Monika Laner Nature Soul
Nature connection
Monika Laner
Certified hiking guide South Tyrol
Certified expert in alpine forest bathing
Forest and wildlife educator
Mindfulness trainer
Mindful wine tour guide
Rooted in alpine shamanism
Based in Merano/Italy
Book your nature experience
Mountain retreat Spronser Lakes
On a three-day mountain tour, we will intensively engage with shell stones and prehistoric cult sites around the Spronser Lakes in the Merano region. Day 1: Ascent to the Pfitscher Jöchl where one of the oldest stone-carved star maps in the world is located. Arrival and overnight stay at the Oberkaser Alm. Ascent: 795m Distance: 6.6km Hiking time: 4.5h Day 2: Hike to the Spronser Lakes, meditation, and mindfulness exercises on-site, accompanied by legends about the lakes and the mystical water women. In the evening, return to the Oberkaser Alm for dinner and overnight stay. Ascent: 437m Descent: 437m Distance: 6km Hiking time: 3h Day 3: Hike over the Spronser Joch to Lazins.Meditation at prehistoric cup stones along the way. Stop at Lazinser Alm, then leisurely downhill to Pfelders. Return by public bus to Merano and Dorf Tirol. Ascent: 477m Descent: 974m Distance: 12.3km Hiking time: 4.5h Equipment: hiking clothing, good hiking shoes, rain jacket, sunscreen SPF 50, warm change of clothes. Contribution 590€/person including overnight stay with breakfast and cable car. Privately bookable from June to September.
Two mystical mountain days
You can expect two days in the mountains, three power spots, hundreds of stone piles, legends about weather makers, and a legendary kingdom, a magical mountain lake, meditation with the power of the Dolomites and the surrounding mountain world, along with a breathtaking panorama in the heart of South Tyrol, an overnight stay in a mountain hut, as well as a lovely time together. Day one: Ride the Meran 2000 cable car to the mountain station. Our path leads us to the first power place: the chapel of St. Oswald, a mysterious Alpine king who lives with his people in the rocks of Ifinger. We consciously take notice: Where am I right now? Who was this king? And what does this place have to do with weather magic? Next, we head to the Kuhleiten hut where we will enjoy South Tyrolean cuisine and a sensational panorama. Rejuvenated, we now hike to our second power place: the mystical Kratzberger Lake. This mysterious place has always been visited by wise women and men. Silence, breathe, feel. That's all that is needed up here. Our last stop for the day is the Meraner hut, where we will be pampered again with South Tyrolean cuisine and spend the night at over 2000m above sea level. Day two: We wake up in a legendary mountain world and start after a hearty breakfast on the E5, the European long-distance hiking trail to Kreuzjöchl, where we will recharge with the power of the surrounding mountains during a morning meditation. Deeply rooted and connected, we hike to our next power spot: the Stoanernen Mandln. An ancient cult site dotted with hundreds of stone cairns. Here too, we will once again connect with our senses and experience the place fully.Now it's time to hike back a section. At Maiser Rast, we descend to Maiser Alm where we will reflect on our experiences over a South Tyrolean snack.The further descent takes us through the forest to Falzeben, where we will take the bus back to the valley station Meran 2000. Day 1:Meeting point: 9 AM Meran 2000 valley stationRoute: 11 kmAscent: 596 mDescent: 550 mNet walking time: approx. 5.5 hoursTotal Day 2:Meeting point: 8 AM in front of the Merano HutDistance: 15.8 kmAscent: 505 mDescent: 830 mNet walking time: about 6 h Available for private booking from June to October
Mountain experience
Surrounded by primordial landscape, we connect with nature, listening to old tales about enchanting mountain women and the ancient people who live in the mountains. We meditate at the prehistoric bowl stone and enjoy the view over the Dolomites, savoring the local cuisine in typical alpine huts. An unforgettable experience. This day tour is planned individually for you. Price from 300€.
Medicine forest
Let the forest be your medicine, your advisor. No matter if you're facing a decision, if life is presenting you with challenges, if you want to let go of something, if you're seeking success and self-fulfillment, or if you're in a phase of mourning.The forest is the therapist, and I accompany you in the process work with all my tools from my forest bathing practice, health consulting, and techniques from alpine shamanism.Sign up now for a free informational conversation.
