Forest bathing in Helsinki region

Permission to let go.

Forest bathing instructor Kaisu Maijala smiling behind a tree

Stressed? Tired? Glued to your phone? Time for a reset.

Let’s step into the forest – together.

Modern life overloads us: work pressures, digital fatigue, stress, poor sleep, lack of focus, even burnout. And we spend far too little time in nature, our original home.

The forest is the perfect antidote – a space of calm, clarity, and connection. Just pause, and nature restores your balance.

I'm Kaisu Maijala – M.Sc., certified wilderness and nature guide, forest therapy & health forest guide, forest bathing instructor, and nature well-being expert. I’ll guide you safely into the woods to reconnect with nature and yourself.

Find your happiness again in the Finnish forest. Welcome!

Nature Health Label by The Finnish Allergy, Skin and Asthma Federation

The forest comforts, calms, heals, recharges, refreshes, enchants, and restores perspective.

Old trees hold quiet wisdom. Still and strong, they grow through storms and seasons, offering a peaceful presence. Like generations before us, we can lay our burdens at their roots.

The trees wait patiently—and welcome you just as you are.

The forest doesn’t judge or demand. It accepts you and gently invites you to pause.

For thousands of years, people across cultures have felt the healing power of nature. Now, science is beginning to understand how it works. Nature doesn't just feel good—it does good.

Proven health and well-being benefits

What happens in your body during nature immersion?
- Stress levels drop, and the parasympathetic nervous system activates—kickstarting recovery
- Heart rate slows, heart rate variability improves, and blood pressure decreases
- Fatigue fades, sleep quality improves, and physical activity feels easier
- The senses sharpen and digestion becomes more active
- Aromatic compounds (monoterpenes) from trees boost mood, reduce inflammation, act as antioxidants, and support immunity
- Clean air refreshes and diversifies your microbiome, lowering the risk of immune-related diseases
- Natural killer cells increase in number and activity, enhancing the body’s defense against illness and even cancer
- Low-grade inflammation decreases, and your pain threshold rises
- Sleep quality improves
What happens in your mind and emotions in nature?
- Deep relaxation and presence in the moment
- Worry and negative thoughts decrease
- Anxiety and tension ease
- Positive emotions, happiness, and optimism grow
- Self-reflection becomes easier
- Resilience (mental flexibility and emotional strength) improves
- Cognitive restoration:
  – Thoughts become clearer
  – Focus returns
  – Learning and memory improve
  – Problem-solving and decision-making get easier
  – Creativity and intuition are enhanced
- A stronger sense of meaning and life satisfaction
- Feelings of pleasure and vitality
- Self-esteem and self-compassion increase
- Time feels more spacious and balanced
- Inner harmony and a sense of being nourished
- Feelings of reverence, awe, and the sacred
- A deep sense of connection—to all that exists
What happens in your relationships and social self?
- It becomes easier to see yourself and others in a positive light
- Willingness to collaborate and help increases
- Listening, empathy, and openness deepen
- Courage and playfulness emerge
- Emotional intelligence becomes more sensitive
- Disruptive behavior decreases
- Feelings of loneliness ease
- A sense of connection and group spirit grows

Reduction in cortisol levels in natural environments

A U.S. study found that levels of the stress hormone cortisol drop most significantly during the first 20–30 minutes spent in a natural environment—by 18.5% per hour. The decrease continued even after that, at a rate of 11.8% per hour. Source: Hunter, M. R., Gillespie, B. W., & Chen, S. Y. P. (2019). Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers. Frontiers in Psychology, 722.

What is Forest Bathing?

Forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a nature-based well-being practice that originated in Japan in the 1980s. Researchers began studying the healing power of nature as an intervention to tackle the rising stress and burnout among urban workers. Today, many countries have adopted it in some form also Finland—the country with most trees per capita in the world.

Guided forest bathing involves slowing down and spending unhurried time in the forest—engaging all the five senses to absorb its therapeutic atmosphere. During an experience, we settle into silence, walk slowly and breathe in the forest air, rich in natural aromatic and microbial compounds that benefit both body and mind.

The session also includes simple sensory awareness, breathing and nature connection exercises (or “invitations”) that gently help you let go of everyday stress and become more present in the moment. With the help of the guided meditations—designed to restore, ground, and uplift—you gradually tune into nature’s frequency and rhythm.

Forest bathing is a unique blend of science and soul: it supports physical and mental recovery, deepens our connection to nature and each other, and opens the doors once again to feelings of joy, clarity, and inner peace. Many describe it as a sense of coming home to oneself.

What is more, nature immersion can increase and deepen our appreciation towards nature and willingness to do what we can for the good of the planet. By participating, you also donate towards protecting forests in Finland.

The forest calls you when you need to pause and recharge.

The forest calls your team when you need a restorative break.

