Singing the Forest: Walking as Research Practice

Our free public forest bathing event, Singing the Forest, drew 34 people out to the Smith and Bybee Wetlands on July 27 for an afternoon of shared movement, breath, and song!

​Led by Onry and Liam Whitworth, this 90-minute wellness walk brought together LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians, along with friends and allies, to explore one of the largest urban freshwater wetlands in the country. Shawon Shorter led a yoga class before our walk. Then our group walked in the wetlands, noticing the landscape’s textures, scents, and shifting light. Guided breath work helped everyone arrive fully in the moment before moving into a sensory meditation. As the walk continued, participants learned simple vocal warmups inspired by the calls of birds overhead, the movement of the wind through tall grass, and the gentle rhythm of the water. People who had never met sang together with less and less self-consciousness, listening and blending their voices into something larger than themselves. By the end, there was a shared feeling of connection not just with one another, but with the trees, plants, and sounds of the wetland creatures.

Attendees left with smiles, a deeper relationship to our public land and commons, and a reminder of the joy that comes from gathering in nature to share breath, movement, and song. This event was made possible with Metro funds as part of their Parks and Nature Community-led Programs.