows. More creativity During an innovation management class I learned in which environments employees get their most and best ideas. According to scientific research. No, not in a conference room in an office. Unless the meeting is so boring that people daydream. The best environment for creativity is the natural environment. Burnout prevention Did you know that companies in Flanders are obliged to invest in programs to prevent burnout, one of the biggest pandemics in our welfare economy? But there is a limited range of programs.

Als bosbadgids begeleidt Ils regelmatig een bosbad. Hier vertelt ze over haar missie om andere gidsen basiskennis en zelfvertrouwen te geven over wat ze moeten doen bij een ongeval in een meer afgelegen plek. EHBO, is dat zo belangrijk? Door Ils Van Dun 08 oktober 2021 Een ongeval is snel gebeurd. Maar als je meteen hulp biedt, voorkom je vaak erger. Eerste hulp kan echt een verschil maken. Veel mensen hebben niet door dat de eerste minuten na het oplopen van lichamelijk letsel zeer belangrijk zijn. Vaak denkt men dat ze iemand het beste kunnen laten liggen totdat professionele hulp is gearriveerd. Maar, wist je dat het gemiddeld 10 minuten duurt voordat een ambulance op de plek van het ongeval is? In die 10 minuten is het dus heel belangrijk dat een slachtoffer zo snel mogelijk goede hulp krijgt. Dus als je weet hoe je moet reageren in een panieksituatie en je weet wat je moet doen om iemand te helpen kun je in sommige gevallen echt iemands leven redden. Wie ben ik? Ik ben Ils Van Dun, ondertussen werk ik al bijna 20 jaar bij Defensie. Ik werk bij de Medische Dienst als ambulancier / instructeur. De lessen die ik geef zijn basis EHBO aan de militaire ploeghelpers en specifieke EHBO opleidingen. Recent heb ik een opleiding gevolgd tot trainer Wildernis First Aid. Waarom? Voor mijn werk, maar ook in mijn vrije tijd, vind je me heel vaak in de natuur. Als bosbadgids, begeleid ik regelmatig een bosbad. Ik moet jullie niet vertellen dat we toch vaak op afgelegen plaatsen zijn. Heb je al eens over de volgende vraag nagedacht: “Wat als er hier iets gebeurd? Iemand valt, iemand wordt onwel,… Wat doe ik dan?” Als je eerlijk bent, is vaak het antwoord: “geen idee.” Dat is precies waar ik iets wil doen. Het volgen van een EHBO cursus kan dus voor iedereen belangrijk zijn en het is echt niet zo moeilijk als het allemaal lijkt. Vanuit mijn ervaring voorzie ik lessen basis EHBO en Wildernis First Aid, niet omdat ik je wil omtoveren tot dokter, maar om je zelfvertrouwen te geven in bepaalde handelingen. Ik ben er zeker van dat je de handelingen die je leert niet alleen in het bos of de natuur kan gebruiken. Je kan deze thuis, op vakantie,…. Echt overal toepassen. Het leuke aan de lessen is eigenlijk dat het geen standaard EHBO les is. Ik heb er mijn kennis als militair, ambulancier, bosbadgids,… bij in gestoken en dat zorgt soms voor creatieve oplossingen voor minder ernstige letsels. Onwetendheid is vaak de reden voor mensen om niet te handelen en dat is nu net wat ik wil voorkomen. Ben je nieuwsgierig geworden en wil je meer info over een EHBO cursus? Dan kan je me mailen op ilsvandun@gmail.com

Books about forest baths Do you remember books? Let us know. Written by Belgians: Diamond of the Forest on the Silk Road - shin shin rin yoku ki by K ourOsh GareGani It is about bathing in the energy of the heart of the forest, interweaving ideas of Persian and Japanese martial arts and philosophy with its own learning lessons. Read our review here. The forest bathing map by Steffie Vandierendonck and Wouter Van Dyck (2020). The beta version has been available since the beginning of November. The forest pool map is an 'Interactive e-book with downloadable forest pool map, videos, audio version and private group to exchange experiences'. You can currently purchase the beta version for € 12. If you buy the book via this link , € 2 of the € 12 will go to the volunteers behind this website. The alpha version will be released in March 2021. Pocket book for the Forest Baths of Sarah Devos and Katriina Kilpi, published by publisher Lannoo (2019). Written by foreigners, translated into Dutch: The healing power of forest baths by Julia Plevin at publisher Samsara (2019) The little shinrin-yoku book , by Natasha Boudewijn (2018) Shinrin-yoku , The Japanese Secret to Better Sleep, Less Stress and a Healthy, Happy Life 'by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles at publisher Lev. (2018) Shinrin-yoku. The Japanese art of forest bathing by Yoshifumi Miyazaki at Spectrum Publishers (2018). Shinrin-yoku. The secret of forest bathing, the Japanese nature therapy by Annette Lavrijsen, published by Ambo Anthos (2018) Shinrin yoku , by Dr. QI Gin Li at Lev publishing house. (2018) Flemish fiction novels where characters go for a forest bath: The White Dream by Wendy Wuyts, by Brave New Books (2020) If Furniture Could Speak by Wendy Wuyts, by Brave New Books (2019)