How did it feel to listen?

Did your mind already wander into the woods?

What does SOWL mean?

SOUL – you listen to your inner voice
SLOW – you slow down and pause
OWL – you tune into nature’s quiet wisdom

Together, they form SOWL (pronounced “soul”) .

It’s about allowing yourself to rest, being present, grounding yourself in your body, gaining insights and new perspectives from a state of ease, and appreciating the miracle of life—here and now.

SOWL sessions are ideal for work communities and teams as part of wellness or recreational days. Nature supports mental and physical health, genuine connection, cooperation and creativity.

Each experience is unique, shaped by where you are on your personal path. Afterwards, you may feel:

relaxed
calm
free
peaceful
grateful
renewed
happy

Let the forest bring you back to yourself. You’ll feel the change.

For work teams, SOWL Forest Bathing is a calming, stress-relieving experience that helps participants reconnect with what truly matters. It works well as part of a wellbeing (TYHY/TYKY) day, recreational outing, team day, training session, or meeting programme.

A shared moment in the forest offers a welcome counterbalance to the strain of knowledge work, remote work, and relational work. A reset in nature can also serve as a creativity-boosting “hard drive reboot” before planning and ideation. As someone wise once said: “Movement begins from stillness.”

Get in touch, and let’s discuss and design a tailored experience that suits your team.

With SOWL, you have the permission to let go of…

the rush
the worries
the to-do lists
the pressure
the responsibility
the constant phone checking
the past and the future
the roles and expectations
the need to stay in control and be strong
the feeling of not being enough

– Let go of it all.

Simply be free for a moment.

“Kaisu’s greatest strength is her calm presence and ability to truly be in the moment. She has deep expertise in the well-being effects of nature and a rare talent for guiding people back to the essentials. Kaisu shares her knowledge in a clear and engaging way, and her own strong connection with nature comes through in an empowering, heartfelt way.”

— Elisa, 45, Helsinki

We are committed to operating responsibly for the wellbeing of both nature and people. Our aim is to deepen understanding of planetary health and to promote nature-positive, regenerative tourism. This means that our goal is not merely to minimise harm, but also to actively contribute to the flourishing and restoration of nature. We see ourselves as part of the broader sustainability transition.
We are among the first companies in Finland to be awarded the Finnish Allergy, Skin and Asthma Federation’s Nature Health Label. We hold Visit Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) label, based on the Good Travel Seal audit (valid until 03/2027). We have joined the Glasgow Declaration climate initiative in 2026 to accelerate climate action in tourism.
SOWL is a partner company of Metsähallitus (Finnish Parks & Wildlife Finland) and a member of Green Care Finland, Association of Finnish Nature and Programme Service Entrepreneurs (SULO), the Helsinki Partners tourism network, and Nuuksio Lakeland DMO network.
You can read our sustainability report here.
Our excursions take place in local nature areas across the Helsinki metropolitan region (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kirkkonummi, Vihti, and surrounding areas). In 2025, Helsinki ranked first for the second consecutive year in the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index measuring the sustainability performance of destinations.
To reduce emissions, we recommend travelling to excursion sites by public transport or carpooling. We follow Metsähallitus’ outdoor etiquette guidelines, Finland’s Everyone’s Rights, and a strict leave-no-trace principle. We stay on marked trails and respect wildlife, birds, and other visitors by avoiding unnecessary noise. We use discretion when making fires and always observe forest fire warnings.
The products we use are durable and designed to minimise environmental impact. Any refreshments provided are vegan and, whenever possible, organic, locally produced in Finland, and/or Fair Trade certified.
In our procurement and partnerships, we support other local entrepreneurs, with particular emphasis on women-led businesses. We are committed to preserving the best aspects of Finnish nature and cultural heritage and to deepening our relationship with the forest.
A safety and rescue plan has been prepared for each excursion site. The guide holds up-to-date wilderness and nature guide first aid certification (Ensiaputaito.net, valid until 12/2028) and carries appropriate first aid equipment.
The route can be designed to be easy and accessible (e.g., suitable for wheelchair users). The pace is unhurried, and seating can be arranged for participants as needed. The experience is fully adaptable and can be modified in all aspects. Some locations offer accessible dry toilets, or an accessible indoor restroom is available nearby.
Our excursions are safe spaces, free from all forms of discrimination, and LGBTQIA+ friendly.
Finland’s forests are in crisis—carbon sinks are shrinking, old-growth forests are disappearing, and biodiversity loss is accelerating.
SOWL is taking action by donating 1% of its annual income to Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation to buy forested areas for conservation. The goal is to secure new protected areas in southern Finland, where more conservation is most urgently needed. Our first 2024 donation helped protect an estimated 200 m² of forest.
Join us in protecting Finland’s forests. Learn more and donate here.