An In-Person Day-Long Ecodharma Retreat
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” — Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
You are warmly invited to come home to your body, to your practice, and to the living earth that has been holding you all along.
If your mind has felt hurried lately, or your heart has grown heavy from the pace of daily life or the news of the world, let this day be a soft place to land. Together we’ll slow down, breathe, and remember that we have never really been separate from the natural world. We are made of it.
What does it mean to say the Four Elements are everywhere? It means sanctuary is closer than we think. The Buddha taught that our bodies and the whole living world share the same four great elements: earth (solidity), water (cohesion and flow), fire (warmth), and air (movement). Through the traditional practice of attending to the elements (catu-dhātu-vavatthāna), we sit with each one in turn and feel it directly in the body. The firmness of bones, the flow of blood, the warmth of the belly, the rise and fall of breath. Over time, this quiet attention softens our rigid ideas about who we are and lets us rest in something simpler and more spacious.
Our day is also inspired by the ecodharma teachings of Joanna Macy, the Buddhist scholar and beloved elder whose Work That Reconnects has helped countless people meet this moment on Earth with open eyes and open hearts. Macy invites us to notice that the skin is not the edge of who we are. The water in our bodies once fell as rain and ran in rivers. The air we breathe has passed through forests and oceans. The warmth in our cells comes, ultimately, from the sun. When we feel the elements this way, practice becomes a homecoming: a felt sense that we belong to the Earth, and that our love for it, and even our grief for what is being lost, are expressions of that belonging rather than burdens to carry alone.
The day moves from gratitude to honoring what our hearts carry for the world, to seeing with new and ancient eyes, and finally to going forth, carrying this care back into our lives and communities.
Whether you’ve practiced for decades or are brand new to meditation, you are so welcome here. Come as you are, step out of the rush of doing, and rest in the simple goodness of being.
Event Details
- Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026
- Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM PT
- Location: Benedict Canyon Retreat House (in person)
- Teachers: Lawrence Schuessler and James Rosser
- Who it’s for: We hold an intentionally inclusive space. Everyone is welcome. All experience levels are warmly welcome.
- Capacity: Limited to 35 participants, so we can hold an intimate, caring container together.
- What to bring: Comfortable layers, shoes for walking outdoors, a journal, a bag lunch, and, if you like, a small natural object (a stone, leaf, shell, or feather) to offer to our shared altar.
What will the day offer:
- Silent Practice. Settle into the nourishing stillness of shared silence, where the quiet of the group helps each of us go a little deeper.
- Outdoor Walking Meditation. Feel the earth beneath your feet, the air on your skin, and the sun’s warmth as we walk slowly and attentively on the land.
- Community Altar. Together we’ll create a living altar from the gifts of the natural world, a simple ritual honoring our connection to one another and to the Earth.
- Reflection & Journaling. Unhurried time to write, reflect, and let the day’s insights settle into your heart.
Morning: Arriving & Grounding
- 10:00 AM – Arrival and settling in
- 12:30 PM – Mindful Lunch (a full hour to rest, eat, and enjoy the grounds)
- 3:00 PM – Closing
Suggested donation: $125
