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Permission to let go.

FOREST BATHING EXPERIENCES IN THE HELSINKI REGION

Metsäkylpyohjaaja Kaisu Maijala on luontohyvinvoinnin asiantuntija

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.

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

I'm Kaisu Maijala – M.Sc., wilderness guide, forest bathing instructor, and nature well-being expert. I’ll guide you into the woods to reconnect with nature and yourself. To return to peace, joy, presence, and meaning.

Join a guided Forest Bathing session and start your reset.

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.

Nature’s researched health and well-being benefits include:

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

*Arvonen, S. (2014). Metsämieli. Luonnollinen menetelmä mielentaitoihin. 2. painos. Metsäkustannus Oy.

*Leppänen, M., Pajunen, A. (2017). Terveysmetsä. Tunnista ja koe elvyttävä luonto. Gummerus Kustannus Oy, Helsinki.

*Leppänen, M., Pajunen, A. (2019). Suomalainen metsäkylpy. Gummerus Kustannus Oy, Helsinki.

*Qing, Li (2018). Forest Bathing. The Japanese art and science of shinrin-yoku. How trees can help you find health and happiness. 7th printing. Viking, New York.

*https://www.allergia.fi/jarjesto/tutkimus/luontoterveys/tietoa-luontoterveydesta/

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.

Aurinko paistaa metsässä sammalmättäille

Discover the excursions

How did it feel to listen? Did your mind already wander into the forest?

What is SOWL?

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.

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, 43, Helsinki

SOWL operates responsibly—protecting both nature and human well-being.
SOWL is an official partner of Metsähallitus (Finnish Forest Administration). All walks follow Metsähallitus’ outdoor etiquette and zero-waste principles.
Products used during the walks are durable and chosen with minimal environmental impact in mind. Excursions take place in nearby nature destinations in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Each walk is backed by a safety and rescue plan. The guide holds a valid first aid certification (NOLS Wilderness First Aid, 04/2024) and carries a first aid kit.
All SOWL walks are discrimination-free zones—welcoming and safe for everyone.
To reduce emissions, we recommend arriving by bike, public transport, or shared rides whenever possible.
We support local livelihoods and entrepreneurs through our purchases and partnerships.
SOWL holds a Good Travel Seal sustainability certificate (2025) and is on the Visit Finland Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) certification path.
We are a member of the Helsingin Tekijät network and a Sustainable Development Network Partner of Visit Espoo.
The state of Finland’s forests is alarming—due to shrinking carbon sinks, the scarcity of old-growth natural forests, and accelerating biodiversity loss.
SOWL donates 1% of its income to the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation’s “Suomen Metsä” (Forest of Finland) campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise funds to establish a new protected forest area in southern Finland—primarily in Uusimaa, where conservation is most urgently needed and least represented.
Read more about the project and donate here:
https://luonnonperintosaatio.fi/kampanjat/suomen-metsa/