I take my meditation practice outdoors because being in nature organically draws forth awareness, curiosity, and an intimate connection with life. Have you ever noticed how you become naturally more present as you step outside? In being outdoors with awareness, nature begins to reveal your own nature. They are not different.
Mark Coleman, MA
Residential Retreat Teacher
Mark Coleman, MA, has a master’s in Clinical Psychology and has trained extensively in the Buddhist tradition, both in the Insight meditation and in the Dzogchen tradition. He is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has taught insight meditation retreats since 1997.
Mark is a life-long nature lover and is passionate about guiding people into the beauty of meditation and nature. He has led wilderness nature retreats worldwide for over twenty years. Through his organization Awake in the Wild Mark leads year long nature meditation teacher trainings in the US and Europe.
Co-founder of the Mindfulness Training Institute Mark also leads year long professional mindfulness teacher trainings in Europe and the US.
He is author of Awake in the Wild - Mindfulness in nature as a path to self-discovery, Make Peace With Your Mind, From Suffering to Peace and his recent book A Field Guide to Nature Meditation.
He lives in Sausalito, Marin and likes nothing more than hiking, biking and kayaking in the outdoors.
Mark Coleman's Upcoming Programs
Class Series | Online
February 13 - June 26, 2026 | 11 Fridays
Holding Ground: Inner Resilience for Environmental Changemakers
This training supports activists, changemakers, and earthkeepers in cultivating resilience amid intersecting crises. Through mindfulness, compassion, and nature-based practice, participants strengthen their capacity to stay connected and engaged in the work of justice and ecological renewal. Together we explore ways to meet grief and uncertainty, nurture joy and meaning, and build communities of mutual support grounded in our shared belonging and collective action to defend and sustain life.
Retreat | On-Land
May 24 - May 29, 2026 | Sunday - Friday | 5 nights
Finding Refuge, Finding Home: A Retreat in Nature
Spaces Still Available! In the storms of our lives, we need refuge—a place of nourishment and support where we can replenish our tired bodies and troubled hearts. When the Buddha taught meditation, his first instruction was to go sit under a tree. Together, we’ll tap into the natural stillness and dynamism that surrounds us. Supported by our connection with the natural world, we can move toward being active participants in the world while maintaining balance and ease in our hearts and minds.
Retreat | On-Land
September 27 - October 2, 2026 | Sunday - Friday | 5 nights
Nature of Dharma: Nature as Refuge, Teacher, Beloved
Spaces Still Available! Through guided nature-based meditations, together we will cultivate embodied mindfulness, deepen our connection to the earth, and awaken to the profound wisdom found in nature. Explore teachings on impermanence, interconnection, and letting go while opening to joy, awe, and inner stillness. This retreat offers a powerful refuge—nourishing the spirit, supporting resilience, and inspiring heartfelt presence in the midst of our changing world.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Mark Coleman through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.
