Welcoming Spring

A Forest Bathing Journey at the Equinox

Saturday 21st March, 2026

To mark the Spring Equinox, Friends of Oxleas Woodlands hosted a guided forest bathing session in Oxleas Wood, bringing together a group of ten participants for an afternoon of connection, reflection, and gentle exploration with Katie.

The Spring Equinox is a moment of balance in the year - when day and night are of equal length - and offers a natural pause to reflect on themes of equilibrium, renewal, and new beginnings. These ideas formed the foundation of the session as the group gathered at the woodland edge beneath a Hawthorn tree, long associated in folklore with thresholds and transitions.

Crossing into the woodland with intention, participants were invited to slow their pace and walk mindfully, noticing the subtle signs of seasonal change - emerging buds, shifting light, birdsong returning. The group explored the idea of balance not as something fixed, but as something lived and felt through movement, breath, and awareness.

In a clearing of hornbeam trees, known for their quiet resilience and strength, participants took part in gentle stretching, mirroring the upward reach of spring growth. The session continued with a reflective pause beside the remains of an old (illegal) fire, where the group considered the deep and ancient relationship between humans and fire - its role in shaping our evolution, communities, and cultures.

Breathing exercises encouraged a sense of connection with the surrounding trees, highlighting the continuous exchange between humans and the natural world. Later, participants explored the woodland in pairs, using magnifying glasses to observe the intricate details of moss, bark, and early spring growth - an invitation to notice the small beginnings that often go unseen.

At a dry stream bed, the group reflected on the idea of potential and flow - how we are all shaped by what has come before. This offered a powerful metaphor for the season, where life begins to stir beneath the surface before it fully emerges.

The session concluded in a quiet woodland space with shared reflections in the form of short poems & pictures, alongside a tasting of blackthorn flower infusion - one of the earliest blossoms of spring and a symbol of resilience and promise.

Participant feedback highlighted the impact of the experience, describing it as “professional and fun,” offering “peaceful quiet reflections,” and providing “space and time to breathe.” Some described it simply as “a beautiful experience.”

One participant shared the following poem during the closing reflections:

“Raise arms to the sky,

Ground feet to the earth.

Let your mind wander,

Let your senses soar.”

This session reflects the ongoing aims of Friends of Oxleas Woodlands to support education, wellbeing, and meaningful engagement with the woodland environment. By creating opportunities for people to slow down and connect with nature, we deepen appreciation for these spaces and strengthen the collective commitment to their care and preservation.

As the season turns and the light continues to grow, the woodland offers an open invitation - to return, to notice, and to begin again.