Taketo TsuzukiF r i e n d l y Vo i c e sThe boundary line between myself and the forest melt awayTotally different from your typical forest therapy10Mental Health & Welfare CounselorForest & Wellbeing LaboratoryInnkeeper & Travel ConsultantNicoichi・Yakushima Conciergeimpact of Yakushima’s forests Mihoko Kasugais so The sensory powerful—the moment you enter, it’s like you’ve stepped into a deep, unknown dimension. And in that space, the guidance of Makiko brings you even closer to nature. No one is using their five senses to their fullest capacities in their everyday lives. So when you’re in the forest, the sen-sibilities of your guide—their warmth, their timing, their word choice, their sense of distance and personal space—are key to connecting with your senses and, in turn, with the forest. During Makiko’s retreat, I felt the boundary line between myself and the forest melting away, even down to my deepest core. That’s a reflection of the depth of Makiko’s connection to the forest, isn’t it? She has way of letting people relax and surrender themselves to nature. I work in mental health counselling—the difference between conducting those sessions and exercises indoors versus out- is startling. That’s how powerful the forest is. Makiko has the sense and ability to guide people through that power with ease and grace.The first time I worked with Makiko to organize a retreat was as part of a yoga program for the guests at my inn. When I saw her work up close, I realised that her work was different from others that I had seen. Of course, there were familiar refrains: “Close your eyes…” and “Feel the wind on your skin…”, that kind of thing. And yet… it’s a difference in Makiko herself, I feel. She really feels at home in the forest, at one with the forest, from the bottom of her heart. It’s palpable in how she talks, how she moves. You can just feel it. And when you see how her clients respond—it’s abundantly clear that she’s great at what she does. I’d recommend her sessions to not only anyone who wants to refresh their mind and body on Yakushima, but also to those who want to deeply re-evaluate their lives as well.
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