ON SITE: Nature-Based Work Weekend

Update: For this program, all participants must have completed their full course of the Covid-19 vaccination (including the waiting period) by the start of this program. Beds are now being offered in our Lodge in shared accommodations. We will make use of both second floor double rooms and the third floor dormitory. Please name any accommodation preferences in your registration.

Help the Southern Dharma staff care for our beautiful property, while immersing yourself in nature-based meditation practices. All activities including meals will take place outdoors.

Working meditation sessions will include gardening and yard work, painting, seasonal cleaning, trail and road maintenance, and other annual maintenance activities. These sessions will provide participants with an opportunity to practice mindfulness while engaging in everyday activities.

This Memorial Day work weekend is structured as a silent three-night retreat with daily scheduled group meditation sessions, opportunities to share practice notes with other participants, and some optional dharma study around nature and wilderness themes. Participants will be given basic instruction in nature-based meditation and mindful movement. There will be ample time to enjoy the natural beauty and seclusion of Southern Dharma.

Registration is open to both beginners and experienced meditation practitioners. We welcome participants with all levels of outdoor comfort, knowledge and connection, as well as any and all levels of physical ability.

Participants should plan to bring indoor and outdoor work clothes, water-repellent work shoes or boots, indoor shoes or slippers, an outdoor hat, rain gear, and plenty of clothing layers to keep warm and comfortable through weather changes and fluctuating early spring temperatures. Limited indoor accommodations will be available in our single kutis, others are encouraged to bring tents and gear for our rustic campsites. Please indicate your lodging preference during the registration process.

Prepared meals will be served outdoors at breakfast, lunch and dinner starting with dinner on Friday and ending with breakfast on Monday. Meals will be vegan with vegetarian options; additional dietary preferences can be accommodated upon request. The additional cost for the meal plan is $75 per person. There is no charge for use of the outdoor kitchen facilities or food storage areas (including refrigerator space). All participants will have access to filtered spring water, light snacks, tea & coffee.

Meditation guidance and group facilitation will be offered by Sonia Marcus, Southern Dharma’s Interim Executive Director. Sonia has been leading day-long and overnight meditation programs for the last five years with a focus on ecodharma and wilderness-based experiences. She is a certified “Awake in the Wild” teacher as well as a Wilderness First Responder.

All participants will be required to sign Southern Dharma’s Safety Information & Release Form and abide by our Community Covid-19 Agreement, which is designed to minimize transmission risk during on-site programs.