Health & Wellness
YOGA IN THE GARDEN
Instructor: Brie Wakeland
5:30-6:45pm/ Rotunda
$35 per month Arboretum members / $45 per month non–members / $15 Drop-In per day (All fees include Arboretum Admission)
Questions? Please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623
Step into the shady sanctuary of our gardens’ lush foliage and learn to release tension in your mind and body. Yoga has been celebrated for millennia for its ability to improve circulation, build mobility and flexibility, and support physical and psychological balance. Our gentle all-levels Garden Yoga program accesses the Arboretum’s natural tranquility to deepen your body’s capacity to heal and strengthen itself.
Brie Wakeland received her 200 hour yoga instructor certification in Rishikesh, India. She has practiced privately for 16 years and has taught in group settings since 2013. Recently she became certified to also teach children through both Yoga for Youth and Zooga Yoga. Her mission is to help each individual find a yoga practice that works best for them.
TUESDAY
6:00-7:15pm/in the Garden
August 7, 14, 21, 28
September 4, 11, 18, 25
5:30-6:45pm/Rotunda
October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 ($45/$55)
November 6, 13, 20, 27
December 4, 11, 18 ($25/$35; (only 3 classes due to Xmas)
Register Now for September
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THURSDAY
9:30-10:45am/in the Garden
August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 ($45/$55)
September 6, 13, 20, 27
October 4, 11, 18, 25
November 1, 8, 15, 29 (No class on Thanksgiving)
December 6, 13, 20, 27
Register Now for September
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FAMILY BIRD WALK
Katy Mann, Instructor from Pasadena Audubon Society
8-10AM / Rotunda/2nd Saturday
Arboretum and Audubon members free / non-members $5 / children 12 and under admitted for free.
To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623 or pay at the class
Saturday, 9/8
Saturday, 10/13
Saturday, 11/10
Saturday, 12/8
The walks are open to all ages (children must be accompanied by an adult) and all levels of birding knowledge. Bring your binoculars, comfortable walking shoes, and join our experienced birder and naturalist for a fun morning of finding and watching our fine-feathered friends.
Register Now for September
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Register Now for November
Register Now for December
TAI CHI
Instructor: Arnold Chien
$35 per month Arboretum members / $45 per month non–members / $15 Drop-In per day (includes Arboretum Admission)
9:00am – 10:30am / Main Entrance
To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623 or pay at the class
Thursdays
Summer Session One: 7/19, 7/26, 8/09, 8/16
Summer Session Two: 8/23, 8/30, 9/06, 9/13
Fall Session One: 9/20, 9/27, 10/04, 10/11
Fall Session Two: 10/18, 10/25, 11/01, 11/08
Tai Chi is a martial art based on the theory of an ancient classic called “I Ching”. Kinetic Tai Chi is created by Master Chien based on this foundation coupling with contemporary Physics of potential & kinetic energy. The training sessions include striking, throwing & submission techniques. There are 10 levels of form to advance. Combining this advanced physical routine with Tai Chi’s rich thinking, students will benefit lifelong health, achieve mental superiority and enjoy high level combat skills.
Master Chien is the founder of Kinetic Tai Chi and 2014 Kung Fu Master of USC Pacific Asia Museum. In 2013 he became the first instructor to teach Tai Chi at the legendary Gold’s Gym, Arcadia, CA. Chien’s heavy focus on the principle of softness to conquer hardness has helped students to achieve not only the physical limitations, but their mental ones as well, thereby reach the ultimate level of “soft as silk and hard as steel”.
Register Here for Fall Session One
Register Here for Fall Session Two
Forest Bathing
Instructors: Ben Page, Jackie Kuang
8:00am – 10:00am / Main Entrance
$25 Arboretum members / $35 non-members (Includes Arboretum Admission)
Pre-Registration required; To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623
1st & 3rd Saturdays:
September 8 (FB DAY) & 22
October 20
November 3 & 17
December 1 & 15
Slow Down. Awaken your senses. Bear witness to yourself and all beings.
Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, Forest Bathing has been scientifically proven to boost immune strength, reduce stress, and improve cognitive functioning. But beyond these physiological changes, Forest Bathing also offers us the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the natural world. By slowing down and carefully observing with all our senses, we may begin to notice incredible things that may have eluded us for our whole lives. In escaping the rapid pace of our daily routines, we may find unparalleled beauty in the moment and in doing so, relax into the beauty all around us.
On your walk, a certified guide will offer a series of guided invitations to assist you in finding your own authentic way of interacting with the land at the Los Angeles Arboretum. The end of each walk features a tea ceremony where you will enjoy tea made from plants foraged on site and some healthy snacks! There’s no right or wrong way to do it and it’s great for all ages; just come and be yourself. It’s all welcome in the forest.
