Nominal price € 5,50 ISBN 978-3-9821316-1-0 RETREAT RECOVER RECHARGE Issue 2020 Unwind, awaken the senses, and connect with yourself: how nature’s rhythm thesenses,andconnect withyourself:hownature’srhythm Unwind, awaken Rest andrelaxation Rest The magazinefromGermany’sfeel-goodregion can soothethemindandbody › Besondere, nachgewiesene Reinheit des Wassers › Garantierte Natürlichkeit aus geschützten Quellen › Strengere Grenzwerte als gesetzlich vorgesehen › Engagement in Natur- und Wasserschutz www.bad-duerrheimer.de/bio The magazine from Germany’s feel-good region The desire to simply drop everything and leave in order to find and connect with ourselves is something we can all relate to at times. It means embracing new perspectives, rediscovering who we are, and Retreat coming back refreshed. Pinnacle of happiness in the morning sun 4 We invite you to broaden your horizons and join us on a journey to Water, the elixir of life 6 inner peace, relaxation, and new discoveries, which we have divided into three sections: Retreat, Recover, and Recharge. On this jour- In the untamed forest wilderness 10 ney, we guide you to places that will reinvigorate the body and send the spirit soaring. Finding quiet refuge 12 Let yourself get swept away by this magazine to a region perfect for escaping the daily grind, finding inner balance, and enjoying some Recover rest and relaxation. Get to know landscapes with therapeutic quali- ties that can invigorate and heal. Making time for the psyche 16 Discovering slowness 18 We hope you enjoy the journey! Cross your heart 22 Your HealthRegion team Rediscovering 24 HealthRegion Freiburg e.V. herbal medicines 24 Recharge Back to nature 30 The dual role of managers 34 Rooting yourself in relaxation 36 Raphael Pietsch / The HealthRegion Freiburg 40 HealthRegion Freiburg 3 1 RETREAT “In perfect silence, you can hear the whole world.” Kurt Tucholsky Pinnacle of happiness in the morning sun — 4 Water, the elixir of life — 6 In the untamed forest wilderness — 10 Finding quiet refuge — 12 Ju On / unsplash.com 2 3 RETREAT There is something magical about the time between the dark of night and the light of dawn. Anyone who treks through an unfamiliar environment without light will notice how the senses become much more heightened. The faculties of hear- ing, smell, and sight are all highly alert. American author Henry David Thoreau once wrote that much more thrilling than hitting snooze on your smart- morning is “the most memorable season of the day.” He phone and going back to sleep. This right here, this is was right. Anyone who gets up early enough to scale a adventure. You have to make it happen. The real world mountaintop at sunrise will enjoy more than just the in real time. Analog. Either you get out and do it or beautiful colors of dawn, because spending daybreak at you don’t. lofty heights also unleashes unexpected mental strength that energizes the body, mind, and spirit. After a while, my steps become surer; my breathing, slower. I can see outlines, and with every meter I climb, This is the toughest, most crucial moment. If I hesi- the stars grow fainter. To the east, dawn quietly begins tate now, it’s over. The time? 4 a.m. An ungodly hour. to paint an amber stripe in the sky. The night is draw- For heaven’s sake, why am I doing this to myself? I gath- ing to a close, making way for the light of a new day. It’s er my strength and force myself out of the cozy bed. I a fragile moment, like a pair of pining lovers who never quickly toss back a cup of coffee, and an hour later, find each other’s arms. we are pulling our car into the hikers’ parking lot in Bernau-Hof. Where the night had previously shrouded everything in impenetrable darkness, I now see meadows, moun- Pinnacle of happiness The stars are gleaming overhead, while the tops of the tainsides, and benches. The morning reaches peak form fir trees stand out in strange patterns against the dusky while we hike the final 500 meters to the summit. To blue of the night sky. We take a deep breath. Our lungs the south, the Alps form a magnificent backdrop. The in the morning sun fill with the resinous scent of fir trees and moss. The sky is aglow. The yellow transforms into a fiery red, and mountain air up here, 900 meters above sea level, is the mountains begin to gleam. Awakening all the senses outdoors marvelous: crisp, clear, spiced with the woods. It’s the kind of air that you would love to bottle and take home Just as the sun’s first rays start to spill down, we reach with you. the wooden cross at the summit. The world is awaken- ing