The robin is an iconic bird in Britain and a symbol of Christmas, often seen on cards and festive decorations during this season. This tradition began in the Victorian era when postmen, known as robins due to their red waistcoats, delivered Christmas cards. The birds then began to appear on the cards as a representation of these postmen. The robin is easily recognised by its redbreast, although its breast is actually orange. The colour orange wasn't acknowledged until the 150

Spirit is the inner world - a quiet flame, a breath that remembers before memory and the luminous hush beneath all thought. It is the part of us that listens to what cannot be spoken and still understands. Nature is the outer world - the vast breathing body in which we live. Trees heal like old prayers, rivers wander like questions, and the wind carries stories older than human language. Every stone and leaf is a word in a scripture written by existence itself. And the human

After making my last Christmas wreath of the year, the forest was calling. It had been a while since I had been able to get out into the forest on my own, and it welcomed me with open boughs. The sky was a mixture of bright blue and heavy shower clouds. Starting my walk dressed for every weather, the colours and textures sparkled in the magnified raindrops. Ancient trees twist and entwine, out of the bronzed bracken, cloaked in moss, and lean towards the light. A song thrush

December can be a stressful time and financial burden for a lot of people, so make sure you take some time to breathe. Wrap up warm and have a walk in nature, the trees are spectacular this time of year when they stand naked again the elements. You can see the true structure and every story they tell with scars, burrs and etchings. We are entering a period of 'wintering' when our bodies begin to crave stillness by the fire, yet we find ourselves in overdrive with Christmas pa

For a lot of us Christmas can be a financial burden and but you can save money by making some very simple homemade gifts, and often much more appreciated knowing your love and thought has been put into it. Personally, I love a homemade gift. Find some ideas that I make below.

We have enjoyed some lovely walks during November in the golden sunlight. This is one of my favourite times of year in the New Forest as everything is glorious in the 'letting go', and it looks like the sun is going to shine on Sammie and me for our last walk of the month, I will be hosting in collaboration with the Hedgerow Yogi, Sammie Longhorn. We will be taking a walk at Breamore, to the Mizmaze, and sharing our passion for what the land offers, from medicinal plants, wil

It seems I forgot to add the audio to the previous post - The difference between soul and spirit. Apologies, and here is a link to the post, with the audio. https://www.newforestnatureandnurture.com/post/the-difference-between-soul-and-spirit

To be a well-balanced human, we need to nourish our mind, body, spirit, and soul. Puzzles and learning feed the mind, exercise and diet nourish the body, creativity and curiosity satisfy the soul, but to allow all these things to consolidate, we need stillness in our spirit. It's when we start to understand that we are running these different systems in our human that we start to see what part is lacking attention, and we can quickly realign and move forward in our happy, hea

On certain days, the draw of nature is so powerful that ignoring it becomes uncomfortable and distracting. Today was one of those days. Not to rush through the woodland covering ground, but the call back to home. Back to melting into the landscape. Back to the comforting hug of the trees and warm sunshine on your face. Sitting in a sun-drenched clearing in the bright November sun, the golden leaves from the ancient boughs gently and silently fell, and in my stillness I could

Bracken is a very ancient plant with fossil records showing it existed 55 million years ago. Although beautiful particularly this time of year as it changes colour, bracken poses a significant problem as it rapidly spreads through spores and underground rhizomes. It overshadows other plants and can damage archaeological sites beneath the soil. It becomes a major problem as it encroaches on heathlands, altering habitats and outcompeting rare and specialised plants. The New For

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟, 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? My response is how can it not? When we walk in nature and feel safe in the company we are keeping questions will naturally arise. These questions may be from a space of fear, or searching for a deeper knowing, but its irrelevant, because we can always relate the answer to your

This year has gifted us with an abundance of fruit and nuts, so why not head out to your local woodland and forage some sweet chestnuts to make this yummy, nutty and warming soup.

After hosting the 'living from your heartspace' workshop yesterday, I thought i'd share an example that I think at sometime we have all experienced. As an intuitive healer and workshop facilitator, I think folk have an impression that I can rise above any unreasonable and unexpected behaviour, but the purpose of my work is not to become enlightened, but to be a better human. My human still suffers pain from peoples words and disregard for honesty and integrity. Although, once

In November, the final drifts occur, the deer are exhausted from the rutting season, and the remaining leaves drop from the trees. Winter migrant birds, including redwings and fieldfares in the woodlands and brent geese, widgeon, and teal along the coast, begin to arrive. When you're near the coast, keep an eye on both the skies and the water, as merlins and marsh harriers will also be arriving to patrol the regions.

With Samhain approaching, it was nourishing to be alone in the golden sunlight among the trees, reflecting on my accomplishments this year and what has naturally come to an end. Surrounded by the breath-taking landscape of ancient trees, I couldn't help but feel inspired for future endeavours.The blue sky shining through the golden leaves and the gentle, warm breeze on my face filled me with optimism as I let my senses absorb my surroundings. The sweet scent of pine, the soun

Samhain (pronounced Sow-win) is a Celtic Pagan celebration, to welcome the last of the harvest and to embrace the dark half of the year. It is celebrated halfway between the autumn and winter equinox. Being in the fields all day bringing in the last of the harvest, the home hearth fires would be left to burn out. Samhain celebrations would start at night fall with a community fire, bringing villagers and farmers together to celebrate. They would all take a flame from the fire

October feels like one of those months that passes in the blink of an eye! Nonetheless, it has been a stunning month filled with autumnal hues and golden sunlight. We've enjoyed some beautiful walks, from the full moonlit stroll at Blackwater to listening to the rutting red deer at Queens Bower on the membership guided walks. We also greeted some new faces (and paws) on the Burley Hillfort walk. Photo by Roz Tucker To join me for a walk take a look at the events page to see

We are fully immersed in the beauty of autumn now, and as you enjoy the vibrant colours, scents, and sounds, remember the energy of autumn within us as well. This season is a time for reflecting on what you're ready to release. You might find yourself organising the house, often attributed to making space for a log basket or tidying up the spare room for storing Christmas gifts and wrapping paper. However, this is a natural instinct to tidy our 'nests' and remove what we no l

The oak tree is often referred to as the king of the forest, standing majestically among other woodland trees with its ancient wisdom. In the New Forest, the most prevalent oaks are the English Oak, the Sessile Oak, and the Turkey Oak, although the Turkey Oak was introduced as an non-native tree and is removed by Forestry England when possible. The simplest way to distinguish between the English oak and the Sessile oak is by their acorns. English oak acorns grow on individual

Mental health is very much in the media, and with it being world mental health day it is high-lightened even more. As a therapist, I...