Join us for Forest Bathing, 11am-1pm, Sunday 14th November within semi-ancient private woodland. We spend two hours in the peaceful grounds of the Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary, Shere. Cost is £25.

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Later this month, 11am-1.30pm, Saturday 27th November, we are offering our first weekend event at Cannon Hill, London SW20. This 2½ hour session costs £35.

 

Many of our sessions are offered at school drop-off friendly timings to enable busy parents to savour some 'me time'. This is our first weekend event in SW20, normally they are weekdays at this time. We can offer a closed session before end of term if we have 4-12 participants, and would be hapy to pay 10% to any organising PTAs or social groups.

 

Our Harmony in Nature woodland sessions deliver the restful yet therapeutic benefit of guided mindfulness sensory activities with fellow nature lovers.

 

To book our 'harmony in nature' therapeutic sessions see https://bit.ly/FBSessions or, to receive our nature connection mailings, email

 

Next month we have winter sessions at Newlands Corner (Saturday 4th) and Horsell Common (Monday 6th, school pick-up friuendly timings of 10.30am-1pm), plus Harry Edwards again on Saturday 11th.

 

Forest Bathing (no swimming involved!) is an evidence based wellbeing activity. As well as boosting the immune system for 2-4 weeks, balancing blood pressure and reducing blood sugars, typically participants feel a reduction in anxiety (and rumination) and a sharp improvement in concentration afterwards.

 

To find out how it differs from a dog walk or stroll in the woods, see our recent Blog https://bit.ly/WhyForestBathe

 

When we have the right clothing and footwear, usually plenty of layers, and a spare, we can happily stay outdoors for hours. Even longer if we take a hot drink and a snack!

We sell Harmony in Nature Vouchers too.

 

Follow us on Social Media

 

   https://www.linkedin.com/company/harmony-in-nature

 

  https://www.instagram.com/harmonyinnatureuk/

 

   https://www.facebook.com/HarmonyInNatureUK 

 

 

WHAT MAY HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF FOREST BATHING?

 

Forest bathing, and in particular Forest Bathing+, which we embrace at Harmony In Nature and through our training at The Forest Bathing Institute, could be considered an amalgam of nature therapy, mindfulness and meditation, as well as its own thing. As such, there are decades of scientific research into what happens when we experience nature, do things mindfully, breathe consciously or follow a guided meditation.

The (mainly) Japanese research into forest bathing has shown that we may potentially experience any or several of the following:

• reduced stress and cortisol levels
• improved heart and circulatory system
• improved digestive and respiratory issues
• reduced anxiety, depression and rumination
• improved decision-making, motivation, creativity
• increase in sense of connection with nature, self and others
• balanced blood sugar
• boosted immune function through increased production of 'Natural Killer'-NK-cells and anti-cancer proteins, lasting 2-4 weeks

Fundamentally, it brings our nervous system back into balance, which regulates our hormones and our nervous system, and resets our mind and body functions. Some participants express experiencing emotions they hadn’t allowed themselves to feel recently, and this felt safe, and it passed. Some say how energised they felt, others how sleepy.

In its simplest form, forest bathing combines the physiological benefits of nature’s presence with the meditative aspects of closely observing without judgement. What we feel as a result is ultimately influenced by what we each need at that point- sleep, energy, creativity, a sense of peace, wonderment. Our minds and bodies will give us what we need, when we allow them space to do so. That’s why we go forest bathing.

Summary of remaining 2021 Forest Bathing+ Sessions with Joanna & Katie
We have Harmony in Nature forest bathing sessions at:

Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary, Shere, 11-1 on Sunday 14th November
Cannon Hill Common, London SW20, 11-1.30 on Saturday 27th November
Newlands Corner, Guildford, Surrey, 10.30-12.30 on Saturday 4th December
Horsell Common, Woking, Surrey, 10.30-1 on Monday 6th December
Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary, Shere, 11-1 on Saturday 11th December

Book any of the above sessions via Harmony Healing Shop

Important News about Newlands Corner
Newlands Corner, our beautiful site in Guildford Surrey, have put up our site rental price so much that we don't know if we will be able to continue working there. So, if you want to join us Newlands Corner, please book in ASAP for one of our pre-Christmas dates as it ls unlikely to feature as a 2022 destination. We will be forced to cancel Newlands events one week before if numbers are low, so please don't leave it to a last minute booking or you stand to be disappointed.   

Blog updates
To receive Forest Bathing updates ONLY,  sign up for the Harmony Healing e-newsletters on the above link and indicate receipt of the Forest Bathing mailings only.

To receive all Blog updates (headed with a title detailing the occasion or event so that you can choose whether to open it or not), featuring New and Full Moon, meteor showers, eclipses and other meteorological events, interesting anniversaries, ancient festival dates plus notification of dates of numerological significance, sign up for the Harmony Healing e-newsletters above or at the top of any page of this Harmony Healing website. The nature of the Blog means that whenever there are several key dates in close succession, there will be frequent mailings. The sender e-mail address is  (and the sender will show as Joanna Bristow-Watkins @ Harmony Healing). You may need to add this email to your safe list and check your junk filter initially.

