Stillness in Motion: Embodied Nature Practices for Nervous System Reset and Inner Connection
Stillness in Motion: Breath, Movement and Journaling for Inner Connection
How can we be still? How do we reconnect — with ourselves, with others, with place?
The ability to slow down, to listen, to feel, and to attune to both self and surroundings is something many people are seeking to return to.
This immersive outdoor workshop brings together a range of practical tools to support that return — to body, to presence, and to connection. We’ll combine slow yoga-based movement, breathwork, and a variety of outdoor meditation techniques, including nature journaling, into a reflective and embodied process that supports nervous system regulation and a deeper awareness of self and place.
Rooted in long-standing practices and supported by current research in ecopsychology and somatic wellbeing, this session invites participants to experience nature not as a backdrop, but as a co-regulator — a guide and mirror for the inner landscape.
We’ll finish with a group reflection and discussion on how these practices align with emerging research in outdoor health. Participants will leave with a grounded sense of calm and a set of adaptable tools for use in both personal and professional contexts.
This workshop supports outdoor health professionals, educators, and facilitators to:
Understand the role of nature as co-regulator in personal healing
Practice nervous system-aware movement through slow, breath-led sequences
Explore simple meditation techniques that support awareness and connection
Engage in nature journaling as a tool for reflection and emotional integration
Experience a repeatable structure that can be adapted for group work, facilitation, or personal ritual
Christian Eckardt
he/him
Manager of Education & Community Programs | Greater Sydney Parklands
Christian Eckardt is the Manager of Education and Community Programs at Greater Sydney Parklands, where he develops and delivers hands-on nature education across four of Sydney’s largest parklands. Originally from Germany, he draws on international experience in outdoor learning and is strongly influenced by forest school models and place-based education.
Since 2017, Christian and his team have created and grown a suite of programs that reach more than 50,000 participants each year — including nature play, bush school, youth volunteering, professional learning, and culturally grounded wellbeing programs. His work centres on connection: to self, to others, and to the environment.
Christian works closely with First Nations educators and community leaders to ensure that Aboriginal culture and knowledge are respected and embedded in the parks' education programs. He holds three master’s degrees, is a 500 hrs yoga teacher, and integrates movement, journaling, and ritual into his practice focusing on men’s wellbeing and nature connection.
His approach blends thoughtful pedagogy with grounded, sensory-based experiences that support belonging, reflection, and care for Country. Whether walking barefoot with a group of preschoolers or holding space for a men's circle in the bush, Christian’s work is about helping people feel present, curious, and connected to the living world.