Join us for our next Woodland Queers Session at North Wood and Dechmont Woods in Livingston!
We are going to have a wander around exploring the woods and Nina from The Safe Space will facilitate some breathwork and somatic practices.
We have hired a bus to take us there so pick up will be from Bristo Square, Edinburgh (exact location will be sent out ahead of the event). We have a tight schedule so we ask that you get to Bristo Square by 10:50am to sign in and we will leave at 11am sharp, drop off will be at 3pm. Space is limited so registration is required!
The steps onto the bus are low and if you are a wheelchair user please also contact us directly because the bus company requires that we let them know in advance.
You can also register to meet us there and we will directly contact these folks with the relevant meeting location and time.
For the event we'll spend time in the woodlands, slowing down, breathing, moving, and reconnecting — with ourselves, with nature, and with a sense of safety in our bodies.
This session is about coming home to yourself through nature.
What we’ll do
- Gentle guided breathwork to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety
- Somatic exercises to release tension and help you feel grounded and present
- Nature-based practices to help you orient yourself in the environment and feel supported by the land
- Simple ways to connect and “listen” to nature, using your senses and breath
- Learn how to use breathwork while walking, standing, or moving in nature
- Practical exercises you can take away and use anytime you’re outdoors
What you’ll gain
- A deeper sense of peace, grounding, and safety
- Tools to calm anxiety and overwhelm
- A felt understanding of how nature + breathwork activate your inner pharmacy — soothing stress hormones while boosting feel-good chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins
- Confidence to use nature as a resource for regulation, rest, and resilience
We’ll also talk about why being in nature is so powerful for mental health, emotional regulation, and overall wellbeing — and how even small moments outdoors can make a big difference.
This space is:
Queer-affirming
Gentle and accessible
Non-spiritual, practical, and body-based
About connection, not performance
No previous experience with breathwork or somatic practices is needed — just curiosity and comfortable clothing for being outdoors.
Come as you are. Breathe. Move. Ground. Belong.
If you have any accessibility needs, please get in touch.
More information about North Wood can be found at https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/north-wood/
Please wear weather appropriate clothing and footwear, and bring a drink and lunch, there are no on site facilities.
We hope to see you there!