ANFT Founder and CEO Amos Clifford interviewed Hawaiʻi’s first Forest Therapy guide Phyllis Look on the occasion of her Forest Bathing 300th guided walk in Hawaiʻi’. She shares her trajectory, her experiences, lessons learned and brings inspiration to other guides. See the full interview below:
1. What inspired you to become a forest therapy guide?
Phyllis introducing What’s in Motion. Photo by Olena Heu
It was around 2017, and popping up in my “feed” were articles sent by friends and Facebook (darn those algorithms!) about this thing called shinrin-yoku. “Hey, this sounds like you,” my friends chirped. And they were right. With retirement from my “day job” on the horizon, I had been quietly searching for that Third Act career. I knew I wanted something that would keep me physically fit, socially engaged, and making a difference. Guiding people on slow walks in nature to support their wellbeing and the health of the planet fit the bill.
Time, however, has revealed a less “reasoned” explanation for what drew me to this work. Amos calls it “Earth Dreaming”. For me, it was as if some small voice from the depths of my childhood had nudged me towards becoming a guide in nature. It was only recently that it dawned on me that there is a direct line between what I do now and the “immersions” in the tall grass of the nearby empty lot into which I corralled the other neighborhood kids and my younger siblings…circa 1964. It seems the inspiration all along was that it indeed sounded like Me.
“What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes? Herein lies the key to your earthly pursuits.” – C.G. Jung
2. Every guide finds their own way of leading walks. What do you think defines your way?
Lyon Arboretum, Mānoa Valley, Honolulu, where Phyllis primarily guides.
Photo by: John Kalani Zak.
I was born, raised, and currently guide on the island of Oʻahu, in an archipelago in the middle of the Pacific, said to be the most isolated population center in the world. My way as a guide is influenced in large part by this fact. I’m a product of this place of abundance and generosity, and grew up with the traditional Hawaiian values of hoʻokipa (hospitality) and aloha (love, caring, compassion) as just the way one does things. Like the unique evolution of the many biological species found here, I’ve also learned to be self-reliant, to develop through trial and error a voice/style and sustainable business model that works for me.
From one of Phyllis’ remotely guided walks.
Participants have called me “intuitive” and my walks “poetic.” My years in the arts and communications certainly color my language, perceptions, and presentation.
The five-year-old “guide” giving back to a tree.
There was also an experience early in my guiding career that, for me, captured the essence of forest bathing. I had been retained by a family from Japan for a private walk. The five-year-old daughter, who spoke no English (and I speak no Japanese), led us, almost wordlessly, through the arboretum’s forest for a morning of joyful exploration. We just played. I rarely achieve invitations quite that simple, but I carry the epiphany of that day with me and hope to always be like that child-guide.
3. Who comes on your walks?
What are the trees saying? Write their word(s) with what you find in the forest. These two middle-schoolers, influenced by the fires in the Amazon rain forest then in the news, wrote “Help!,” then struck warrior poses for the camera.
My participants are an even mix of residents and visitors to Hawaiʻi. Ages have ranged from 3 to 85-years-old. Visitors have come from across the U.S. and Canada, from Europe, Asia, even Iceland and Saudi Arabia. I’ve guided walks for caregivers, business and nonprofit organizations, tech nomads, healthcare professionals, and those from many other walks of life.
A CEO of a local media company told me that because of my background in the business world, I’m seen as a trustworthy and non-threatening figure to lead her colleagues into territory that might otherwise be perceived as “woo-woo.” I find that my senior status, my ethnicity, and my persona also help participants – especially those who might not normally be drawn to this kind of activity — feel safe.
As my business has grown, I find that I’m receiving more and more requests for private events. Often those are initiated by individuals who had previously walked with me and now want to share the experience with their work, school, or family group. Sometimes these inquiries come from “out of the blue” – or through the vast, invisible network of connections that we’re all part of. Often the private walks are customized experiences, which give me occasion to be creative.
4. What have your participants shared about the benefits or highlights of their experience?
Iʻm sure Iʻm hearing the same kinds of post-walk comments guides around the world have also received from their participants. About how novel and transformative it was to be given permission to slow down. About how much calmer they feel and how they need to do this more often to relieve the stress of their busy lives. About just how precious it was, especially in pandemic times, to commune with others, even if only virtually (on remotely guided walks).
I am also uniquely situated in a tourist destination, one specifically known for its healing ambiance. So forest bathing in Hawaiʻi is squarely situated in the visitorʻs plans and expectations for their vacation. Some choose to go to the forest on their first (or last) day here to mark the beginning (or end) of their investment in self-care:
“The memories will stay with us forever and we didn’t even pull out our phone to take a photo a single time. It was peaceful, soul-filling, and the perfect way to end our vacation feeling refreshed and recharged.”
I’m always heartened to read of perhaps more lasting effects,
“It’s only been a few days and I’m still thinking about my purpose. This was therapy that I have needed for a very long time.”