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
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Based in Merano/Italy
Book your nature experience
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.