Our Forest Bathing sessions are run by Harmony In Nature, founded by Joanna Bristow-Watkins and Katie Robinson in 2021.  See Harmony Shop for public session dates and to book
🌳 For monthly Forest Bathing updates, moon dates, seasonal wisdom & celestial highlights: subscribe here.
See September issue here.

Experience how woodland can help your Physical, Mental & Emotional Health.

🌿 Forest Bathing & Nature Therapy with Harmony in Nature

Slow down, breathe deeply, and rediscover your natural rhythm

At Harmony in Nature, we guide calming and rejuvenating Forest Bathing and Nature Therapy sessions in ancient and semi-ancient woodlands across Surrey and South London. These deeply restorative experiences combine mindfulness, meditation, and nature connection—supporting your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Led by experienced guides Joanna Bristow-Watkins and Katie Robinson, both certified by The Forest Bathing Institute, our sessions are suitable for individuals, private groups, charities and corporate teams alike.

🍃 What is Forest Bathing?

Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing means "bathing in the atmosphere of the forest". It invites you to slow your pace and tune into the healing power of trees through your senses.

🌲 Scientifically backed benefits include:
– Reduced stress and anxiety
– Improved immunity and sleep
– Regulates blood pressure and blood sugar
– Enhanced focus, memory, and creativity
– Greater emotional balance and inner peace

We integrate gentle sensory exercises, walking meditations, and nature mindfulness practices—sometimes with a spiritual or seasonal theme—to leave you feeling calm, centred, and deeply nourished.

🌟 What Makes Forest Bathing Different?

Wondering how Forest Bathing differs from a simple dog walk or stroll in the woods?
Discover the mindful depth and subtle power of this practice on our blog:

👉Why Forest Bathe?

🤝 Private, Charity & Corporate Experiences

Looking for a bespoke wellbeing event? We offer tailored Forest Bathing and Nature Therapy sessions for:

🌿 Friends & family groups
🌿 Charities & schools
🌿 Businesses & wellbeing teams

🕒 2–3 hour sessions from £444
📍 Alternative venues can be arranged (subject to suitability)
🗓  Minimum 3 weeks' notice for private group bookings

Corporate Wellbeing Experiences:
See our electronic brochure (pdf).
Tailored sessions available – please enquire.

We’ve collaborated with Mind Woking and other Surrey-based charities on multi-week programmes, receiving excellent feedback and tangible wellbeing outcomes.

🌳 Our Public Sessions

Our regular venue is the beautiful Harry Edwards Foundation near Shere, a healing sanctuary surrounded by semi-ancient woodland. Public sessions are typically 3 hours long (2½ hours in winter), and cost £39.77 per person.

We have guided sessions at Horsell Common, Kew Gardens, RHS Wisley, National Trust and RSPB sites, amongst others.  We can also work at various locations by arrangement.

🕊   Participants are asked to conduct sensory activities in silence to maximise personal and group benefit.
🐾 Sorry, dogs are not permitted (except trained Guide Dogs).
🌦   We run in all weathers—except high winds over 30mph—so come dressed for the elements.

🌿 Meet the Guides

Holding space for deep reconnection — with nature, yourself, and what truly matters

At Harmony in Nature, our Forest Bathing sessions are guided by a small, trusted team of experienced and intuitive facilitators. We blend natural mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and spiritual depth to create meaningful and restorative experiences in woodland settings.

Katie and Joanna were among the first two cohorts to be certified by The Forest Bathing Institute (TFBI). Joanna brings valuable corporate insight from her earlier career as a Managing Director of a travel agency chain and senior industry trainer, adding an informed and relatable perspective for workplace wellbeing. Their combined approach is inclusive, grounded in scientific research, and enriched by years of spiritual and therapeutic practice.

We are also regularly joined by Julli Dunman, a freelance guide and qualified mindfulness teacher, who brings warmth, calm presence, and over three decades of client-facing experience to the team.

✨ Katie Robinson – Nature Educator & Wellness Facilitator

Katie brings a vibrant, earth-loving energy to every session. Her early love of the outdoors was sparked on childhood adventures hiking the Lake District and North Yorkshire Moors. She has since completed two survival skills courses and developed a strong interest in foraging, natural remedies, and self-reliant living. A trained Forest Bathing guide and creative facilitator, Katie is deeply committed to helping others restore their equilibrium through time in nature.

Her sessions are intuitive, grounding, and gently transformative—infused with laughter, warmth, and deep respect for the land. Katie also draws on her knowledge of nutrition, homeopathy, and essential oils to support holistic wellbeing and create balance in modern life. Clients appreciate her ability to hold calm, non-judgemental space and make nature connection accessible for all.

✨ Joanna Bristow-Watkins – Holistic Therapist & Spiritual Mentor

Joanna is a passionate advocate for nature reconnection as a portal to inner peace and soul alignment. Raised with access to ancient Surrey woodlands, she brings a lifetime of personal connection to the natural world, complemented by over two decades of experience as a spiritual mentor and energy healing practitioner.

