A forest meditation programme in Jeju will invite participants to walk slowly through autumnal Gotjawal, observe the trees, rest in a hammock and find calm through the sound of singing bowls and a cup of flower tea. Jeju Stone Park said on the 20th that it will run Into the Gotjawal Forest II, a forest programme for adults, at Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest from 21 October to 28 November. The 12 sessions will take place every Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 12.30pm, and participation is free.
Eight forest activities reflecting the four seasons of life, from drawing trees to singing bowl and flower tea meditation
This year’s theme is ‘Walking through the four seasons of life in Gotjawal’. Inspired by the idea that people’s lives, like the forest, move through changing seasons, the programme comprises eight activities linking the natural world with the stages of life. Two forest-welfare specialists will lead the sessions along the ecological observation trail and at a forest rest area.
Participants will look closely at trees and try drawing them before walking along the forest trail. After unwinding with a sky-mirror activity and a rest in a hammock, they will move on to breathing meditation and singing bowl meditation, which uses sound and vibration. Activities using natural materials and flower tea meditation follow, before participants share their impressions of the forest.
Health-monitoring devices will be used to measure participants’ stress levels, oxygen saturation and blood pressure, as well as assess how calm and relaxed they feel.
From a celebrated forest trail to an outstanding wellness destination: programme incorporates Korea Tourism Organization advice to mark renewed selection
The programme was developed to mark Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest’s renewed selection in 2026 in the Nature Healing category of the Outstanding Wellness Tourism Destinations scheme, and to expand healing and relaxation activities using the natural environment of Gotjawal. Drawing on advice from the Korea Tourism Organization on outstanding wellness tourism destinations, it combines the forest’s natural resources with storytelling and nature-healing activities.
The Gotjawal forest trail at Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest was selected by the Korea Forest Service in 2023 as one of its celebrated trails for walking, and was recommended in 2024 as a celebrated trail for enjoying autumn’s colourful foliage. It was named again this year, following 2025, in the Nature Healing category of the Outstanding Wellness Tourism Destinations scheme, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization.
Lee Sang-hyo, head of the Jeju Stone Park Management Office, said the programme was designed to give participants the chance to reflect on their lives and enjoy a break through the natural surroundings of Gotjawal in autumn. He also said he hoped residents and visitors would carry the calm and vitality they found in the forest into their everyday lives.
For beginners who find it difficult to sit still for long: easing into meditation by walking, lying down and drinking tea
For modern people who spend most of the day in front of a screen, meditation that involves sitting with their eyes closed for a long time can be a higher hurdle than expected. This programme begins with a sequence of sensory activities—walking, observing, drawing, lying down and drinking tea—before moving into breathing and sound meditation. The idea is to get the body moving first and let the mind follow.
The programme offers an accessible option for meditation beginners unfamiliar with seated meditation, people who enjoy walks and nature, and travellers looking for a quiet half-day’s rest during a trip to Jeju. It is also notable for bringing singing bowl meditation, which came to Korea from overseas and has since taken root here, together with Jeju’s forest and flower tea in a single experience. As meditation in Korea’s forests becomes better known alongside wellness tourism, the path for K-meditation to reach the world will widen too.
Morning sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 21 October; book in advance through the Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest website
Applications will be accepted by advance booking through the Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest website. Each session is open to 20 adults, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Programme: Into the Gotjawal Forest II (theme: Walking through the four seasons of life in Gotjawal)
Dates: 21 October 2026 (Wednesday) to 28 November (Saturday), 12 sessions in total, every Wednesday and Saturday
Time: 10am–12.30pm
Location: Ecological observation trail and forest rest area, Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest, Jeju
Organiser: Jeju Stone Park
Eligibility and capacity: Adults; 20 people per session, first come, first served
Fee: Free
Booking: Advance booking through the Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest website
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