The Sacred Circle: Exploring Your Spiritual Relationship with Nature
(ONE spot left!)
A 6-week experiential class on
Thursdays, May 2-June 13, 6-8 p.m.
(no class on 5/30)
Participants will be limited to 10
The Invitation
Have you experienced a deep peace settle in your soul when you were sitting quietly in the wilderness, or as you were tending plants in your garden, or as you listened to birdsong in the morning? Have you felt the silent companionship of trees? Have you experienced the interconnectedness of all life? Depending on your spiritual tradition, do you feel closer to God when in Nature?
Many nature-lovers have had spontaneous experiences like this. But how do we go deeper? How do we move from having occasional, spontaneous experiences to intentionally cultivating a respectful, reciprocal relationship? How do we integrate the revelation and peace that comes from these experiences into the daily fabric of our lives? The dominant culture in the modern West has largely lost this knowledge; indeed, one way to view the history of colonization is as the violent destruction of the respectful and sacred human relationship with Nature and all of her children.
Yet, a sacred, reciprocal relationship with the Natural world is not only possible, it is our birthright. And it is beyond time that we reclaim it. The Earth needs us to come home, to stop the madness of ecological destruction. In addition to doing right by the Earth, deepening one’s relationship with the natural world can be an incredibly rich spiritual path, a path that brings deep joy. If you’d like to explore how to connect with Nature more intentionally, this workshop is for you.
“This class has had a profound impact on me. The greatest gift I received was the realization that I’m never alone when I’m in nature and I can always speak to all the non-human beings around me.”
- Toiyabe H., 41
“The exercises and assignments were novel, beautiful, and deep. Some solitary, some paired, some whole–group. And all of them stretched my sensibilities, toward a way of interacting with the natural world that bring richness and curiosity to my mind, heart, body, and soul.” - David P., 59
“I think the biggest impact for me was the fact that other people were drawn to it. Simply put, I felt really alone on my path until I attended the Sacred Circle gatherings. I don't feel so alone in this world now.”
- Anonymous
The Training
Structure and Flexibility: We will follow a loose structure, with flexibility to adapt to the needs and interests of the group. Here are some of the topics that will be covered:
* Presence & Observation
* Communion & Communication with Nature
* Radical Equality: Leveling Hierarchies of Value
* The Way of the Sacred Circle
* Environmental Grief as Energy for Action
* Active Love & Reciprocal Stewardship
Participatory: This is an “experiential” training, which means that teachings will be interwoven with exercises designed to deepen your relationship with Nature.
Community: Those who walk, or are interested in walking, a nature-based spiritual path can experience loneliness and lack of community. Most of us don’t have our own church or sangha, our own regular gatherings and rituals. For this reason, one of the primary goals for this class is to support the growth of authentic community. Participants will be limited to ten people to support this goal.
In Between Class Sessions: You will be asked to work with the topics or practices we have explored in class, on your own for at least 5-10 minutes daily. This small time commitment will support you to get as much as possible out of the class, and will also enrich the experiences of the group as a whole.
Optional Individual Project: In addition to the weekly practices, you will have the option to explore more deeply a topic or approach of particular interest to you. You may choose to work with a topic presented in class, or a topic that we are not covering directly. The possibilities are endless. In our final class together, you will have an opportunity to share some of what you have learned with the others. This way, we all get to benefit from each person’s unique interests.
Welcoming to people of all Spiritual/Religious Affiliations: All adults are welcome in this training, no matter your religious/spiritual background or affiliation, as long as you are willing to respect the backgrounds and affiliations of others. You are welcome to bring the rich insights and teachings of your tradition to inform your exploration in this course, as well as to share with others, but proselytizing will not be tolerated.
Logistics & Registration
Class Dates: 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, BREAK, 6/6, 6/13
Time and Place: This class will take place on Thursday evenings, 6-8 p.m. on my private land about 10 minutes southwest of Mancos, CO. The land is populated by pinon and juniper trees, sagebrush, wild grasses and many other beings. Each session will take place outdoors, unless weather prevents this; in that case we will meet in my cozy, circular strawbale office called The Circle. Address and directions will be provided upon registration and acceptance into the program.
Bathrooms: There is no plumbing at my office. Please come prepared to do your business as you would in the wilderness.
Carpooling: Due to limited parking, I can only accommodate 3-4 cars per session. This will necessitate carpooling. If you are not able to carpool, I may not be able to accept you into the class. While carpooling may be inconvenient, please consider this as an opportunity to live your values even more deeply, prioritizing care for the Earth over personal convenience or comfort. About a week before the first session, I will send you the contact information of the other people who will be traveling in your direction so that you can coordinate with them.
Fitness: This training is appropriate for people of all levels of fitness, as it will involve minimal walking. However, the limited amount of walking we do will be offtrail, in sometimes muddy conditions. If you have challenges with balance, please let me know ahead of time so we can explore options for accommodating you.
Equipment needed: A trail chair or camp chair would be a very good idea. I do have a few extra I can lend out. Water, journal, plenty of layers (sitting for two hours is a very different experience from hiking for two hours!), hats, sunscreen and etc.
Cost & Registration: The cost for the class is $320. If you need to make payments in installments, go ahead and fill out the registration form, and then email me to make arrangements for a payment plan. Click here to register.
Questions? You are welcome to contact me!
