A daylong program at the LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton on Friday, Aug. 11, will explore nature as a balm for healing and rejuvenation. Presented in collaboration with the Perfect Earth Project, the day will begin with yoga at 9 with Jason Amis. Meditation with Rameshwar Das will follow at 10, and then walking meditation in the garden with Mr. Amis at 11. Participants will break for lunch in the pavilion at noon.
An afternoon symposium from 1 to 4 will include a talk by Donald Rakow that asks, “You know that spending time in nature makes you feel better, but do you know why?” Dr. Rakow, an associate professor in the horticulture department at Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science, researches how time in nature impacts human health and behavior. He co-wrote the book “Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health” and directs the Nature Rx@Cornell program and co-directs the nationwide Campus Nature Rx Network and the Cornell graduate program in public garden leadership, which he established.
Also speaking that afternoon will be Dorothy Ibes, a faculty member in William and Mary’s environment and sustainability program and founder and director of the Parks and Ecotherapy Research Lab. She co-directs the Nature Rx Network with Dr. Rakow. Dr. Ibes’s talk, “Nurture With Nature,” deals with “applying ecotherapy science to improve health and well-being.” Described as a “human-environment geographer,” she focuses on “promoting mental health and environmental stewardship through nature engagement.”
Afterward, Edwina von Gal, a landscape designer and conservationist who founded the Perfect Earth Project, will join Dr. Rakow and Dr. Ibes to continue the discussion on “the interconnectedness of ecosystems and human well-being.” The day will conclude with a reception at 4.
The cost is $100, with a $20 discount offered for LongHouse members. Registration is on the LongHouse website.