Founder of Harmony Healing (est. 1999), Joanna developed the Reyad Sekh Em® Egyptian Alchemy Healing system, combining sacred breathwork, vibrational sound, angelic frequencies, and earth wisdom. She offers themed Forest Bathing sessions that integrate these teachings—blending scientific insight with ancient traditions to help others realign with their authentic selves.

Known for her insightful guidance, intuitive depth, and gentle presence, Joanna holds a uniquely sacred container where participants feel seen, supported, and spiritually nourished.

✨ Julli Dunman – Forest Bathing Guide & Mindfulness Teacher

Julli brings a wealth of heart-centred expertise from over 30 years in the travel industry, where she specialised in creating bespoke healing retreats and unforgettable experiences. A qualified mindfulness and meditation teacher, and a certified Forest Bathing guide with TFBI, she offers deeply grounding sessions that help people pause, reset, and rediscover joy in simplicity.

Whether guiding private individuals or corporate groups, Julli fosters a calm and compassionate space where participants feel truly cared for. She encourages them to “dust off” life’s pressures and connect to the present moment—often sparking emotional release, deep insights, and a renewed sense of wellbeing.

A lifelong lover of cultural diversity and human connection, Julli’s intuitive approach combines lived experience with soulful presence. She believes nature is the perfect mirror, helping us remember who we are when the world becomes too loud.

🌍 Learn more about Julli’s work at www.mindfulnessinnature.co.uk

🎧 Hear from Us

🎙 Listen: Our Forest Bathing podcast interview with Brooklands Radio shares insights into the practice and its many benefits.

🎥 Watch: Participant reflections and nature-based conversations are available on our Facebook video page.

📬 Stay Connected: Receive our monthly seasonal summaries, including lunar cycles, Celtic festivals, and Harmony in Nature news, direct to your inbox.
👉 Click here to join our mailing list

🎥 Watch & Explore More

🌲 Forest Bathing & Nature Connection Video
Explore the diverse wellbeing benefits of Forest Bathing and hear about our experiences with green social prescribing and business events on Nadège’s YouTube Channel:

🌐 The Silver Tent TV: Wood Wide Web Discussion
The Silver Tent is a global online community for women aged 50+, encouraging deep sharing, connection and collaboration.
If you meet the criteria, request to join via the Silver Tent Facebook Group Page. Joanna is a long-standing member and has shared insights into Forest Bathing, sacred nature, and spiritual mentoring within this inspiring sisterhood.
Our YouTube discussion delves into the fascinating concept of the Wood Wide Web—how trees communicate underground, what science tells us, and how this inspires our Forest Bathing practice.

 

🌟 Book Your Place

🛒 Browse upcoming sessions in the Harmony Shop
📩 Enquiries for private bookings:  

We look forward to welcoming you beneath the trees 🌳✨

Step Into Serenity: A Guided Forest Bathing Experience
🌿 Feel the gentle shift in the air as you wander through the trees.
🍂 Observe the ever-changing tapestry of colours that each season brings.
🌲 Breathe deeply and savour the rich, earthy aromas of the forest.
This mindful, immersive experience is designed to relax, restore, and rejuvenate, leaving you with a profound sense of well-being.

📢 Booking Within 48 Hours?
Availability is not guaranteed. Please text 07930 414525 before booking. 

Sunday 25th September is National GetOutside Day in the UK, an initiative by Ordnance Survey. 

Embrace GetOutside Day by Savouring the Approach of Autumn
Guest Blog by Katie Robinson, Co-Founder of Harmony in Nature

Blog updates
To receive Forest Bathing updates ONLY, sign up for the Harmony Healing e-newsletters on the above link, indicating receipt of the Forest Bathing mailings only.

To receive all Blog updates (headed with a title detailing the occasion or event so that you can choose whether to open it or not), featuring New and Full Moon, meteor showers, eclipses and other meteorological events, interesting anniversaries, ancient festival dates plus notification of dates of numerological significance, sign up for the Harmony Healing e-newsletters above or at the top of any page of this Harmony Healing website. The nature of the Blog means that whenever there are several key dates in close succession, there will be frequent mailings. The sender e-mail address is  (and the sender will show as Joanna Bristow-Watkins @ Harmony Healing). You may need to add this email to your safe list and check your junk filter initially.

Themed Full Day Workshops with afternoon Forest Bathing, £77

These sessions work well at Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary, Shere, Surrey.

Our other venues are available for private bookings and/or corporate sessions, and some are suitable for themed events as detailed below, please enquire for details. 

Guest Blog by Katie Robinson, Co-Founder of Harmony in Nature, September 2021

‘I walk my dog every day.’

‘I meet my friends weekly for a walk.’

‘I go for a run three times a week; does that count?’

‘I get great benefit from doing my 10,000 steps most days.’

Of course we can continue these positive activities. And, we can enhance our experience when we add something new into our lifestyle.

For example, if our usual supermarket doesn’t stock something new we want to try, do we not even look elsewhere? Of course not; we’ll find out where we can find it. Forest bathing is simply a different way to be out in nature and woodland, with different benefits from these other activities. It’s not an ‘either/or’ scenario.

To answer the title question with another question: Where is your mind when you do these activities?

