A Wonder Filled Experience (AWE): An Immersive Nature-Based Experience

Instructor: Sarah Palm, Nature-Based Therapeutic Services Program Specialist and On-site Program Coordinator

This is part of the Arboretum's Nature-Based Therapeutics Onsite Programming.

Have you ever wondered why you feel refreshed after a walk in the woods? Or how experiencing wonder in the natural world creates a deeper connection to the earth and one another? Join Nature-Based Therapeutic Services staff to learn and experience the science behind the healing power of nature. Spark your sense of wonder while learning to calm your mind, open your heart and relax your body. Each Wonder Filled Experience will have a different seasonal theme based on what is in bloom.

• Gather for a discussion on biophilia to understand how a connection with nature is essential for our health and wellbeing.
• Discover breathing and grounding exercises to help calm your mind and enhance your time in a natural environment.
• Enjoy a guided sensory stroll to restore a connection to the sights, smells, and sounds in our surroundings.
• Learn techniques to connect to your senses and nourish your relationship to the earth.
• Create a take-home memento* to document your experience and learn ways to continue to practice the healing power of nature beyond our time together.

*May and July class mementos will be a minizine; September, a small floral arrangement.

Leave this experience with a deeper understanding of how being present in nature can refresh, restore and awaken all of your senses so you can feel its healing benefits.

Weather: As Minnesotans know, Mother Nature can be unpredictable…that is the joy and spontaneity of nature, and of these experiences. Be prepared for the weather and come with an appreciation and respect for what Mother Nature has in store.

• Wonder Filled Experiences celebrate all aspects of nature and will run rain or shine unless the conditions are deemed too dangerous by the Arboretum.
• Please dress appropriately for the weather.

Helpful Tips 

• The Arboretum is a public place; solitude from other visitors is not expected nor guaranteed.
• Bring a water bottle, and please refrain from eating or chewing gum
• This is a tech-free experience.
• Be prepared for possible sunburn, insect bites, or allergy conditions. Where appropriate please bring necessary repellents, protection, and medications. 

Please note: Wonder Filled Experiences do not serve as a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Sessions of AWE at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum do not engage in the practice of medicine, nor enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship. Please discuss your personal health with a qualified health practitioner.