Two slow hours under the trees. Charlotte, finally quiet.
Sylvotherapy is guided time in the forest, with nothing to achieve. You walk slowly, sit, breathe, and notice. No fitness, no experience, no hugging trees required.
- 2 hours
- Groups from $25 per person
- Private $150
- Gentle trails, all levels
Sylvotherapy, in plain words
Sylvotherapy (from the Latin silva, forest) is the practice of spending slow, guided time among trees to calm the nervous system. It is also called forest bathing, forest therapy, or shinrin-yoku in Japanese, where it began in the 1980s.
It is not a hike and not a workout. A session is a gentle, guided walk of a few hundred meters over two hours, with invitations to slow down, use your senses, sit, and breathe. Think of it as meditation with the walls taken away.
Studies of forest bathing consistently find short-term drops in stress, anxiety and heart rate. Here is what the research does and does not show.
One minute. Just breathe with the circle.
In for four, out for six. A longer exhale tells the body it can stand down. This is a small piece of what we do outdoors, with the sounds and smell of the woods added.
That is the practice. Imagine two hours of it, outside, with someone holding the space for you.
Request a sessionIf any of this sounds like you
- Running on empty
- Always on a screen
- Can't switch off
- New to meditation
- Tried to meditate and could not sit still
- Skeptical, but curious
- Want time with friends that is not a restaurant
- Looking for a calm team outing
No experience needed
If you can walk slowly and sit on the ground or a folding stool, you can do this. Most people have never done it before.
No pressure, no performance
Nobody asks you to share, chant, or feel anything in particular. Every invitation is optional. Do less if you like.
Small and personal
Groups stay small so no one gets lost in a crowd. If groups are not your thing, private sessions are fully yours.
Two hours, unhurried
Arrive and settle
We meet at an easy trailhead. A short welcome, a few questions about what you need today, and a gentle way to start slowing down.
Slow walking
A very gentle pace, guided by simple invitations: listen for the farthest sound, notice what moves, feel the ground.
Sit spot
Time to sit alone near a tree or stream, settle, and let the mind quiet without trying to force it.
Guided meditation
A guided practice outdoors: breath, body, and the sounds around you.
Closing circle
A short, optional sharing and a slow walk back. You leave unhurried, not worn out.
Choose the way that feels comfortable
Simple, upfront pricing. You only pay once your session is confirmed.
Group session
$25 per person · 2 hours
- Small group, minimum 3 people
- Join alone or bring a friend, we mix and match
- Session confirms once 3 have joined
- Learn the practice with others, which many find deeper
Private session
$150 2 hours
- Just you, or you and one or two people you choose
- Your pace, your goals, your day and time
- Ideal if groups make you uneasy
- Good for couples, friends, and small teams
What research actually shows
A 2026 systematic review in Frontiers in Psychology found lower heart rate, less tension and anxiety, and less low mood after forest bathing. An earlier review of reviews covering 131 studies found the strongest effects for stress, anxiety and depression, and called evidence for medical conditions suggestive, not proven.
Most studies are short and small. Forest bathing is a complement to care, not a replacement for it. That is what we claim, and no more.
See the outcomes in charts or read the full breakdown with sources
Led by Buck Rackley
I am trained in forest bathing, guided meditation and nature-based mindfulness, and I offer this in Charlotte because I have seen how much a slow morning outdoors changes a day. My job is to hold the space and then get out of the way so the woods can do the work.
Before you decide
I have never meditated. Is that okay?
Yes. Most people who come are beginners. Everything is explained simply, and nothing is required of you.
Is this a hike? Do I need to be fit?
No. We move very slowly over short distances on gentle ground. If you can walk slowly and sit for a while, you can join. Tell me about mobility needs and I will adapt the route and the pace.
What if it rains?
Light rain is lovely in the woods and we go ahead with proper layers. In unsafe weather (lightning, high wind, ice) we reschedule or refund.
What if I am uncomfortable in a group?
That is what private sessions are for. You get the same practice, one to one, at your pace.
What happens when I request a session?
I reply by email within one day with dates and a meeting point. You pay only after your session is confirmed.
Your next quiet two hours are waiting
Send a request. No payment now, no obligation, a real reply within one day.