Language of Invitation: Reimagining the Possibilities

Course Description:

Language of Invitation: Reimagining the Possibilities is designed for Forest Therapy Guides who wish to deepen their understanding of how to catch, craft and offer invitations. This course is self-directed, which means you can move through it at whatever speed you like. Included are 4 core modules for you to dream your way through:

Module 1: Understanding Language of Invitation lays the groundwork for the rest of the course. In this module, we revisit the basics that are included in the 6-month ANFT training. This module also identifies the most common misunderstanding amongst guides: the difference between prescription and description.

Module 2: Gathering Seeds: Catching Invitations explains the process of collecting what might be considered the core of an invitation. We call these "seeds." Essentially, seeds are the Simple, Open, Sensory, Infinite essence of an invitation, which can then be crafted into a multitude of invitations.

Module 3: Variations: Watching Your Seed Grow explores 10 different approaches to crafting invitations from seeds:

  • Variation in Action
  • Being-Specific, Class-Specific, Non-Specific Invitations
  • Solo & Collaborative Invitations
  • Single, Dual and Multi-Sensory Invitations
  • Multi-Stage Invitations
  • Story as Scaffolding Invitations
  • Giving the Forest the active role Invitations
  • Play Invitations
  • Imaginal Invitations
  • Props Invitations


In each lesson, you'll receive notes on the approach, examples, video commentary and an assignment to craft an invitation using that approach. By the end of this module, you'll have received over 50 invitations and additionally created at least 10 of your own.

Module 4: Additional Considerations explores an array of supplementary learning including nonverbal communication, considerations in Pleasures of Presence and What's In Motion, Sit Spot Scrolls, adaptations for remote walks and more.

Beyond the self-directed journey through Thinkific, there is also an online learning community through WhatsApp where you and other guides may bring questions, comments and invitations that you're working on for everyone to explore together.

FAQ

  • Is this course self paced?

    Yes, the course is self-paced and there is also an online learning community through WhatsApp to ask questions, share invitations and learn from each other.

  • Do I have to be an ANFT certified guide to take this course?

    The techniques we share in this course are a good way to expand your headroom around invitations. It might be a good idea to have some practice around the basic SOSI framework. If you are certified with a different school and you also work with invitations, this course will be a great addition.

What students are saying

Laura Liska

I've found the content and structure of the course, and the personal interaction with the trainers to be helpful, enriching and fun! The well-organized unfolding of seemingly endless variations for crafting an invitation are delightful to play with myself, often opening new vistas into nature and constantly sparking my creativity for catching fresh and natural invitations in the moment. The monthly gatherings with Manuela, Ben and other course participants are real gems for gently uncovering the questions we all seem to have and discovering creative approaches together. Thank you both for this lovely offering!

Trainers

Ben Page

Ben Page is a Forest Therapy Guide, global advocate for the practice and the author of Healing Trees: A Pocket Guide to Forest Bathing. He is the founder of Shinrin Yoku LA and Integral Forest Bathing and has been guiding Forest Therapy walks since 2015. During his tenure as a trainer and mentor of guides, Ben has trained hundreds of guides around the world. From 2017-2020, he also served as the Director of Training for the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs, specializing in curriculum and pedagogical design and was the main designer of the ANFT Forest Therapy Guide Training on Thinkific. Since his practice began, Ben has been featured in such publications as Women’s Health, USA TODAY, Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and WebMD. Ben is also a co-founder of The Open School, Southern California’s only free democratic school. 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.

Mentor, Trainer

Manuela Siegfried

Manuela Siegfried was born and raised in this beautiful, bio diverse country called Costa Rica. Having a biologist as a father, Manuela experienced contact with nature as an intrinsic part of her life. This passion led her to work as a naturalist tourism guide and in the tourism industry for 15 over years. She came across the concept of Shinrin-Yoku and the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and immediately felt inspired and related to it. Manuela was trained and certified in 2018 and has been guiding very actively since then. As a trainer she has trained and mentored people from all over the world. She served as one of the main trainers for the first bilingual training in Puerto Rico. She has been the main promoter of trainings in Spanish, making this practice accessible to all Spanish-speaking countries. Currently she is the training director for the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Overview: Welcome & Introduction

    • Welcome!

    • How to use this course (Thinkific Tutorial)

    • Course Design & Orientation

    • Learning Community: What's App

    • Introduce Yourself

    • Invitation Library
  • 2

    Module 1: Understanding Language of Invitation

  • 3

    Module 2: Gathering Seeds: Catching Invitations

    • The "Seed" of an Invitation

    • Gathering Seeds With Manuela Siegfried

    • What are you noticing? -A diversity of seeds

    • Dreamspace: Gathering Seeds
  • 4

    Module 3: 10 Variations: Watching Your Seed Grow

    • Intro to Module 4: Seeds and Variations

    • Variation 1: Action

    • Variation 1: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 1 Invitation

    • Variation 2: Being-Specific, Class Specific and Non-Specific

    • Variation 2: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 2 Invitation

    • Variation 3: Solo and Collaborative

    • Variation 3: Solo & Collaborative Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 3 Invitation

    • Variation 4: Single, Dual and Multi-Sensory

    • Variation 4: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 4 Invitation

    • Variation 5: Multi-Stage Invitations

    • Variation 5: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 5 Invitation

    • Variation 6: Storytelling as Scaffolding

    • Variation 6: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 6 Invitation

    • Variation 7: Using Language to Give the Forest an Active Role

    • Variation 7: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 7 Invitation

    • Variation 8: Play

    • Variation 8: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 8 Invitation

    • Variation 9: The Imaginal

    • Variation 9: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 9 Invitation

    • Variation 10: Props

    • Variation 10: Examples, Notes on Facilitation and Awarenesses

    • Share a Variation 10 Invitation
  • 5

    Module 4: Additional Considerations in LOI

    • Intro to Module 5

    • Language of Invitation, Pleasures of Presence & What's In Motion

    • Mini-Invitations

    • Remote Walk Considerations for Language of Invitation

    • Sit Spot Scrolls and Language of Invitation

    • Non-Verbal Language of Invitation

    • Let's talk about 'Beings'
  • 6

    Module 5: Conclusion

    • The Never Ending Journey

    • Course Evaluation

    • Write a testimonial of this course

    • End of Course Harvest