From the Buddha to the Dzogchen yogis of Tibet, ancient masters have long relied on the power of the natural world to nurture peace and awaken insight. Following their example, we too can develop and deepen a “practice of the wild” by learning to commune with and receive teachings from the natural world. Join Lama Willa as we explore the power of trees, streams, lakes, open skies, leaves, birds, animals and winding paths to open us to the meaning of meditation.

On this retreat, participants will develop a repertoire of practices and approaches that allow us to take nature as teacher. We will learn how communing with the elemental forces of fire, water, earth, air, and space can heal the body, transform the heart and liberate the mind. During this retreat, our “meditation hall” will migrate from the forest to the shores of mountain lakes, from verdant valleys to rocky summits.

Mornings and evenings, we will ground in practice and teaching in Wonderwell’s historic Meditation Hall. When weather permits, days will be spent meditating in the temple of the brilliant autumn countryside of rural New Hampshire. We will learn how to take the principles of meditation into walking, hiking, and other forms of mindful movement.

Through rekindling our innate interconnectedness with the natural world, we simultaneously discover the spacious, luminous, and awake qualities of our own being. Within this web of interconnectedness, we discover that liberation from suffering and the freedom to realize our aspirations are not about transcending the human condition, but about finding the inherent freedom within it.

Requirements: All levels of meditation practice are welcome. This retreat involves some vigorous activities. Participants must be capable of hiking four to five miles per day over moderate mountainous terrain to join in all activities. Those who are not hikers at this level can still register and participate in some of the activities both at Wonderwell and outside.