I Thought I Was Travelling to a Forest in England

“As above, so below. As within, so without.”

Here is a guest blog written by regenerative coach Janne Vagner sharing her recent immersion experiences.

I have just returned from my third immersion with Giles Hutchins in his ancient woodland, Springwood, in England.

Three times I have travelled to the same old forest.

Three times I have spent time alone among the trees.

And yet, each experience has been entirely different.

The first time was in June last year. I spent 24 hours coaching and solo time in the forest. That experience marked the beginning of a journey that I wrote about in an earlier article, so I won’t go into detail here. (I’ll share the link at the end.)

Looking back, I realize that these three immersions have not been three separate experiences. They have been three steps along the same journey. A journey that is still unfolding.

People sometimes ask me why I travel to England to be coached by Giles Hutchins.

With Giles, leadership is not primarily about strategies, performance or models. It is about becoming more alive, more present and more human.

Giles invites us to slow down. To notice life, not only around us, but also within us.

That was what first drew me to Springwood, and it is why I keep returning.

Springwood is far more than a forest. It is a place of learning.

A place where nature’s intelligence becomes visible—if we are willing to be still long enough.

I first began to sense this during my second immersion, a year after the first.

There were twelve of us, coming from five different countries.

Before we entered the forest, Giles invited us to reflect on two questions:

What do you want to let go of?

What do you want to invite into your life?

Among other things, I wrote:

– Let go of self-doubt.

– Enjoy life and trust myself.

I thought those were the questions I had come to work on.

But the forest had its own rhythm. And its own questions.

At the spot where I was going to spend the night stood an old beech tree. Not like the beech trees we know from managed Danish forests.

This one was wonderfully quirky. Its bark seemed to hold countless faces. Light and shadow constantly created new expressions. Its branches stretched in every direction, as though they had their own language.

I sat there for a long time, simply observing. And gradually, something happened that I had never expected.

My imagination began to awaken.

Not imagination in the sense of fantasy or escape. Rather, it felt like touching a deeper part of myself. An inner intelligence or another way of sensing the world.

It made me think about how often we talk about innovation in organizations. About thinking outside the box.

But how can we imagine something genuinely new if we never allow ourselves to become still long enough for our imagination to find us?

Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to leave.

Returning from the quiet rhythm of the forest to the noise, speed and crowds of the airport was a striking contrast.

I could clearly feel the restlessness and unrest.

The third immersion began just a month later.

This time, almost 48 hours of solo time in the forest awaited me. Although the forest was familiar, it was never the same.

This time, the woodland floor was carpeted in the most beautiful shades of purple, scattered with blossoms from the towering rhododendrons.

I returned to the same spot where I had spent time the year before and found myself greeting two old companions with quiet joy.

The great oak stood there like an old king. Strong. Deeply rooted. Quietly confident.

Yet it didn’t stand apart. It seemed to lean ever so slightly towards the yew, as though even great strength longs for connection.

Beside it stood the ancient queen. The yew with its deep red trunk and cascading branches draped around it like the most beautiful summer dress.

Even when the rain fell, I could sit beneath its canopy and remain completely dry.

I honestly don’t know how else to describe it.

But whenever I sat with my back against the yew, a deep sense of peace arose within me—one that words can barely capture.

Different in character, yet somehow inseparable from the oak. Together they seemed to hold the space between them. It was such a vibrant place.

A place where death was also present in the form of an old, dead tree.

Or perhaps…

A tree that appeared dead yet was overflowing with life.

Insects. Beetles. Tiny birds. Grey squirrels playing among the branches. And a family of woodpeckers, drawn by the abundance of life, the tree still supported.

Before long, I found myself recognizing the woodpeckers slightly raspy calls long before I could see them.

It wasn’t only the forest that I was getting to know.

It was also a part of myself.

Later that afternoon, dark clouds rolled over Springwood. Heavy rain began to fall. Thunder rumbled through the trees, and lightning tore across the sky.

Soon afterwards, hailstones started drumming against the roof of the little hut where I was sitting beneath the overhang.

Normally, I would probably have wished for different weather.

This time, I simply sat and watched. Without struggle and without resistance.

There was a quiet acceptance that the weather was doing exactly what it was meant to do.

I found it fascinating.

Just like life.

One of the first things Giles asked me when we met again, after we had sat together in silence for a while, was:

“How has this journey with me been?”

I couldn’t answer. Not straight away. The words came later.

“This journey has been everything I dreamed of… and everything I was intuitively searching for, even though I didn’t yet have the words for it. And beyond that. It has been so much more.”

Slowly, I began to realize that my journey had never really been about finding the courage to make a few specific changes in my life.

That was what I had believed. But it was about something far deeper.

It was about rediscovering what it means to be fully alive.

🌿To feel life.
🌿To enjoy life.
🌿To be fully present in life.

Not as an observer. Not trying to control or direct everything. Not constantly rushing towards whatever comes next.