up here at a height of 1,415 meters, and we, silent A light wind whispers. The air-brisk. We pull on our back - observers of a unique and wondrous spectacle, have the packs and follow the path into the pitch-black forest, privilege of watching it happen. All at once, everything whose mouth gapes menacingly, as if it wants to swal- else just melts away: the burden of the backpack on my low us. I am still drowsy, and there are moments when shoulders, thoughts of work, the daily grind. All that I see gnomes in front of me. A cow in a pasture turns matters is this moment— and it is singular. I can’t think into a horned monster next to me. My eyes and ears play of a nicer, more beautiful place to start the day than up are playing trick on me, conjuring up figures that vanish here on this mountain. Herzogenhorn as suddenly as they appear. A rustling sound gives me 1415 m a start. There is something magical about the time between the dark of night and the light of dawn. Anyone who treks through an unfamiliar environment without light will Hike from Bernau-Hof to the summit git-Cathrin Duval notice how the senses become much more heightened. of Herzogenhorn The faculties of hearing, smell, and sight are all highly Starting point: Bernau-Hof parking lot alert. for hikers near the Hofeck ski lift, follow the signs leading to the Herzogenhorn When hiking your way from night into day, certain Dmitriy Danilov / © Bir / summit / Hiking route: 3 kilometers, primordial instincts – long since dormant – suddenly stir 500 vertical meters, Time: approx. within you. This is something you won’t experience at 1–1.5 hours, depending on fitness level home when pressing the button on your coffee machine. AdobeStock Bernau – Hof www.bernau-schwarzwald.de Watching a new day dawn from the top of a mountain is 100 m 935 m 4 5 RETREAT Waterfall concen- tration exercise Close your eyes and listen to the sound of the rushing water. Breathe deeply in and out Water, the through your nose. Listen to the water and notice every nuance. Is it bubbling? Gurgling? Mur- lixir of life muring evenly? Can you hear in- e dividual droplets? Birds singing? Pay attention to even the slight- est sounds. Meditate this way for ten minutes. At the tail end of the Menzenschwand V alley, a path leads into a narrow gorge. A cool stream of air caresses the face, and the sound of bubbling water rushing by can be heard all around. With every step you take over rocks and wooden bridges, an enchant- ed gorge begins to come into view. The icy water rushing down from the Feld- berg plunges with primordial force over Finding tranquility at the lakeside mystical rock formations. Perched at the Find a quiet spot at the side of a top, enormous fir trees stretch toward lake. Fix your gaze on the water’s the sky. Here and there, sunlight flashes surface and take deep, calming through the almost impenetrable blanket breaths. Try to focus on a single point and observe what you see of needles. For several minutes, a rainbow there. Perhaps mosquitoes are gleams in the spray from the cascades, as if dancing up and down, or you painted onto thin air by some magical hand. see gentle waves or air bubbles Listening to the rushing water and watching forming. Let your eyes rest there while you continue to inhale as the shimmering water droplets are trans- and exhale through your nose. formed into colorful gems in the sunlight is Focus on the spot, and observe enough to instantly put onlookers in a medi- every detail without any further contemplation or thought. If you tative, almost reverent mood. notice that your mind begins to wander to loose ends at work or other thoughts, imagine a stone in your mind’s eye and let it fall into the lake. Try looking at the lake for ten minutes while con- centrating on your breathing. Menzenschwand Waterfalls The ice-age gorge was formed by white water from the Alb, which channels its way down from Feldberg mountain and on through the wild gorge. Lead- ing over bridges and stairs set in the rock face, a small path takes visitors through the 30-meter-deep gorge, past natural pools and various waterfalls. Duval © Birgit-Cathrin 6 7 RETREAT “ Nature has provided us generously with everything we need to remain Exciting routes in good health.” for water lovers Sebastian Kneipp Waterfall trail The exceptional hiking trail known as the Wasserfallsteig leads water lovers over nar- row paths and steep tracks to the Todtnau Waterfall – the tallest natural waterfall in Baden-Württemberg – before continuing on through grassy alpine meadows to the Fahl Waterfall.