If your love language is physical touch and seeks comfort in being grounded in nature, then the Scottish Tree Hugging Championship is a wholesome experience. After all, being present and mindful in a natural environment can do wonders to our mental health.
Darach Forest Therapy and Darach Social Croft jointly hosted a tree-hugging championship in Levi, Lapland, Finland, and Alasdair Firth emerged as the winner of the competition.
There were three different events:
- Speed Hugging – In this event, people ran around in the forest like a madman hugging a high volume of trees. The judges looked for the highest number of trees hugged in one minute and each hug lasted at least five seconds.
- Dedication – For those passionate huggers, they were able to show their affection to a specific tree. Judges assess for presence, intention, love and respect. If they can display these emotions to an unresponsive tree, the participants are well-prepared to create a lasting relationship with another individual.
- Freestyle – Creativity was embraced when participants had to come up with unique ways to love a selected tree for one minute. The wilder, the better.
Through these events, the organizers hope to create a greater appreciation for nature while fostering more connections within the community. For a change, this competition allowed people to tune out distractions and technology while taking in the natural beauty of trees.
Source: https://silvotherapy.co.uk/scottish-tree-hugging-championships