Medicine hike
Let the powerful mountain landscape of South Tyrol be your teacher. I plan and organize an individual hike tailored to your needs.A mix of shamanic threshold walking (Medicine Walk) and guided hiking.Securely accompanied and supported with techniques from my forest bathing practice and Alpine shamanism, you can fully immerse yourself in the nature experience, find answers to your questions, and gain a new perspective on aspects of your life.Simply register for a free informational conversation and discover the endless possibilities of connecting with nature.As a prerequisite for the Medicine Hike, you should be able to manage a comfortable multi-hour hike. Pace and difficulty will be adjusted to you personally.
This is me
Hello, I am Monika, I accompany people in their connection to nature. Nice to have you here.
The mountains and forests of South Tyrol are the place where I feel at home, I am deeply rooted in the legends and stories of this land. I enjoy listening to the wind, the water, and the rocks and telling their stories.My task is to show people a new way of perception, to accompany them, and to provide them with tools for everyday life.Being aware of ourselves and our environment can positively influence our lives.
What you can experience with me:
Forest bathing
Comes from the Japanese "Shinrin Yoku" and translates to: immersion in the forest atmosphere. After my burnout a few years ago, the forest was and is my source of strength. I remembered who I am and turned my life upside down. I first trained as a forest educator, then as an expert in alpine forest bathing. It is a pleasure for me to accompany people through the forest and to share my experiences with them. I am happy to inspire them and always learn something new myself. Forest bathing balances the stress hormone cortisol, prevents depression, has a calming effect on body and psyche and promotes health in the long term.
Mindfull wine tasting
Wine is a drink of the gods. In my years in the wine industry, I have led hundreds of wine tastings and learned one thing: wine is unpredictable, individual and, in my opinion, quintessentially feminine. The vine requires careful care, it draws its strength from the earth and is dependent on the cyclical conditions of nature. The wine also needs time and patience in the cellar, and when it is finally in the glass, it takes peace, relaxation and attention to really enjoy it. I like to accompany people through the vineyard, to take them into the world of the vine and then to get to know their wine like an individual. Each sip tells each participant its own story, which then becomes a whole in exchange with the others.
Mindfull walks
South Tyrol is a land of mountains. At every corner, you almost stumble across a place of power. I like to get to know places of power and build a relationship with them. After all, a place of power is not always the same, and neither are we. Depending on the time of day, season, weather and mood, we are different. A place of power too, of course. Each of us has our own and very personal perception. Exploring a place of power in a group is particularly exciting. Exchanges, differences and similarities form a whole picture, which in turn is only a snapshot. Mindfull walks help us to reconnect with our landscape, new ways of perception create a connection to the place where we are and open up new horizons.
What goes into my work
Storytelling
Stories have been with me for as long as I can remember. I love fairy tales and am fascinated by alpine legends such as the "Nörggelen", the "Lorgg", the Giants and the "Saligen Fräulein". I like to be inspired by nature to write stories, write poems and fairy tales. I find it most beautiful to sit together by the fire after a long day and give space to the stories that want to be told. Fairy tales and legends speak in pictures. They help our brain process things that are beyond our mind. Like raindrops seeping into the earth, images and symbols from the world of fairy tales nourish our souls, allowing them to bear ripe fruit. The oral transmission of stories is a millennia-old cultural asset that was only interrupted by modernity. Storytelling isn't just for kids. Fairy tales and legends also enrich the well-structured world of adults. They give us a wisdom that the mind does not understand.
The Shamanic Way
The Shamanic Way For several years I have been walking the path of the shaman, anchored in European (Alpine) shamanism. This is not a religion, but a worldview as old as humanity itself: everything is animated. We find this in forest bathing as well as in storytelling, it flows into my wine tastings as well as into my hikes. Without having to actively engage with it, my participants benefit from this worldview that transports us to a childhood where the world is still magical and full of wonders. I like to get to know the spirit of places, plants and animals, of the wind, of the water, of the fire, to listen, to sound, to be. The path of the shaman also means responsibility, a conscious approach to oneself and others, a lot of self-reflection and a pinch of humor.
