Forest Bathing Retreats
We are now welcoming visitors to our 4-day Shinrin Yoku Forest Bathing Retreats in July and September. Details and registration below. Join us!
Your Forest Bathing Retreat guide
Paul Mercs spent his early childhood in the forests surrounding his family’s farm at the foot of Mt Begbie and beside the Columbia River near Revelstoke, BC. After graduating from high school in Kelowna, B.C., he spent several years studying at the University of British Columbia, travelling in Europe, and then building a career promoting some of the biggest musical acts in the world. Along the way he raised a family, attended law school and was called to the bar in British Columbia, while continuing to promote concerts.
In 2015, he purchased a beautiful piece of property in Lund, BC. Finn Bay Farm Retreat is now well on its way to becoming the place Paul envisioned when he first saw the property: a place to share with as many people as possible who share his love of nature and relationship to trees, growing food, to music, and to animals. Those things which have made his life rich beyond measure.
Now being able to offer himself as a Shinrin Yoku guide is a transforming step along the path he follows.
About Finn Bay Farm
Finn Bay Farm Retreat is located in beautiful Lund, BC at the southern approach to Desolation Sound Marine Park. Our inspiring retreat was created and continues to grow as a place to welcome visitors from around the world to a multitude of experiences in a small piece of paradise. This enchanting 13-acre property features two cozy rental cabins with private hot tubs. We are close to the ocean, coastal forest hiking and biking trails, marina and water taxi, restaurants, galleries, boat charters and so much more here on the Sunshine Coast.
TMT Forest Bathing Retreat
> CAD $995 / person *
- Accommodation for 3 nights
- 9 x Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner; Local Vegetarian/Vegan/Seafood
- 4 x Mediative Walks
- 4 x Guided Shinrin Yoku Sessions
- 1 x Reiki Session
- 1 x Introduction on Shinrin Yoku
- 1 x Talk on Nature & People & Places of Lund, BC
- Transportation from/to Powell River ferry/airport
- Free parking
- Access to organic garden
* The details:
- Secure your place by paying deposit of CAD $400
- Limited number of people (max. 7/retreat)
- 100% (minus handling fees) refund of your deposit when you cancel no later than 45 days before the retreat
- Pay the remaining balance within 44 days to 15 days before the retreat
- There will be no refund if you cancel within 14 days of the retreat
Available Dates & Itinerary
July Retreat
July 15 to 18, 2022
- max. 7 people
- arrival before 3 pm
- departure by 2 pm
September Retreat
September 16 to 19, 2022
- max. 7 people
- arrival before 3 pm
- departure by 2 pm
Itinerary
DAY 1
- Arrival and check-in
- Meet-and-greet
- Retreat Orientation
- Community Dinner
- Walk to Divers Rock
- Social gathering
DAY 2
- Meditative Sun Greeting
- Breakfast
- Shinrin Yoku Session
- Community Lunch
- Reiki Session
- Water Session
- Community Dinner
- Under the stars walk
DAY 3
- The mindful morning ritual
- Breakfast
- Shinrin Yoku Session
- Community Lunch
- The 5 senses journey
- Dinner
- Guest Speaker – People & Nature
DAY 4
- Breakfast
- The Mindful Exchange
- Preparation for departure
- Community Lunch
- Departure
Walk with us
Cedars are of great significance to the Coast Salish people. They provided the material for canoes and paddles, for shelter, baskets and clothing and much more. They represent strength and longevity. The 5 cedars form the gateway separating the more active lower level of Finn Bay Farm from the more contemplative upper level, which will be our destination.
Stay with us
Yurt Cottage
The Yurt Cottage has two components; the main living area with full kitchen & bathroom that has a covered entrance leading into the authentic Mongolian yurt. The yurt serves as the Grand bedroom with a queen sized bed and double bunk beds.
The yurt is made with natural materials such as sheep wool for the inner lining and horse & camel hair for the ropes. There is a private deck with hot tub for the use of Yurt Cottage guests.
