Green Dharma: A Retreat for Ecosattvas

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Do you long to find a way to integrate your concern for the planet with your interest in mindfulness, meditation and spirituality? Are you seeking to develop resilience in the face of an uncertain future? Is planet earth your passion?

Now more than ever, the planet needs inhabitants that not only care, but whose care is informed by contemplative depth and resilience. While science provides us with clarity about this planet’s possible futures, we need resources to help us cope with the implications of this new knowledge.

When it comes to resilience, contemplative traditions can help. Contemplative traditions safeguard techniques for metabolizing suffering and reflecting on the deep psychic roots of our cultural malaise.

This unique weeklong retreat is designed to help participants explore the truths we know, while seeking a path forward that includes both mobilization and transformation. Through a combined approach of study, council practice, discussion, contemplation and meditation, we will begin awaken the inner “ecosattva,” the contemplative activist within.

This retreat is designed for those who long to reconnect to inner sources of strength, support and healing while joining activism with spirituality: to deepen in relationship with the self, reconnect with the natural world, find community and explore what it means to be a mindful steward of the planet.

In the course of one week, participants will embark on a four part journey to awaken their inner ecosattva:

I. Lean In: We will begin by exploring the relative truth. At this stage of the journey, we will learn, read about, contemplate and discuss of the facts of climate change, environmental degradation and the challenges faced by the earth and its species at this time.

II. Metabolize: Grieving is human. As we come to understand the plight of this earth, we naturally respond with grief, anger and feelings of powerlessness. These feelings are indicative of deeper resources of compassion and care that reside at the base of our being. We will explore practices that help us cope with loss and turn our energy towards an appropriate response to the crisis we face.

III.  Commune: Healing, strength and support can be found by reconnecting to our ancestors, tribes, the natural world, our bodies and our innate wisdom. Throughout the retreat, we will draw inspiration from contemplative and ritual practices that help us develop a deeper relationship with the sources of support and healing that surround us.

IV.  Embody: How might we live today for the world we wish to see tomorrow? This retreat will explore strategies of activism and skillful living. Pooling our own inner resources and wisdom, we will explore together what it means to live a life of fierce compassion and spiritual resilience.

This retreat intends to initiate the development of a networked community of compassionate, contemplative activists. Resources for staying connected to earth-based contemplative communities and programs will be provided, as well as suggested readings for further education and learning. Registrants will also receive mandatory reading materials prior to our gathering that will help seed our first discussion.

Willa, Liz, and Sarah will be joined by other teachers.