Ben ‘Crow’ Page is a certified forest bathing guide and trainer, council carrier and alternative educator based in Los Angeles. Ben was trained and certified in forest bathing in 2015, after which he founded Shinrin Yoku LA. Since his practice began, Ben has been featured in such publications as Women’s Health, USA TODAY, Sierra Magazine, Washington Post, and WebMD. Ben is also a mentor and trainer of guides with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, as well as a part time administrator specializing in trainer development and recruitment. He holds a B.A. in religious studies from Carleton College and an M.A. in human development and social change from Pacific Oaks College.
Jackie Kuang is a certified forest bathing guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (ANFT). She has been trained and mentored by Ben Page, founder of Shinrin Yoku LA. She holds an M.A. in American Literature from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Accountancy from Brigham Young University. Being fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese, she is also a highly valued language teacher, translator and business coach. She is on the board of the Chinese Parents Association for the Disabled (CPAD) and actively advocates for her autistic son. She enjoys volunteering for organizations close to her heart, including the LA Arboretum.
Register Now for September 8
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Mindful Garden Meditation
Wednesdays, 9:30am – 11:00am
Instructor: Jean Sudbury
$35 per month Arboretum members / $45 per month non–members / $15 Drop-In per day (includes Arboretum Admission)
To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623 or pay at the class
Meet outside the Main Entrance
September 5, 12, 19, 26
October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 ($45/$55; 5 classes in the month)
November 7, 14, 21, 28
December 5, 12, 19, 26
Mindful meditation is a skill which helps a person find that union of the body, mind and spirit, which is the center of being. Mindful meditation further opens the 5 senses and brings one closer to the practice of self-healing and general wellness. The conscious act of noticing and relishing the sounds, sights and scents of the garden helps one attain the bliss of mindful meditation. Strolling together through the garden can help each individual find a path to inner strength and wellness. This is an active mindful meditation class; comfortable clothes and walking shoes are recommended.
Jean Sudbury has worked for years applying these techniques to foster mental well-being; she draws heavily on her experience as a restorative yoga & meditation teacher at the Arcadia Community Center. She is a privately trained yoga teacher who uses mindful meditation in her daily life.
Register Now for September
Register Now for October
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International Forest Bathing Day
September 8, 2018
Whether feeling trapped in Los Angeles traffic or inundated with information on the Internet, the modern age has produced a growing sense of discontentment. Our new Forest Bathing program coaxes its participants to slow down, take a few steps back from the stresses of urban life, and simply absorb the calm of the forest. “Immerse yourself amongst the trees, and leave mind, body, and soul at ease.”
Founder of the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy (ANFT), and author of “Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature”, Amos Clifford joins the Arboretum for a special presentation on none other than International Forest Bathing Day! Amos will give an introduction on what forest bathing is, delve into what makes this practice an invaluable wellness program for the modern age, and introduce specific techniques and resources to help you get started with your own practice. The presentation will culminate with an audience Q&A followed by a book signing.
Schedule
Forest Bathing Walks: 8:00am – 10:00am
Amos Special Presentation: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Amos Book Signing: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Special Presentation Fee: $5 Arboretum Members / $10 Non-members
Register Here
Plant Immersions
Saturday, November 3
10:00am – 12:00pm
Instructor: Irena Stathis
$25 Arboretum members / $35 non-members (Includes Arboretum Admission)
To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623 or pay at the class
Plants hold within them a kind of intelligence that is directly connected to the Sun and the Earth and all that touches our human lives. Historically people have always had a relationship with the plants that goes beyond simply using them for food, medicine and resources. We can recognize this ancestral knowledge through our senses, for example upon smelling a plant specific memories, sensations in the body, feelings and even new ideas may appear. As we begin to understand how humans have evolved along side plants, we can open to the possibility of a new way of relating to them.
In this class, we will focus on a single plant or group of related plants. We will sit with the plants and learn about their healing properties and folkloric history. Participants will get to know the plants through direct experience by touch, taste, smell, observation and intuition. There will also be several forms of extracts of the plant to sample. Everyone goes home with a fresh cutting and tools to cultivate a deeper relationship to the plants as healers.
Irena Cora Stathis is a Certified Herbalist, wildcrafter, gardener and medicine maker. In 2010 she founded a small-batch Apothecary, Abalone Herbals (www.facebook.com/abaloneherbals @abalonerherbals), where she handcrafts botanical beauty products, hydrosols, herbal teas, extracts, essences and balms. As a native Californian, Irena primarily focuses on the indigenous and naturalized plants of her local terroir and others that are well cultivated in our Southern California Mediterranean climate. She has been studying the art of Herbal Medicine since 2005; her teachers include Candis Cantin, Matthew Wood, David Hoffman and Nunutsi Sage Otterson.
When she is not tending her gardens, distilling or crafting in the Apothecary she can be found teaching classes or exploring the local mountains. She specializes in women’s health, self-care, natural beauty and preventative wellness drawing from a diverse background of indigenous American traditions, Western Herbalism, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Through her work with the herbs she seeks to understand ever more the nature and relationship of plants as medicines, healers, and wisdom keepers and how this ‘plant-knowledge’ deepens and enlivens humanity and its environs.