Is it noticing the details of what is immediately around? Or the mind and body sensations? Personally, my mind would be clocking up the steps, or the landmarks indicating I’m half way, or wondering how far away until my stop at the coffee shop as a reward, or chatting with my friend, or checking the dog hasn’t disappeared. Dogs are very mindful, but owners checking on them cannot be. This is why our walks currently do not include children and dogs. This is total ‘me’ time.

Our minds are wonderful things; always busy and looking for problems to solve to keep active. However, years of this often leads to it being stuck on ‘doing’ and ‘fixing’. With forest bathing, we can leave this behind for a while.

I notice the texture of the many tree barks; I stop to smell the variety of new growth or layers of the soil, noticing how clean it smells and how uplifting that feels; or I allow my attention to be drawn to the many patterns in the tree canopy above. I can use my senses in a directed way that brings out the wonderment in nature I felt as a child; I breathe deeply and appreciate the power and healing we get from a high-oxygen environment; I notice the tiny things.

Forest bathing adds another way to be in nature and has enhanced our lives immeasurably. Giving ourselves 2-3 hours to meander around in woodland is a great act of self care, and a common realisation by participants is that the permission to do this is so valuable.

They realise how little we notice normally, and get great joy and excitement from re-discovering small elements they hadn’t paid attention to in a long time, if ever. Immersing ourselves in all the forest has to offer (hence the ‘bathing’) is eye opening for many. The sights, sounds, smells and feel of the forest, as we each experience it, brings us into the present moment, away from the upset of the past and worry about the future that hasn’t yet happened. We simply ‘are’ and the forest accompanies us, being its beautiful self, just waiting to be noticed, to calm and reset us, and never judging us for the failures we perceive in ourselves.

WHAT MAY HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF FOREST BATHING?

Forest bathing, and in particular Forest Bathing+, which we embrace at Harmony In Nature and through our training at The Forest Bathing Institute, could be considered an amalgam of nature therapy, mindfulness and meditation, as well as its own thing. As such, there are decades of scientific research into what happens when we experience nature, do things mindfully, breathe consciously or follow a guided meditation. The (mainly) Japanese research into forest bathing has shown that we may potentially experience any or several of the following:

• reduced stress and cortisol levels
• improved heart and circulatory system
• improved digestive and respiratory issues
• reduced anxiety, depression and rumination
• improved decision-making, motivation, creativity
• increase in sense of connection with nature, self and others
• balanced blood sugar
• boosted immune function through increased production of 'Natural Killer'-NK-cells and anti-cancer proteins, lasting 2-4 weeks

Fundamentally, it brings our nervous system back into balance, which regulates our hormones and our nervous system, and resets our mind and body functions. Some participants express experiencing emotions they hadn’t allowed themselves to feel recently, and this felt safe, and it passed. Some say how energised they felt, others how sleepy.

In its simplest form, forest bathing combines the physiological benefits of nature’s presence with the meditative aspects of closely observing without judgement. What we feel as a result is ultimately influenced by what we each need at that point- sleep, energy, creativity, a sense of peace, wonderment. Our minds and bodies will give us what we need, when we allow them space to do so. That’s why we go forest bathing.

 Forest Bathing+ Sessions with Joanna & Katie

 See our current sessions listed and/or book atHarmony Healing Shop

Blog updates
To receive Forest Bathing updates ONLY,  sign up for the Harmony Healing e-newsletters on the above link and indicate receipt of the Forest Bathing mailings only.

To receive all Blog updates (headed with a title detailing the occasion or event so that you can choose whether to open it or not), featuring New and Full Moon, meteor showers, eclipses and other meteorological events, interesting anniversaries, ancient festival dates plus notification of dates of numerological significance, sign up for the Harmony Healing e-newsletters above or at the top of any page of this Harmony Healing website. The nature of the Blog means that whenever there are several key dates in close succession, there will be frequent mailings. The sender e-mail address is  (and the sender will show as Joanna Bristow-Watkins @ Harmony Healing). You may need to add this email to your safe list and check your junk filter initially.

🌟 August Celestial Forecast – Portals, Perseids & Power Days 🌟

Significant dates from folklore, lunar and meteorological activities this month in green
Selected Events (Harmony Healing and other events as notified) in black
Timings given are UK time (GMT+1), click here to convert to your time zone

August in Britain brings the long school holidays, a flourish of outdoor festivals, and the final Summer Bank Holiday on Monday 31st August—often accompanied by the traditional downpour! As someone with a birthday in late August, I can vouch for the odds of rain…

The month takes its name from Augustus Caesar, having previously been known under Roman rule as Sextillia (the sixth month). With the Gregorian calendar reform in 1582, January became the year’s opening month. To the Anglo-Saxons, August was Ƿēodmōnaþ, or Weed Month, a nod to the wild profusion of growth.

