About
Who
When I first came to St. Marys, GA, in 2007, I knew it was the perfect place to play Tai Chi and Qigong. With its wide river and lush marshes, St. Marys offers a perfect backdrop to playing in Nature. While this ancient exercise was virtually unknown back then, today I can count numerous Tai Chi players—from the Golden Isles to the First Coast.
In 2018, recognizing the importance of a healthy Natural world and its connection to Tai Chi, I obtained my certification as a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. As a result, I can guide you in the practice of Tai Chi principles (slow down, relax, focus, etc.) while bathing in the atmosphere of the Forest/Nature.
Where
St. Marys, in Camden County Georgia, rests along the St. Marys River, which is the eastern border between Georgia and Florida. The town is the gateway to Cumberland National Seashore Park and the home of Crooked River State Park. This area, with its many rivers, pine forests, and lush marshes, provides a perfect background for learning, teaching, and playing the nature based arts of Tai Chi/Qigong.
Why
Tai chi is often described as meditation in motion, but it might well be called medication in motion (as) there is growing evidence that this mind-body practice has value in treating or preventing many health problems.
(Harvard Medical Health Publication, 05/09)
Forest Bathing works best as a form of prevention and a way to retain a healthy mind and body. It is not a replacement for medical advice or counselling for those who are seriously ill. However under a trained therapist, Forest therapy can be an important part of their treatment as well as recovery. Many people keep coming back after one time “exposure” (Iwasaki, 2019).