For the first time in a very long while, I experienced a profound sense of clarity within myself. Something resonated deeply.

A quiet inner peace. It felt like coming home.

When I travelled home this time, the airport was exactly the same.

Planes were taking off, people were hurrying and the departure boards were flashing.

But something had changed.

Not the world.

Me.

I believe that is one of the greatest gifts nature can offer us.

Not that the world becomes quiet.

But that we become still enough to truly feel life.

And perhaps that is where life-affirming leadership begins.

I would like to leave the final words to Albert Einstein:

“Look deep, deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

About the Author

Janne Vagner works at the intersection of regenerative leadership, personal development and nature’s intelligence. She helps individuals, leaders and organizations bring more life into the way they live and lead—by becoming more deeply aligned with who they truly are. Janne believes that lasting transformation begins with the relationship we have with ourselves. From there, we can build stronger relationships, more life-affirming organizations, and lives filled with greater meaning, wellbeing and vitality. With nature as a trusted partner, she creates spaces for reflection, insight and transformation—not to become someone else, but to rediscover what is already within us. Learn more at www.jannevagner.dk

For more on the next Deep-dive Immersive Experience at Springwood on 24th/25th September – see https://thenatureofbusiness.org/2026/04/06/from-coping-to-thriving-amid-rising-complexity-deep-dive-immersions-24th-25th-sept/

If you’d like to take part in the Deep-dive Springwood Immersion on 24th/25th September – please contact Giles Hutchins via https://gileshutchins.com/contact/

If you are interested in exploring 1-2-1 coaching journeys with Giles Hutchins, see here: https://gileshutchins.com/coaching/

‘Giles has been invaluable on my journey into better leadership and being a CEO who can connect better with himself/life and with others.  His intuition and sensitivity to each individual’s unique situation is remarkable. Anyone looking to develop their leadership for these challenging times would benefit from Giles’ wisdom.’ Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fayre

‘Giles does more than teach Regenerative Business. He embodies it. What moves me most about Giles is his genuine care. I have deeply valued Giles as my mentor and coach, and would highly recommend tapping into his wisdom.’  Jannine Barron, Founder, The Growth Experience

‘Giles is like a lantern: he meets you where you’re at and illuminates the path ahead alongside you. He brings an excellent blend of business acumen, emotional intelligence, and spiritual attunement.’  Lisa Dittmar, Strategy Consultant, Deloitte

‘Giles provides great support, expansion and DEEP WISDOM during a challenging period for me, and now supporting me into my next chapter. He creates an incredibly safe space, so I share anything. Giles’ energy is so powerful that I leave each session feeling completely recharged and inspired.’  Jenna Robertson, Founder of Gaia’s Wisdom & Regenerative Leadership Coach

Here’s a short video about immersions at Springwood, and more on how Nature Works for Future-Fit Leadership: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU50XI0UDXU&list=PL4fiSooXivB7D83ut1Igssgg0xZcf-mGN&index=20

About Giles Hutchins  – a pioneering practitioner and senior adviser at the fore-front of the [r]evolution in organizational and leadership consciousness and developmental approaches that enhance personal, organizational and systemic agility and vitality. He is an award-winning author of several leadership and organizational development papers, and the books The Nature of Business (2012), The Illusion of Separation (2014), Future Fit (2016), Regenerative Leadership (2019), Leading by Nature (2022), Nature Works (2024) and Keys for Future-fit Leadership (2025). Chair of The Future Fit Leadership Academy, Co-founder of Keys for Future-fit Leadership Academy,  and Founder of Leadership Immersions, he anchors his international leadership practice amid 60 acres of ancient woodland at Springwood Farm, an area of outstanding natural beauty near London, UK.  Previously held corporate roles – Head of Practice for KPMG, and Global Head of Sustainability for Atos (150,000 employees, over 40 countries). He provides transformational coaching at individual and organizational levels for those seeking to transform their professional and personal lives in harmony with life. his coaching work has been called ‘life changing.’ Clients include IKEA, Aviva, Unilever, Sainsbury, Coop, AXA, Cambridge University, Ashridge Hult Business School, Cook, Ella’s Kitchen, Pukka Herbs, Vivobarefoot, Fairtrade, Rabobank, Impact International, World Benchmarking Alliance, BBC, BP, Angel Investments, BNP Paribas, Cap Gemini, Deloitte, Richemont, EQT, INSEAD, HEC, Lang O’Rouke, Bahlsen, BMW, Grant Thornton, HSBC, Sky Media, and more.  He blogs at www.thenatureofbusiness.org and examples of his work can be found at https://gileshutchins.com/ 

‘Giles Hutchins is one of the most broad-reaching forward-thinking advisers, speakers and writers in business.’  Tima Bansal, Chair & Senior Professor, Ivey Business School

His Leading by Nature podcast can be found at https://gileshutchins.com/podcast/ OR https://shows.acast.com/leading-by-nature

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