Blue Jay Cottage
Our Blue Jay Cottage is a bright, airy studio with a queen size bed, sofa bed, and a full kitchen.
The living area features a wood burning fireplace for use in fall and winter.
A private patio is just off the living area and features a hot tub for the exclusive use of our guests.
Woofer Cottage
The Woofer Cottage’s is a stand alone studio cottage with a bedroom/sitting area, a full kitchen and a 3 piece bathroom. At Finn Bay Farm it serves a home to the many woofers from around the world who have visited and worked at Finn Bay Farm. At times it also is home to the host’s family members and other guests who are at Finn Bay Farm for special events. It is nestled into the trees and also has its own private outdoor patio.
The Shinrin Yoku experience & benefits
First and foremost, you will be introduced to the Shinrin Yoku practice (forest bathing) in the number of walks along four trails into the forests of Finn Bay Farm and to the Salish Sea. Your host will invite you to open your 5 senses of – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell to the forest, sea and the day that nature brings us.
Some of these walks will explore the complete range of our senses over their course. While some, will lead to a place to spend some time and mindfully reflect on what the forest at hand brings to us.
These places may be a cedar grove surrounded by trees, or a sunny glade, or a moss-covered bluff with views of the big sky and the Salish Sea.
These walks may also be to the Salish Sea, a short 15-min walk from Finn Bay Farm, where the coastal trees and rocks meet the ocean and where seals, sea lions and even whales at times may make their appearances.
Through all these activities it is our hope that you will take your Shinrin Yoku and Nature Connectedness experience at Finn Bay Farm back to where you live to continue the practise there.
In addition, it is our hope that this retreat will also further develop your relationship to place, a co-existing and intimate relationship with the natural world, critical to humanity’s future on this beautiful place called Earth.
In addition, there will be ceremony welcoming you to this place, and to honour what each guest brings to the retreat, be it burden or expectation. There will also be ceremony around the rising of the sun each day and setting at night. Finally, at the end of the retreat, to acknowledge each individual’s personal transition through the time spent here.
The retreat will also create community within the group as clients will be invited to join together to help prepare the food for the group to eat and in the sharing of 9 meals, in addition to the time spent together on the Sinrin Yoku practice.
There will also be time set aside to join a reiki session in the woods as well as free time to do whatever you feel you want or need to do at the time.
It is our commitment to bring a high level of service to you as guests of this retreat at Finn Bay Farm. Your host has almost 50 years of experience taking care of the needs of some of the highest profile performers in the music business. He is also a Superhost with cottage rentals through Airbnb with a great reputation for taking care of his guests. He will strive to bring the same level of service to you as a guest at a Shinrin Yoku Retreat at Finn Bay Farm.
Finally, as mentioned above, at the end of the retreat we will leave you with a takeaway gift, with our hope it will be a reminder of your Shinrin Yoku experience at Finn Bay Farm, and something for you to call upon to bring you back to your experience here.
You will experience the real benefits of the guided Shinrin Yoku sessions, that form the foundation of this retreat. Through the invitation by your guide to mindfully be there with nature, these can include benefits to sleep quality, mood, ability to focus and reduction of stress.
This retreat will be the ideal opportunity to separate yourself from the work and stresses of daily life by connecting deeply with nature in a beautiful healing setting. A place and time for rejuvenation.
This retreat will create a wonderful sense of community among the participants. This will happen through the shared experience of the Shinrin Yoku sessions as well as through the time spent preparing the foods that guests will enjoy together.
Your host’s belief in this saying will be front and centre at this retreat.
“Laughter is brightest in the place where food is.” – Irish Proverb
This retreat will also include times of ceremony which will bring you together with the other guests for a time of unity and common purpose.
As the retreat concludes, you will receive a gift that we hope will become a touchstone for you to return to and draw upon to re-connect with the experience of this Shinrin Yoku session at Finn Bay Farm