Edward Abbey once described his essays as “prose psalms which celebrate the divine beauty of the natural world.” Come along with us on a retreat conducted via email and explore all the ways you can discover and celebrate the Divine in nature. You will receive 40 emails, sent to you daily, each with a short quotations and a related practice suggestion.
We will savor the spiritual insights of Barbara Kingsolver, Linda Hogan, Barry Lopez, Jane Goodall, Joyce Rupp, Annie Dillard, Kent Nerburn, Rick Bass, Diane Ackerman, Wendell Berry, and many others. These poets, essayists, and naturalists tutor us in the spiritual practices of wonder, play, reverence, and attention.
Topics include:
- Enter into a Conspiracy with Life
- Connect with the Weather
- Honor Trademarks
- Pray with Your Senses
- Party with the Flowers
- Spot Teachers
- Be a Good Guest
- Honor the Trees
- Salute Mysteries
- Enjoy the Mess
- Be Careful Out There
- Let Nature Nurture You
- Celebrate Your Interdependence
- … and much more.
This retreat begins shortly after Easter and carries you through the month of May. A Practice Circle — a forum open 24/7 for the worldwide community of participants in this e-course to share ideas, questions, and experiences — will be available throughout the course, with continuing access after the course ends.
Use this retreat as a way to enrich your experiences outdoors any time of year. Find out what prompted Henry David Thoreau to proclaim “My profession is always to be alert, to find God in nature, to know God’s lurking places, to attend to all the oratorios and the operas in nature.”