An Online Experiential Program of Cultivating Awareness of Belonging Wherever You Are
April - December, 2024
THE POSSIBILITIES
“We need the sun, the moon, the stars, the rivers and the mountains, and birds, the fish in the sea, to evoke a world of mystery, to evoke the sacred.”
– Thomas Berry
Being Outdoors: There’s much more than enjoying nice scenery available to you …
Realizing of a new way of being with yourself, each other and the world of which we are part;
Engaging your senses and your heart as pathways to awe and wonder;
Sensing profound belonging as part of the ecosystem of the global and cosmic ecosystem;
Cultivating a relationship of reverence and reciprocity with the living Earth, the Universe and all beings;
Being part of a community of discovery -- finding a new way of being alive and aware of the mysteries and miracles of what’s beyond the walls of our structures, hearts, and minds.
You Are Invited to cross the threshold
to a new way of being in relationship with the living Earth and ever-evolving Universe.
The Program
Exploration of monthly topics through a menu (the choices are yours) of:
Individual experiencing through weekly invitations for deepening relationship with the Outdoors;
Mindful awareness through frequent practice of “being” rather than “doing”;
Creative expression through artwork, poetry, photography, music, and land art;
Reflective writing through journaling;
Ongoing inspiration through suggested resources, readings, films, and videos;
Sharing in Community through bi-monthly Zoom video-conferencing
… all providing windows for entering, cultivating, and supporting a new relationship with Earth and Universe.
Course materials & resources:
Course information, materials and resources will be available through a special group on the Monterey Bay Meditation Studio's private online community platform. If you are not already a member of this online community, you will receive an invitation when you register.
INVITATIONS FOR DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OUTDOORS:
The deepest foundation of this program is a series of embodied practices that are sequenced to catalyze and cultivate a deep relationship with the Outdoors. At least 2 outdoor practices are offered with each Community Call; each focuses on a way of being that cultivates intersubjective consciousness and a deep sense of belonging with Earth and all beings. Whether you live in a city, town or rural environment, all you need is an Outside. These Invitations offer ways of being outdoors that are distinctly different from a hike, bike ride, or nature walk.
These practices are cumulative and change our way of being with, in, and of the world. Something deep inside opens when we come to recognize and live in the knowing that ocean, forest, river, mountain, and sky, including sun, moon, and stars, are not only our kin, but are also depositories of the wisdom of Life and Living for as long as they have existed. A sense of responsibility, reciprocity, and reverence arise, sourced in deep relationality, respect, and gratitude.
From this heart-sensing, we listen-to rather than do-to; we engage rather than look at; we commune rather than objectify. We come home to more of who we are as a particulate and participant in the vast ecosystem of Earth … and Universe.
COMMUNITY CONFERENCE CALLS:
The schedule for the video-conference calls is below. Since community (especially in a world of Physical Distancing) is key to cultivating a sense of well-being and belonging, participants are encouraged to join as many calls as possible.
These calls combine guided meditation, mindful sharing, reflective inquiry, relational practices, Emergent Dialogue, and creative inspiration with an intention of co-creating a community of support for exploration, insight, and connection.
The Potentials
Research continues to show that spending time outdoors decreases anxiety and depression; strengthens the immune system; increases a sense of calm, connection and well-being; improves short term memory; increases happiness; improves sleep; reduces inflammation; deepens the sense of connection and spirituality.
When being outdoors is paired with intentional engagement of mindfulness, creativity, curiosity and caring, these benefits are amplified. We find ourselves feeling wonder, belonging and awe -- sensing the sacred in ourselves and the living Earth (of which we are part).
As minds and hearts open, we are changed— nervous systems calm, thoughts settle, and perspectives shift. We feel refreshed and recharged as we remember that we are part of this vast system of support, healing, and evolution.
Community Calls: Monthly Topics and Schedule
We gather twice a month on a Zoom video-conference call. Access details will be emailed to you after you register.
Because we are an online program and do not have any in-person group activities in the course, the video-conference calls are our primary way of establishing a sense of connection and community with each other.
Please participate in as many of the calls as you can— “the more ingredients, the better the gumbo.”
