Plug Into the 'Wood Wide Web' at Kripalu

The last couple of years has been a time of intense transformation individually and collectively. Before the pandemic, the average American was spending 11 hours a day on a screen and over 90% of their lives indoors.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, some people found themselves with time and space to go outside more, while others found themselves chained to a laptop working remotely, and hardly ever leaving their apartments. Trailheads were full of cars, offices and restaurants were empty. Strange, complex juxtapositions. Meanwhile, huge amounts of the population were or are thinking about changing careers.

One effect of such a massive disruption of societal routines is the time to reflect on what’s important. So many people had the time to stop and think about how they were choosing to spend their time. Many found themselves in the woods, on the trail, by the water, or looking out the window at the birdfeeder and discovering something important and powerful; they were finding joy, they were finding peace, they were finding connection.

In 2018, I started a brand-new school at Kripalu. I train people to become what we call, “mindful outdoor guides”. The Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership is a training program where people who value the practice of mindfulness and being in nature can combine their passions while helping others connect with the “more than human world.”  We combine simple mindfulness practices with naturalist studies such as birding, tracking, and tree connection, with seasonal living informed by Ayurveda, and earth-based ancestral skills like birthing fire with flint and steel.

Mindful Outdoor Guides are helping communities reconnect with the wisdom of the living earth one mindful outdoor experience at a time. Come learn with us and help others reconnect with the earth.

On Campus Trainings