Spiritually and energetically, August is a treasure trove. Key highlights include:

🌾 1st August – Khemitian (Egyptian) New Year and Lammas/Lughnasadh, marking the first harvest
🦁 8th August – The potent 8:8 Lion’s Gate Portal, an alignment between Earth and Sirius associated with divine wisdom, ancient Egypt, and feline energies
🌠 9th–17th August – The Perseid Meteor Shower, peaking on 11th/12th August
🌑 12th August – Hazel New Moon & Total Solar Eclipse at 18:36 (BST)—ideal for manifestation rituals
🌕 28th August - The Hazel Sturgeon Full Moon & Partial Lunar Eclipse, peaking at 08:55 (BST)
🏛️ Throughout the month: additional Egyptian, Roman, Chinese, Hindu, and Buddhist festivals, offering multiple opportunities for spiritual alignment

✨ To harness these transformative energies, join our 8:8 Lion’s Gate Meditation,order your recording at the Harmony Shop

Saturday 1st August is the Ancient Egyptian New year, traditionally marking the start of the Nile flood, started by the tears of Aset (Isis) over the death of Asar (Osirus). 

The exact correlation of the Egyptian New year to the modern calendar is disputed, but I favour the linking with the heliacal rising of Sirius (dawn visibility of Sirius) as this star, known to the Egyptians as Sopdet (pronounced Soppday) was closely associated with Aset. 

In the Northern Hemisphere, this is also the Pagan Celebration of Lunasa (also known as Lughnasadh & Lammas), the start of the harvest, season of pregnancy, ripening, transformation and peace.

This marks the height of the northern summer, when the Earth is most alive.

Saturday 8th August is The Lion's Gate. 🦁 Coming Soon – 8:8 Lion's Gate Meditation

This year's Lion's Gate Portal has inspired something rather special.

Awakening the Solar Lion Within is a brand-new Harmony Healing guided meditation, weaving together Ancient Egyptian symbolism, Sirius, Sekhmet, Bastet and Harmony Healing's unique eleven-chakra crystal breathing sequence.

Created as a beautifully pre-recorded experience, you'll be able to journey through the Lion's Gate Portal whenever you feel called.

✨ Available from 7th August – don't simply observe the Lion's Gate... awaken it within.

Purchase the recording at the Harmony Shop.

Sunday 9th August – Monday 24th August may be able to see some Perseid meteors. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak.

The shower's peak usually occurs on August 13th (predawn), this year, with New Moon on 12th August, minimal light pollution is likely to enhance viewings over this peak window. However, you may be able to see some meteors any time during the above duration, but most likley between 17th July and 24th August. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. Look to the northeast after midnight. For more, see earthsky.org website, from where the image has been taken UK readers can check out rmg.co.uk (Royal Museums Greenwich). 

Wednesday 12th August/Thursday 13th August (see entry under 9th August).

The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus.

Look to the northeast just before dawn, with New Moon on 12th August, viewing could be excellent, weather permitting. 

See earthsky.org or rmg.co.uk (Royal Museums Greenwich) websites for more.

Wednesday 12th August @ 18:36 (BST) is Hazel New Moon & Total Solar eclipse.

Although the path of totality falls outside the UK, this Total Solar Eclipse marks one of the year's most powerful opportunities for transformation and fresh beginnings. Solar eclipses often accelerate change, revealing new pathways whilst gently encouraging us to release what no longer aligns with our highest good. It is an ideal time to plant heartfelt intentions and embrace the next chapter of your journey with courage and trust. For details, EarthSky.com

The New Moon Abundance Ritual should be carried out within 24 hours after the New Moon. It needs to be after the New Moon because the moon should be waxing (getting bigger again) to carry the manifestation energy. There are video instructions on my You Tube Page.

New Moon is a good time to work on your Vision Board for the rest of 2026. 

Wednesday 12th August is also the Day of the Light of Aset (Isis). On this day Aset (Isis) is celebrated with all forms of light including sun worship, during the day and candles at night. 

Interesting that it is very close to the date of the Roman Festival of Diana (varies 11th-13th August though mostly shown as the 13th), which no doubt was a development from the Egyptian Festival.

Informative Egyptian laminated posters by Jacqui Taliesin El Masry (Alkhemi) are available from this site - see Harmony Shop.

Thursday 13th August, in Roman tradition, is the Festival of Diana, being the date upon which King Servius Tullius dedicated her shrine on the Aventine Hill in Rome in the mid-sixth century BCE.

Diana was the hunting goddess, associated with wild animals and woodlands. She later became a moon goddess, supplanting Luna; and the moon was an emblem of chastity.

Oak groves were especially sacred to her. She was praised in poetry for her strength, athletic grace, purity, distinct beauty, and hunting skill.

Despite her virginal status, Diana was also a Goddess of Fertility.

Thursday 13th August - Sunday 16th August is Obon (also known as Bon); a Buddhist festival to honour dead loved ones. This custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday, during which people return to ancestral family locations and visit and tidy their ancestors' graves.

On this day, the spirits of ancestors are believed to revisit the household altars. Celebrated through the lighting of bonfires, sacred meals, paper lanterns and dancing. More at Japanhighlights.com⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Interestingly, there are some parallels between the Ancient Egyptian Day of the Light and the modern communities in Japan celebrating Obon through lanterns and bonfires thereby bringing balance and wellbeing into their lives. 

Tuesday 18th August is the Egyptian Feast of Wagy. 

Taking place seventeen days after the Egyptian celebrations of New Year's Day, there was the more sombre feast of Wagy, when families paid respect to their ancestors.

