Mark Coleman
is a teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has taught insight meditation since 1997. He is founder of the Mindfulness Institute and facilitates mindfulness teacher trainings. He leads wilderness retreats worldwide and is also an author and coach.
Solstice Meditation Retreat
Following ancient traditions on this winter solstice, we will take this poignant time to retreat, slow down, and enter stillness, silence, and inner exploration. While the natural world appears to be dormant, the inner realms are alive with transmuting the passage between the old and the new. The solstice asks how we stand open hearted in face of the darkest night while holding faith in the returning light. On a practical level it is a time of sorting what wants to be released that is no longer serving our potential, and what wants to be called in to help us fulfill that journey.
Living a Mindful and Compassionate Life
Awareness and love (metta) are essential and beautiful aspects of any spiritual life. Awareness as developed through mindfulness practice leads to clarity, insight, and understanding. Love opens the heart, allows a kind embrace of ourselves, and connects us intimately with life. The fusion of love and mindfulness supports a compassionate response to the pain that we encounter in ourselves and in life.
Awake in the Wild: Meditation in Nature
Following ancient spiritual traditions that value the transformative power of nature, this experiential workshop will be spent meditating outdoors in the natural beauty and mystery of Esalen. Whether it is during a sunset meditation, listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean, or sitting graced in the stillness of cypress trees, we will open to the profound serenity and wisdom of nature.