October 7, 2026
Online at 6 – 7pm ET
With the Rev. Ann Evans and Fru Molnar
Hosted by the Garrison Institute
What does it mean to treat the forest itself as sacred? In Shinto, a traditional Japanese religion, the natural world is alive with kami (the spiritual beings of the universe), nature is scripture, and shrines can be found in sacred groves of trees. Join us for a virtual conversation with Rev. Ann Evans, Guji (High Priest) of the Shin Mei Spiritual Centre and a certified ANFT Forest Therapy Guide, as she explores the contemplative heart of Shinto: its acknowledgement of the sacredness of all creation.
Rev. Evans will share how these ancient teachings inform her work as a forest bathing guide, and how shinrin-yoku (the practice of forest bathing) offers a structured, sensory path into the same qualities of stillness and connection that Shinto cultivates through ritual. We’ll discuss what it means to let the forest itself be the therapist, how contemplative traditions and modern nature-connection practices intersect, and what this convergence might offer those seeking a deeper relationship with the more-than-human world.