They came to the tombs of the deceased, with offerings, performing rituals, specifically "fumigations" - producing fumes - smoke.

The ceremonies were often followed by a funerary meal.

Wednesday 19th August is the Festival of Tehuti (Thoth) marking the occasion on which Tehuti (Thoth) ordered the healing of the eye of Heru (Horus). 

An MP3 Meditation to visit the Akashic Records with Tehuti is available from the MP3 Downloads & CDs section of the Harmony Shop. 

This is a meditation to visit your personal Akashic record (which the Egyptians believed were housed in the Halls of Amenti) to see if hidden blockages to your spiritual growth and wellbeing may be revealed at this time.

The totality of the Akashic records are said to contain and describe all knowledge of human experience as well as the history of the cosmos; so they could be described as the DNA of the Universe.

This meditation was devised for 19th August or 19th September (both being Festivals of Tehuti) would add emphasis, but can be used anytime. mpted from all labour, and were led through the streets adorned with garlands and flowers. Chariot races were held this day in the Circus Maximus, which included an odd race in which chariots were pulled by mules. 

Friday 21st August is the Roman Festival of Consualia, to honour Consus, the god of counsel, and the one who protects the harvest, which was in storage at the time of the festival. 

Mars, as a protector of the harvest, was also honoured on this day, as were the Lares, the household Gods that individual families held sacred. 

During the celebration horses, mules, and assess were exempted from all labour, and were led through the streets adorned with garlands and flowers. Chariot races were held this day in the Circus Maximus, which included an odd race in which chariots were pulled by mules.  

Thursday 27th August is the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival.  This year, the festival was celebrated in some areas on 8th June.

This is the Buddhist Festival of All Souls or the Festival of Hungry Ghosts, when offerings are made until before the next New Moon (Friday 11th September) to spirits who have not yet found rest. 

The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival, takes place on the 15th day of the Ghost Month. (which starts at a New moon), so it naturally co-incides roughly with a Full Moon. 

Friday 28th August @ 05:18 (BST) is Hazel Sturgeon Full Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse. The monthly Full Moon meditation will be pre-recorded this month. Book in at the Harmony Shop. 

Even a partial eclipse offers a wonderful opportunity to pause, reflect and reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world. From the UK, the partial phase begins at approximately 03:33 BST on Friday 28th August, reaching maximum eclipse at around 05:12 BST, with about 93% of the moon covered. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is completely safe to view with the naked eye. More details at timeanddate.com

The period between this date and the next New Moon is considered a good time energetically for detoxing the body.

You can follow, Angela McGerr's self-guided instructions for a Full Moon Angelic Meditation with Gabriel from her A Harmony of Angels Book. Angela's books have been long out of print, but we do have collectibleand signed editions at the Harmony Shop.

 Friday 28th August, this year, is also Raksha Bandhan, the Hindu festival honouring the bond between brothers and sisters, celebrated on the day of the Full Moon in August.  

 Brothers take a vow to protect their sisters, whilst sisters pray for a long long life for their brothers, sealed by tying a thread around their right wrist.

 Though the start of the festival, known as Purnima Tithi begins on 27th August, it extends until 28th August. Based on the tradition of celebrating Raksha Bandhan during the sunrise (Udaya   Tithi), the festival will be observed on Friday, August 28th 2026.See Indian Community website for details.

 Monday 31st August is the Summer Bank Holiday in the UK.  In the United Kingdom, most workers have a day off work or school and the banks are closed. In Scotland,   however, the Bank Holiday is actually on Monday 4th August.

 The Bank Holidays Act of 1871 introduced the August Bank Holiday to give bank clerks and shop people a day of relaxation not connected to holy days such as Christmas.

This has morphed into a three-day weekend before the school summer holidays finish.

If you have children, weather permitting (avoid woodland locations in heavy winds), it's a great day to take them out on a nature trail at a local park, beauty spot, National Trust or woodland location. 

Harmony Healing Blog Celestial Forecast can be emailed to you

The Celestial Forecast is lovingly compiled each month by Joanna Bristow-Watkins of Harmony Healing. The original version is published at Joanna’s Monthly Celestial Forecasts and draws inspiration from a range of reputable sources, notably the Moonwise Calendar and Lia Leendertz’s annual Almanac.

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, it’s worth noting that celestial interpretation is not an exact science, and sources occasionally diverge.

Each month’s Celestial Forecast is typically uploaded to the Harmony Healing website around two weeks in advance and can be accessed via the dropdown menu on the homepage. Subscribers to the main mailing list and CF-specific updates receive early access, a few days before the month begins.

Select extracts from the Celestial Forecast are also featured in Glyden Magick, a vibrant online magazine shared by the Gylden Fellowship – an invaluable resource for the Neo-Pagan community, especially those based in Southern England, where in-person gatherings may resume in the future.

🌿 About Joanna & Her Offerings

Joanna is the founder of Harmony Healing and a practitioner of Reyad Sekh Em® (RSE) – an Egyptian Alchemy Healing system she developed. Through RSE Level 1, she shares the wisdom of the Ancient Egyptians via four powerful online modules:

• Khemitology (Ancient Egyptian teachings from the oral tradition),

• Violet Flame of Amenti

• Mindful Chakra Balancing, and

• Essene Angelology.

