“What are we missing when we are apart from nature? What feelings are not being stirred that only a hawk’s shrill cry or a buck’s antlers in the morning mist can awaken? How impoverished have we become, locking ourselves in square rooms, away from the sound of wind, the light of stars, and the presence of the more-than-human world?”
- Micah Mortali
Do you ever wonder what you might be missing when you go outside? Is there a deeper level of attention that might allow you to discover the secret lives of animals and plants unfolding all around you? What effect would this have on your inner world and on your wellbeing?
In the quick pace of our daily lives, with so much to navigate, many of us have gotten much further away than we’d like from how we want to live: slow, spacious, peaceful, and curious.
In this course, you’re invited to reset your pace, to retrain your senses, to intentionally practice a new— and yet very old— way of moving through the world.
A return to nature connection begins with intentionally activating our senses. When we take time to consciously invite the senses to awaken, with a childlike sense of wonder, we notice things that have been hidden from our distracted mind, and everything around us begins to seem more vivid. Through the doorways of the senses, we open to being flooded, inside and out, in beauty, inspiration, and wonder. We become overwhelmed in the best possible way.
These positive experiences are crucial, because we don't get to opt out of the challenges of daily life. We do, however, get to choose what counterbalances these stressors. We can choose to open ourselves up, on a regular basis, to the healing power of experiencing joy, wonder, peace, belonging, connection.
Taking yourself outdoors, slowing down, and opening your senses is one of the most powerful and accessible ways to feed your spirit, and in doing so, to build balance and resilience into your life.
Discover for yourself how the connection with the natural world reconnects you to yourself; and learn simple practices to cultivate mindfulness in nature, wherever you are!
About this Course:
In this experiential course, each class session combines two ways of connecting: through an audio phone call and through a video Zoom call.
In the audio/phone portion, you'll go outdoors with your phone and earbuds to be guided in a Mindful Outdoor Experience that combines slow and gentle movement, breathing, sensory exploration, mindful walking, and nature meditation.
In the video Zoom portion, you’ll ideally connect using a laptop to share your experiences and receive teaching based on current research, as well as inspiration to feed your love of the outdoors.
In addition to our class sessions, you will receive readings, meditations, and practice invitations through our private online course area.
After signing up, you will receive detailed instructions on how to join our class sessions.
Teacher: Katie Dutcher
Sundays, May 22, June 5, 19
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$115
This retreat meets online via Zoom. When you register, we’ll send you the details to access the session on Zoom.