Get out of town and into the wild: Mindful Birding Retreat at Waubonsie State Park
Join ASO and The Naturalist School for a Mindful Birding Retreat on Sunday, May 25 at Waubonsie State Park near Hamburg, Iowa. The retreat will provide a slow-paced, reflective experience intended to build awareness about birds and to develop your sense of connection, creativity and curiosity about the natural world. Leaders from our cohost, The Naturalist School, will take you on a journey to discover new and enlightened ways to interact with nature in your own way. From a bank on the lake, under the boughs of a bur oak, or reclining on a grassy hillside, take in the peaceful beauty and sounds surrounding you — and be inspired. (Poetry, art, journaling, song, meditation and other forms of expression may be included.) Registration is limited to 15 people—please register at least one week before the event using the button at the top of this page.
What to bring: Water and snacks for the morning (lunch if staying on), yoga mat, cushion or blanket for grounding, notebook and pen. (Art supplies will be provided.) Binoculars optional. Park entry is free because you are with us.
More from The Naturalist School:
The Naturalist School Spring 2025 Retreat Series
Polyphonic Frogs and Turtle Moons (part 2 of 3-part retreat series) with special guests from Audubon Society of Omaha.
Sunday May 25th, 9:30 am to Noon (morning session) 1pm to 3pm (unstructured afternoon session). Meet at Washawtee Lodge, Waubonsie State Park near Hamburg Iowa.
On the eve of the New Moon we can enter the spaces between the notes of birdsong and let frogsong vibrate our souls all the way down, every which-way inside and out. As we follow the lunar calendar as charted on the backs of turtles, we open ourselves to the mysteries and phenologies of the New Moon — as together we begin our ascent to summer.
This will be a morning of contemplative birding and embodied awareness. We will seek deep silences as we explore the sacred space between the depth of our desire and the wild creatures that reveal themselves to us. Of course the old saying is true: bird watching goes both ways, and it is a gift to see and be seen, to be present to our wildest kin as fellow earthlings — especially without binoculars and nature apps, cameras and cell service. Warning: may contain poetry and nature nuts.
Retreat Leaders: Angélica Perez, Jack Phillips and Faculty Fellows of The Naturalist School.
Photo: The Naturalist School — Jack Phillips