The full Reyad Sekh Em® (RSE) Level 1 (£333) is run approximately three times a year and offers a saving compared to booking the individual modules (£111 or £88 each). All Zoom sessions are recorded, allowing students to access the material flexibly, even outside of scheduled course dates.

Joanna also offers 1-2-1 distant healings and readings, many of which can be experienced remotely via MP3 recordings. In addition, she is a certified Forest Bathing guide, running regular Forest Bathing sessions in the Surrey Hills to help participants reconnect with nature and restore inner harmony.

Via the Harmony Shop, Joanna continues to retail the beloved angelology titles and card sets authored by her sister, Angela McGerr. Although many of these are now out-of-print, Joanna offers both unused and gently pre-owned copies where available.

🌟 August Celestial Forecast – Portals, Perseids & Power Days 🌟

Significant dates from folklore, lunar and meteorological activities this month in green
Selected Events (Harmony Healing and other events as notified) in black
Timings given are UK time (GMT+1), click here to convert to your time zone

August in Britain brings the long school holidays, a flourish of outdoor festivals, and the final Summer Bank Holiday on Monday 31st August—often accompanied by the traditional downpour! As someone with a birthday in late August, I can vouch for the odds of rain…

The month takes its name from Augustus Caesar, having previously been known under Roman rule as Sextillia (the sixth month). With the Gregorian calendar reform in 1582, January became the year’s opening month. To the Anglo-Saxons, August was Ƿēodmōnaþ, or Weed Month, a nod to the wild profusion of growth.

Spiritually and energetically, August is a treasure trove. Key highlights include:

🌾 1st August – Khemitian (Egyptian) New Year and Lammas/Lughnasadh, marking the first harvest
🦁 8th August – The potent 8:8 Lion’s Gate Portal, an alignment between Earth and Sirius associated with divine wisdom, ancient Egypt, and feline energies
🌠 9th–17th August – The Perseid Meteor Shower, peaking on 11th/12th August
🌑 12th August – Hazel New Moon & Total Solar Eclipse at 18:36 (BST)—ideal for manifestation rituals
🌕 28th August - The Hazel Sturgeon Full Moon & Partial Lunar Eclipse, peaking at 08:55 (BST)
🏛️ Throughout the month: additional Egyptian, Roman, Chinese, Hindu, and Buddhist festivals, offering multiple opportunities for spiritual alignment

✨ To harness these transformative energies, join our 8:8 Lion’s Gate Meditation, order your recording at the Harmony Shop

See the full Celestial Forecast.

🌳 Private Forest Bathing+ at Cannon Hill Common, SW20

2½-hour private session – £376 (for up to 10 participants)

If public sessions are not currently scheduled, we welcome private group bookings at this tranquil woodland venue—ideal for friends, families, social groups, themed celebrations or tailored corporate wellbeing events.

📅 Please give at least one month’s notice to secure your preferred date.
🕰 Preferred timings: 11am–1.30pm or 12–2.30pm, though alternative slots may be arranged.

Located between Wimbledon Chase, Raynes Park and Morden, Cannon Hill Common (SW20 9DB) offers a hidden green sanctuary in South West London. Launched as one of our Forest Bathing+ venues in August 2021, this location is easily reached by public transport and offers a peaceful yet accessible escape into nature.

📨 Contact us to discuss your ideal session and how we can personalise it to meet your group’s needs.

🌲 Private Forest Bathing+ at Horsell Common, Surrey

2½-hour private session – £376 (for up to 10 participants)

We offer private Forest Bathing+ experiences at beautiful Horsell Common, near Woking in Surrey. This ancient heath and woodland landscape is perfect for small groups seeking calm, clarity and reconnection in nature.

Whether you're organising a wellbeing experience for friends, a team-building event, or a special celebration, we can tailor the session to suit your needs.

📅 Advance booking of at least one month is recommended.
🕰 Preferred timings: 11am–1.30pm or 12–2.30pm (other options may be available upon request).

Nestled close to Woking town centre yet surrounded by peaceful heathland and mature woodland, Horsell Common offers the ideal blend of accessibility and seclusion for a deeply restorative session.

📨 Contact us to arrange a bespoke experience for your group or to explore possible dates.

🌿 Private Forest Bathing at East Sheen Common, London

 2½-hour sessions for up to 5 participants — £188

Although we are not currently running public sessions at this venue, we do welcome private group bookings for up to five people. Perfect for friends, families, or small teams seeking reconnection with nature in a tranquil woodland setting.

📅 Advance notice of at least one month is required.
🕰 Preferred timings: 11am–1.30pm or 12–2.30pm (other times may be available on request).

Our sessions take place at East Sheen Common, SW14 7EL, a leafy green space adjacent to Richmond Park in South West London. The site is well-served by public transport and offers a peaceful pocket of nature within the city.

📨 To enquire about availability, please get in touch and let us know your preferred date and group size.

🌠 The Perseid Meteor Shower – A Celestial Gift of Light & Inspiration 🌠

Peaking 12th–13th August | Best viewed after midnight into the early morning

As the Wheel of the Year turns towards late summer, the heavens offer us one of their most beloved annual displays – the Perseid Meteor Shower, reaching its peak overnight on 12th–13th August 2026.

