Mindfulness-Based Nature Connection Course: An Immersion in Nature Meditation Practice (MC1C24)

Registration closes at 9:00am (Pacific Time) on Friday, September 20, 2024 (just prior to the second class). A waiting list will be created if the program fills early. Please read Important Notes below.*

Open to Everyone

Program to be held on the land

Description:
In this new in-person class series, participants will explore accessible and powerful meditation practices all while immersed in the beauty of nature. Each week, we will take our meditation practice outside as a way to deepen our awareness of the natural world and cultivate a natural, mindful attention that can help open our hearts to delight, wisdom, and awe. Along with meditation practice, our time together will also include short talks on various mindfulness-in-nature themes as well as time for discussion and inquiry.

Each week will focus on the cultivation of a particular skill, including:
Week 1 – Learn to arrive and tune into natural settings with awareness
Week 2 – Cultivate an ability to be present outdoors with embodied attention
Week 3 – Develop sensory awareness wherever you are
Week 4 – Contemplate the depth of our connection to all life
Week 5 – Cultivate a loving, grateful attention in nature
Week 6 – Open to the wisdom of nature and the truth of change

Note: This series is part of an ongoing research study designed to document the beneficial impacts of nature-based meditation practices on health and wellbeing through Mark Coleman. Participation in the research study is optional, and more information will be shared.

Class dates are: Sept 13, Sept 20, Sept 27, Oct 4, Oct 11, Oct 18; all classes are held on Fridays from 10:00am – 12:00pm US Pacific Time.

*Important Notes:
On-Land Attendance

• The on-land day program will take place outdoors in the meadow near the Community Meditation Center.
• Bring a sack lunch and a water bottle. Lunch will not be provided.
• This is NOT a residential retreat. Overnight accommodations are not provided.

COVID Safety Protocols for non-residential programs: details here.

On-Land Sliding Scale Rates: Our sliding scale options for this program include financial support for the teacher. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford.

Benefactor – $750
Sustainer – $325
Basic – $185
Scholarship Rate (BIPOC, M/K) – $85

Volunteer/Work Exchange opportunities, which include full or partial scholarships, may be available for in-person programs. For more information, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteering@spiritrock.org.

Cancellation Policy for On-Land Day Programs:

• NO REFUNDS.
• Open Credit or Donation to Spirit Rock = cancel 2 or more business days prior to program (Pacific Time)
• No Open Credit = cancel less than 2 business days prior

Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 10 CE credits for $100 for psychologists, and California-licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.**

Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. This program equips healthcare providers with mindfulness-based nature connection practices that can be integrated into patient care, enhancing the therapeutic environment and promoting holistic healing. By cultivating skills such as sensory awareness, embodied presence, and positive emotional states, providers can support patients in managing stress, anxiety, and overall well-being more effectively.

Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:

• Describe utilizing natural settings to cultivate mindful awareness, creating a calming and therapeutic environment that can reduce patient stress and anxiety;
• Utilize practices to cultivate embodied attention in outdoor environments, helping patients to reconnect with their physical bodies and alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety;
• Use practices to enhance sensory awareness to assist patients in grounding themselves and managing stress, leading to improved mental and emotional regulation;
• Utilize the concept of interconnectedness of all life forms in patient care, promoting a holistic approach that can improve overall patient well-being;
• Utilize loving and grateful attention in natural settings to foster positive emotional states in patients, enhancing their capacity for joy, gratitude, and resilience;
• Utilize impermanence practices based on the natural world to support patients to accept and adapt to life’s transitions and health challenges;
• Apply nature-based mindfulness practices into clinical care plans, customizing these interventions to address specific patient conditions and improve health outcomes.

Continuing Education content level: Introductory

Attendance Requirements:To be eligible for Continuing Education Credits, participants must attend at least 5 of the 6 classes, in full, and fulfill all requirements stated on the CEC information page.

**Please note:

• For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
• For those with a different license than listed above, or with a license from a different board or association than listed on our CEC info page, please contact your licensing board or association directly to request pre-approval/acceptance of CE credits offered at Spirit Rock. Spirit Rock does not confirm the applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed.
• Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 10 contact hours.
• Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.