By Caroline Tam,
Born and raised in the bustling city of Hong Kong, 42-year-old Chan Yiu-sun knows better than anyone how difficult it can be to find the time and space to slow down.
But following a bout of depression and an inspiring encounter with a friend, Chan became determined to change that. In May 2020, he founded Moments In Woods, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to providing forest therapy to people from all walks of life.
Chan first learned about forest therapy while visiting a friend in New Zealand in 2018. It stems from the Japanese term "shinrin-yoku," which translates to forest bathing, and refers to the therapeutic practice of immersing oneself in nature to enhance mental well-being.
The friend, a climate activist, was training to become a forest therapy guide and came to realize that the simple practice of inviting people to appreciate nature was more impactful than any advocacy work she had done in the past.
"She spent over 10 years trying to change the world but realized that forest bathing can really change the relationship between humans and nature," Chan said. "That was a really unforgettable conversation."
Chan also recalled experiencing firsthand how healing that can be found through forest therapy after going through a painful breakup that led him to seek solace in nature.
"I visited parks and gardens quite a lot because I had nothing to do," he said. "Over time, my mental health improved."
Previously, Chan worked in international and local poverty alleviation organizations for six years after completing a master's degree in development studies in Britain. However, he became inspired to follow in his friend's footsteps following their encounter.
He attended a six-month training course in Britain and eventually became a certified guide under the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy in early 2020.
As the founder and only guide for Moments In Woods, Chan hosts group walks that range from HK$200 ($25) to $400 per person depending on the duration, number of people, location and whether special arrangements are required.
The services are offered to the public, as well as private enterprises and other NGOs, and are tailored to suit their participants, he said.
"For example, for the elderly, we will choose some flat areas in nature," he explained. "We will arrange time and space for them to sit down or even lie on grass so that they really don't have to move a lot. It's based on their ability."
Chan has also hosted walks for youth groups and disabled people and hopes to reach more marginalized groups. He said he plans to seek funding in the future to offer discounts for low-income and marginalized communities.
One of the biggest challenges Chan faced was location scouting in Hong Kong's urban jungle to find areas in nature that are biologically diverse but also easy to access.
He has since identified several places mainly located in New Territories, a region of wetlands, parks and mountains north of the Kowloon Peninsula, such as Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Tai Po Kau and Sai Kung, where he often holds therapy sessions.
While the practice is called forest therapy, Chan explained that he simply acts as a gateway between participants and nature, rather than as a therapist himself.
"We have an important saying in our practice: The forest is the therapist. The guide opens the doors," he said. "We create a very open and welcoming atmosphere for people to experience (nature)."
He stressed that there is no right or wrong during forest therapy sessions. Rather than giving instructions, he instead encourages participants to treat his words as an invitation that they can interpret and respond to freely, or even ignore altogether.
"We believe that everyone has their own way to connect to nature -- there's no one way to interact with nature," he said, recalling an encounter with a naysayer who called the exercises "meaningless" but eventually ended up finding her own way to enjoy the experience.
More recently, Chan was invited to host a session with a group of retired elderly men, something he felt apprehensive about as he was unsure whether they would be willing to open up.
To his surprise, everyone was very involved in the process and spoke openly about their feelings. Chan recalled a 90-year-old participant who took such a liking to a small stone he found in a river that he held it tightly for the next two hours.
Another recently retired participant picked up a changing leaf and compared it to the changes in his life, pointing out a butterfly-like pattern on the leaf to show that he could have a beautiful life even after retirement.
"These tiny little things, to me, are all the beauty of forest therapy," Chan said.
After hosting over 200 walks and meeting countless people over the past three years, Chan has come to realize just how important it can be to stop and smell the flowers.
"I met so many participants who say 'My work is so busy,' 'I'm so tense,' 'I can't sleep,'" he said -- something he is sad to hear but which also empowers him to continue helping others through his work.
Ultimately, Chan wants to make it known that forest therapy is accessible to anyone, even if they do not have the time to venture out into an actual forest. One simply has to look around them.
"There is nature around us every day," Chan said. "You can go to the park or a garden. There are trees even in the busiest areas in Hong Kong...just take a 10-minute break per day and you can experience the power of nature."
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