Forest Wonder: The Senses

By mid-August, the forest has settled into its full summer character. The canopy is dense, the light is filtered green, the heat of the day concentrates scent. There's an intimacy to August forests—not the openness of spring, not the abundance of early summer, but a quality of inward-turning. Leaves have stopped their rapid growth. Energy is moving into roots, into seeds, into the slow accumulation of what will sustain life through autumn and winter.

What this is designed for:

This is an introspective walk, designed for adults seeking deeper self-knowledge. We move slowly. We pause often. We practice presence as a gateway to understanding yourself. The forest is the mirror; your senses are the tools; your attention is the practice.

Introspection isn't navel-gazing or escape. It's the disciplined work of knowing yourself in relationship to the world around you. When you know what you perceive and why, you understand what you value, what you resist, what calls to you. You understand who you're becoming through the act of paying attention.

This is not a group fitness walk. This is not a lesson in forest ecology. This is an invitation to meet yourself through your own senses—to discover that the forest is not separate from you, and that knowing the forest means knowing yourself.

What to expect:

• Invitations to explore the senses
• Slow walking with extended pauses
• Stories & Sharing
• Tea & Snacks

Note: This event is made possible in collaboration with the City of Maple Ridge Outdoors Programming.

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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional territories of the Katzie Nation, who have called this land home for generations. The forest we walk in, the water we drink, the air we breathe—all are part of Katzie stewardship and care.