All calls: 2nd & 4th Sundays
10:30 am - 12:00 pm (Pacific)
April 14 & 28: “Opening the Door: At the Threshold”
May 12 & 26: “Stepping Outside: Spring Awakening”
June 9 & 23: “Finding Flow: Songs of Rivers and Creeks”
July 14 & 28: “Going Deeper: Mysteries of Soil and Sand”
August 11 & 25: “Branching Out: Teachings from the Trees”
September 8 & 22: “Transitioning: The Call of the Wild”
October 13 & 27: “Riding the Waves: Council with the Sea”
November 10 & 24: “Falling Up: Night Magic from the Cosmos”
December 3: “Sensing Interbeing: It's All About Relationship”
TESTIMONIALS
“As someone who has been an avid outdoor enthusiast - hiking, backpacking, skiing, and enjoying the wilderness - ‘Being Outdoors: Sensing the Sacred’ brought wonderfully new perspectives to my wilderness appreciation. I was able to slow down and immerse myself in ways I wasn’t aware of, and the sessions made significant and meaningful changes in my relationship to the Out of Doors. The lessons learned will not end with the course!” – B.K.
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“I am in awe of the rich materials you bring to us and your ability/skill in sharing them with us in such stimulating, provocative ways. I am extremely grateful and appreciative of how you have enriched my life in the last few challenging months." – N.B.
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“I think the course is outstanding.” – A.K.
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“I think all of us at the end felt a tremendous connection, not just with the Outdoors in terms of you laying out these Invitations for us, but also that connection with each other … I think having people take part in things like that where they come together with a community of people and share those experiences, it heightens our sense of connection and also responsibility.” – K.F.
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“Being Outdoors: Sensing the Sacred is a phenomenal course. Marianne Rowe is a master teacher. She is incredibly prepared, informed and knowledgeable, as well as compassionate and relational. She has done her research and presents the material through a variety of ways and resources: lecture, meditation, poetry, art, media, facilitating group discussion, raising and exploring questions, and has compiled an incredibly extensive bibliography. The class is extremely well organized and Marianne ‘invites’ us to learn both intellectually and experientially. Students can choose to do as much or as little as each wishes, but the opportunities for learning are extensive.
“The course has enriched my life so much as a ‘wake-up’ call to what is always all around us as well as inside of us. By fostering increased awareness and observation, it allows for greater connection with the senses and the intellect culminating in a visceral sense of knowing that all is interconnected.It is so rich and engaging that I could take it over and over again and continually keep growing and learning. I am an enthusiast of Marianne and this amazing course that she has created and is offering. I consider it a ‘not to miss’ opportunity. As you can tell, I highly endorse it.” - L.K.
“This is a transformational course created for these transformative times.” - M.R.
COURSE CREATOR & FACILITATOR:
As a humane being, co-founding teacher of Monterey Bay Meditation Studio, and licensed marriage and family therapist, Marianne is dedicated to cultivating eco-systemic consciousness and living in-cahoots with Earth, Cosmos, and Life in all forms. Marianne’s insatiable love of learning has led her into certifications as a nature & forest therapy guide, eco-therapist, California naturalist, and Authentic Relating facilitator, along with certifications in eco-psychology, climate stewardship and climate psychology. She has been practicing meditation since the last century and teaching mindfulness meditation to children and adults since 2006. Her sense of belonging and aliveness is sourced and deepened through walks, sits, and gazing with the Pacific Ocean, forest, night skies, along with evolutionary, envisioning conversations with beloved friends and colleagues. Read more.
COST:
Tiered Pricing for this 9-Month Program:
$285: Being Outdoors - Supporter (I want to offer more support to this important work.)
$230: Being Outdoors - Regular (I can pay at the regular level.)
$105: Being Outdoors - Partial Scholarship (Money is tight. I can pay at this level.)
This course is part of the Meditation/Mindfulness, Outdoors, Relationships, and Evolution of Consciousness/Spirituality Currents.
Sample Practices to Try Outdoors
Founding Teacher, Marianne Rowe, leads this special meditation, inviting you to be in a place where you can access a wide view of a natural setting. Shifting from a mode of doing and dropping into a mode of receptivity invites a different relationship with the world around us. In this mode we can listen deeply and be available to more of what is here. This meditation offers guidance for engaging soft focus to access the spaciousness and mystery of silence, followed by a deep sense of connection with the Earth.
Founding Teacher, Marianne Rowe, leads this special meditation, inviting you to be in a place where you can access a natural setting. Engaging the senses is the key to being present. When we are conscious of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling -- sensing -- something, attention is on what is happening in this moment. This meditation offers guidance for coming alive to what is happening in by attuning to the living earth.
See Program Details
But Wait! There’s a Little Bit More …
What can emerge from deep relationship with the Outdoors? How can a life be changed through meaningful connection with Earth and Universe? “S’mores Stories: Tales of Transformation Inspired by Being Outdoors” is a series of pre-recorded conversations with people who have a lived and ongoing experience of discovering the mystery and wonder of the planet we call Home.
Tune-in and sense the energy of folks (scientists, attorneys, artists, environmental activists, healers, and educators) sharing how being outdoors inspired their mind, heart and spirit.