The Ecology of Resilience:
Rhythms of Earth and Heart
High Hope Ranch
Glen Rose, Texas, April 25–27, 2025
“There is no human flourishing without Mother Earth flourishing.”
The Ecology of Resilience is a fun three-day eco retreat at High Hope Ranch in Glen Rose, Texas. Rooted in eco mindfulness, somatic movement, and the transformative power of song and music, this retreat invites you to connect deeply with the land, yourself, and warm + welcoming community.
“If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear. People who can open to the web of life that called us into being, and who can rest in the vitality of that larger body.”
— Joanna Macy
This program invites you to explore how the patterns of the natural world mirror and inform our inner lives.
The program weaves movement, discussion, and community building into an exploration of the relationship between our inner/outer landscapes and emotional resilience.
You will learn ways to slow down, attune to the present moment, and listen to the subtle wisdom of the body and land.
Together, we create a supportive space to process the emotions stirred by today’s ecological and social challenges, learning ways to transform them into compassion, courage, and meaningful action.
This offering supports you in accessing your fullest potential while honoring your unique gifts and life circumstances.
By reconnecting with the living land, you will leave with a renewed sense of ecological belonging and practical skills for sustaining connection and resilience in your life.
Interested participants have the opportunity to serve as MBEI Eco Ambassadors in their home communities and work places.
Program Objectives
Cultivate ecological awareness through somatic practices that align with the natural rhythms and cycles of nature.
Foster a sense of belonging and community through shared experiences of movement, meditation, and reflection.
Explore the deeper patterns, worldviews, and mindsets that shape our understanding of ourselves and our inner/outer nature.
Build emotional resilience by exploring grief, fear, and anxiety related to ecological challenges and transforming them into hope and purpose.
Empower you with tools for integrating mindfulness, movement, and environmental stewardship into your life.
You may also choose to leverage what you learn in this retreat to continue into our Eco Ambassadors program, dedicated to teaching the eco leadership skills and eco mindfulness practices which you can bring to your home communities and work places.
Dates
April 25-27, 2025
Program fee:
Camping: $200.
Other: $325. There are a very limited number of indoor spaces available.
Financial support opportunities for those 21-35 in age. For information, please email info@mbei.org.
Registration closes April 18.
All proceeds go to support the work we do at the Mind Body Ecology Institute.
Program Structure
Day 1: Arrival
Participants arrive and settle into the program with an opening circle, guided meditation to attune to the land, and an evening somatic practice focused on grounding and presence. The day closes with quiet time for reflection and integration.
Day 2: Community Building and Eco Movement
This day centers exploring interdependence through nature-based somatic movement and eco mindfulness. Sessions alternate between immersive movement practices inspired by the elements and group discussions on belonging and resilience. We will have time for casual community and quiet time for journaling and rest.
Day 3: Integration and Closure
The final day focuses on weaving the experiences of the program into a cohesive whole. We will engage in a collaborative movement practices and share reflections on personal insights and lessons from the land. A closing ceremony honors the connection.
We will explore the intricate interplay between personal well-being, ecological belonging, as well as wise and responsible environmental stewardship.
You have an opportunity to develop an action plan for sharing your skills and knowledge in their communities. Our Eco Ambassadors initiative offers a framework to realize your own unique vision for engaging.
Celebrating a partnership of the Mind Body Ecology Institute, the Dallas Movement Collective, and High Hope Ranch.
Teachers
Supplementary Material
These materials are not mandatory, but you may enjoy a deeper dive into the ideas and practices.
Guy Armstrong, “You Don’t Exist. But You Actually Do. Wait, What?” 10% Happier Podcast, 270.
Rochelle Calvert, Healing with Nature: Mindfulness and Somatic Practices to Heal from Trauma.
Yuria Celidwen, “Indigenous Wisdom,” Mind and Life Institute Podcast, Oct. 21, 2022.
Yuria Celidwen, Why We Need Indigenous Wisdom, Mind and Life Institute, Insights.
Yuria Celidwen, Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Foundations for Collective Well-being.
Yuria Celidwen and Dacher Keltner, “Kin Relationality and Ecological Belonging: A cultural psychology of Indigenous transcendence,” Frontiers in Psychology 14 (2023).
Dekila Chungyalpa, “Mother Wisdom: Learning to Embody Interdependence,” Mind and Life Institute, Insights.
Shaun Gallagher, “Dislocating the Self.”
Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet.
Dacher Keltner, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberrry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.
Patty Krawec, Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future.
David Loy, Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis (Wisdom Publications, 2019).
Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown, Coming Back to Life.
Shelbi Nahwilet Meissner, “Climate Crisis as Relational Crisis: Centering Indigenous Feminist Conceptions of Responsibility in Environmental Discourse,” Feminist Philosophy Quarterly, 10.1/2 (2024).
Jyoti Mishra, “Mindfulness and the Climate Crisis,” Mind and Life Institute, Insights (2023).
Naima Penniman, “Mama Nature told me,” naimainfinity video.
T. N. Ray, Scott A. Franz, Nicole L. Jarrett, Scott M. Pickett, “Nature Enhanced Meditation: Effects on Mindfulness, Connectedness to Nature, and Pro-Environmental Behavior,” Environment and Behavior 53 (2021), 864–890.
Gabrielle Roth, Sweat Your Prayers: The Five Rhythms of the Soul - Movement as Spiritual Practice.
Gabrielle Roth, Maps to Ecstacy: The Healing Power of Movement.
Anita L. Sanchez, The Four-Sacred Gifts: Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times (2017).
Jeff Sebo, Saving Animals, Saving the Planet.
Daniel Wildcat, Indigenuity: Learning the Lessons of Mother Earth (2023).
Daniel Wildcat, Red Alert: Saving the Planet with Indigenous Knowledge (2009)
C. Wolwode, N. Schäpke, O. Bine, S. Vecianaz, I. Kunze, O. Parodi, P. Schweizer-Ries, C. Wamsler, “Inner Transformation to Sustainability as a Deep Leverage Point: Fostering New Avenues for Change through Dialogue and Reflection,” Sustainability Science 16 (2021), 841–858.