An alchemical manual to forest baths Title: Diamond of the Forest on the Silk Road, Shin Shin Rin Yoku Ki 心 森林 浴 気 二 --- by Wendy Wuyts (@wereldwoud), January 2021 ---- A week before the arrival of Saint Nicholas, one of my favorite alchemists, I was introduced to @kouroshgaregani - a former refugee from Iran, martial arts practitioner, poet, dancer and therapist. He has written a book and contacted me via bosbadenvlaanderen.com . It is about bathing in the energy of the heart of the forest, interweaving ideas of Persian and Japanese martial arts and philosophy with its own learning lessons. I asked for a review copy. He personally brought it (and Persian biscuits) to Vorselaar and I took him and his assistant to a walk in the Lovenhoek, a nature point right outside my door. I asked him some questions to get to know his story and the background of this book. Since the age of four, he has been practicing Karate Wado Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu, first in Iran. He practiced the katas with trees and noticed as a child that there is a circulation of energy between him and the trees. He demonstrated some katas. It seemed like a dance. He not only practiced the Japanese martial art, but also the ancestral Persian art Varzesh Bastani, which also has a rich history of rituals, movements and wisdom. What I understood was that for him the combination of nature connection and the wisdom of Eastern martial arts gave him grounding and comfort, even when he had to leave Iran and settle in Ghent. In the meantime, several decades have passed and he has reflected a lot. His books are clearly the fruit of years of observation, dreaming and thinking. Slightly different from other books written about shinrin-yoku by foreigners. I have only read a few books, such as the work of Dr Li Qing, M. Amos Clifford and Annette Lavrijsen, and supporting books such as Florence Williams, but this book is written from a different angle. During the walk, an old tree invited us to come closer. "A mother tree," I said. He asked why I thought it was a woman's tree. I was shy. You do have women and men trees. But I could not provide "a scientific explanation". She just felt protective. He observed the mother leaning east to see the sunrise behind her children. When people use wind directions to name locations, I feel grounding. He has a gift of observation. At the end of the walk I showed him the broken willow tree in the garden. I was curious about his observation. He could say that a northerly or westerly wind had hit this tree. These winds can be cold and sharp. His book is also a collection of observations, often written in a poetic language. It reminds me of the Ancient Greek verses I had to read in high school. It is also full of instructions that remind me of martial arts or the asanas in yoga. This makes the book different from, for example, 'the pocket book of forest baths' by Sarah Devos and Katriina Kilpi, because the actions are described in more detail, more concretely. In the forest baths that I provide (as instructed by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy), our invitations are kept as short and open as possible. I don't know which is better: each person needs something different, and even the same person has different needs than on any other day. It contains many Japanese terms and ideas that require a certain initiation (in Japanese natural philosophy). I wouldn't give the book as a gift to people who have never heard of forest baths, but to yourself or other people who already have some basis. To give a comparison: I have lived in Japan and have been at it for years, but it was difficult for me too. I know some terms, such as ishin denshin, because I also had a short friendship with a Buddhist monk in Japan. Other concepts, such as the common kumano kodou, took on new meaning for me. I have walked the road of that name, but I did not understand that it could mean 'the old way of the forest' or 'the ancestral way'. The ideas almost tempt me to return to Japan, but I now know that those concepts can also be found in a Flemish context. His work feels like an alchemist book that does not just reveal its secrets. I had to reread fragments, often out loud. The book can transform you, I felt, like a philosopher's stone. It took energy - and rightly so, because nothing should come to you too easily - before I was connected to the spirit of this book. After a while I realized - like poems by Rumi and Khayyam - I better recite the lyrics out loud so that it can echo a little in me. Poetry flows in the veins of Persians. There is also a lot of poetry in this book. You do not consume such texts, but you have to take a lot of time for such texts: not for the reading itself, but to prepare yourself first and then think for a moment about what you have read and what it can mean for you. Dutch translation: Boekscout.nl Bol.com French (original) version: Le Diamant de la Forêt de Soie, Shin Shin Rin Yoku Ki 心 森林 浴 気 二 fr.fnac.be An English translation will also be available soon.