Immerse yourself in nature and unplug at this secret hideaway in Miami’s Redland area
Serenity now!
There’s an absolutely stunning sanctuary in the Redland, just about a 25 or so minute drive from red light cameras, gridlock and snowbirds chilling in the fast lane.
Patch of Heaven is a 20-acre gem whose motto is fittingly “Less Screen Time, More Green Time.” The forest preserve used to be a getaway for the founders of Key Biscayne, the Matheson family, and became a nonprofit in 2018.
Once you enter this enchanted spot you’ll want your phone around just long enough to take pictures of the lush scenery. But once you’ve gotten your share of selfies, please do yourself a favor and unplug.
“Distraction and anxiety are at unprecedented levels, with the Internet, social media and constant news cycle,” says Suzanne Jewell, the facility’s Chief Experience Officer, adding that high levels of cortisol, aka the stress hormone, “can impact our body, mind and emotional state.”
Jewell cites multiple studies that show you can lower those levels and stop them from spiking with just as little as 20 minutes in nature.
Seriously stressed? You could go full hog and spend the entire day here and get lost in the winding, charming, pathways, dotted with turtle filled lotus ponds, sweet smelling flowers and mini waterfalls.
But keeping in mind that folks don’t have a lot of free time these days, this tranquil hideaway also houses a more manageable, half-acre sanctuary, Mindful Pocket Park, near the entrance.
A highlight here are little “pockets” that engage all our five senses: sight, sound, scent, touch and taste, where you can nibble on herbs, listen to wind chimes or just pause and reflect as you stare at all the incredible greenery in complete and utter monk-like silence.
“We invite your to enjoy the healing benefits of focus and nature combined,” says Jewell. “The preserve is designed to facilitate calm and tranquility away from the flash of Miami.”
One way to facilitate calm is coming up this weekend. On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the preserve is hosting the Gratitude Project Picnic, “a half day of self-care.”
Tickets are $60 and include a lunch of artisanal bread, olives, hummus and fruit, as well as a gratitude journal, meditation session and seminar about how to be more appreciative of life’s blessings big and small.
“No need to bring your computer,” says the event’s invite. “Be prepared to check your devices at the door (optional but encouraged).”
Patch of Heaven Sanctuary
21900 SW 157th Ave., Miami; 786-719-9903