This year promises particularly favourable viewing conditions, as the peak coincides with the New Moon on 12th August, meaning minimal moonlight to obscure the fainter meteors.  The New Moon on 12th August is also the day of the solar eclipse, making that particular celestial window rather extraordinary. 

The Perseids are active from around 17th July to 24th August, so you may spot meteors throughout this period, with numbers gradually increasing towards the peak. The radiant point for the shower lies in the constellation Perseus. Look towards the northeast after midnight, although meteors can appear anywhere across the sky.

For more, see the diagram right and earthsky.org, from where the image has been taken. UK readers can also check out Royal Museums Greenwich for their Perseid Meteor Shower guide.

Under dark skies and clear conditions, observers could witness up to 150 meteors per hour at the peak, streaking across the heavens like divine brushstrokes of light. Named after the constellation Perseus, this shower has graced our night skies for millennia, associated with ancient myths of heroism, transformation and divine inspiration.

🌌 Spiritual Significance of the Perseids

The Perseids originate from the debris of Comet Swift-Tuttle, which passes Earth approximately every 133 years. Metaphysically, comets and meteors are believed to act as messengers, bearing energetic downloads from the cosmos.

✨ These “falling stars” are not falling at all—but soaring across dimensions, scattering stardust encoded with higher consciousness. They remind us that we are cosmic beings, our soul-path interwoven with galaxies, nebulae and the great cycles of the Universe.

This is an ideal time to set intentions, receive clarity and attune to divine inspiration. Stay open to synchronicities, dreams and heart-based insights that may illuminate your next step.

👼 Meet Zikiel – Angel of Comets & Meteors

To the right is an image of Zikiel, Guardian Angel of Comets and Meteors, from Angela McGerr’s Heart & Soul Angel Cards. This powerful image—depicting the Angel of Inspiration, Inner Wisdom and Oneness With All—is from a signed, out-of-print deck, with a few precious copies still available from our Harmony Shop.

Zikiel reminds us that our soul-path can be traced across the stars. When we meditate with Zikiel, we are invited to journey back to the beginning of time and remember our innate connection to All That Is.

🌟 You can invoke Zikiel to receive intuitive messages “from out of the blue”—pure, unexpected inspiration and creative flow.

🔮 Zikiel Ritual from An Angel For Every Day

If you have a clear quartz crystal, this is the perfect evening to work with it.

🌕 Hold your crystal in both hands. Gaze at the night sky. Silently or aloud, intone:

“Zikiel, Guardian of Celestial Light, align me with inspiration from the stars.”

Then programme your crystal with Zikiel’s name and intention. Keep it with you to help capture any divinely inspired thoughts received overnight. It can also guide your heart in making aligned choices in the coming weeks.

This ritual is adapted from Angela McGerr’s An Angel For Every Day, also out of print but with a few signed copies available via the Harmony Shop.

🌙 Precious Memories Beneath the Stars

One of my most cherished family traditions is lying outdoors with my daughters, swaddled in blankets under the vast canopy of the August sky.

💫 Our first celestial watch took place in the south of France, on a warm summer night, where we lay on a mattress under duvets—three generations of women, heads tilted skyward, tracing the silvery arcs of the Perseids. My sister Fiona had the inspired idea, and it remains one of our most magical shared experiences.

In later years, my daughters would ask each August if we could do it again—loungers out, flasks of hot chocolate in hand, and eyes on the stars. Our garden, despite the glow of Greater London, has blessed us with many a luminous night.

If you can reach a designated dark sky area such as Dartmoor, wrap up warmly, bring thermoses and cushions, and settle in for a couple of hours of enchantment. You'll be rewarded in more ways than you can imagine.

🧘‍♀️ Collective Skywatching as Spiritual Practice

Meteor watching is more than stargazing—it is a ritual of presence, awe and connection. When shared with others, it can foster deep bonding, harmony and a felt sense of unity with the cosmos.

⭐ As you gaze upwards, know that you are joining thousands across the globe doing the same. Together, we weave an invisible web of wonder—a human constellation anchored in love, hope and renewal.

📅 Quick Tips for Viewing

• 🌌 Peak: Overnight 12th–13th August 2026, with excellent viewing also possible around the peak
• 📅 Active: Approximately 17th July–24th August
• ⏰ Best time: After midnight until dawn
• 🌑 Moon phase: New Moon on 12th August creates exceptionally favourable dark skies
• 👀 Where to look: The radiant lies in Perseus in the northeast, although meteors can appear anywhere across the sky
• 📵 Viewing tip: Give your eyes at least 15–20 minutes to adjust to the darkness and avoid looking at phone screens

🛍️ Resources & Links

🛒 Angela McGerr’s signed card sets and books – available while stocks last from the Harmony Shop
📖 Learn more about Zikiel and the other Heart & Soul Angels
🔭 Explore UK viewing information via Royal Museums Greenwich and EarthSky

✨ May this year's Perseids fill your heart with starlight, your mind with inspiration, and your soul with serenity. ✨