For Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color
“The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
Join us on this fall Saturday for a journey into nature — a time to reconnect with both the natural world and ourselves. Throughout the hike, we’ll weave in various nature meditations, embracing silence as a key element for introspection and transformation. This is a chance to unwind and restore. It’s also an opportunity to understand our relationship to nature in both its simplicity and complexity.
“We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world.” — Robin Wall Kimmerer
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As teachers, we always begin every session of practice (whether inside or outdoors) with three honorings: honoring native land, honoring practice lineages, & honoring personal ancestors.
But what does it mean to honor native land in a culture rampant with the destruction and desecration of nature? How do we heed the call of indigenous communities who insist that land acknowledgements are not enough? How do we forge a connection to the Earth that goes beyond ideas of ownership and extraction (even recreational extraction) to ones of reciprocity and stewardship? How do we cultivate a restoration of relationship to nature?
Rising 900 feet above seal level, Anthony’s Nose is just an hour from the city. There we can embark on a meditative hike through the beauty of the Hudson Valley while exploring practices and inquiries to investigate the above questions and more.
“Land is the basis of all independence. Land is the basis of freedom, justice, and equality.” — Malcom X
Hike Info
This is an easy-intermediate hike of about 4 miles. We will walk at a slow to moderate pace and take breaks. However, some of the climbs are slightly steep and not appropriate for those who cannot handle upwards or downwards inclines.
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Who: Lin Wang Gordon and Sebene Selassie
When: 8:30am-5pm, Saturday, September 7, 2024
Where: Anthony’s Nose, Cortlandt, NY; trail begins in Bear Mountain State Park
Train Meeting Location and Time: Approximately 8:30am at the clock, Grand Central or 10am at the Manitou train station, Metro North, Hudson Line. We’ll be taking the 8:50am train up. Once we all meet up at the Manitou train station, we will walk to the trailhead (about 1.3 miles).
Driving and Parking: There are two trailheads. The one we will begin from is located just off the Bear Mountain Bridge of Route 9D, on the east side. You will find the start of the trail on the right-hand side of the road if you are traveling from south to north. There is only roadside parking available at this trailhead. Fellow hikers will park their cars along both sides of the road.
Space is very limited and goes very quickly. You will want to arrive early for this hike to avoid missing out on a spot. Also, make sure to park in a designated parking area, so you don’t risk getting an expensive ticket.
No prior meditation experience needed.
Bring
- Your lunch and snacks
- At least 1.5 liters of water
- Organic tick repellent (optional)
- Organic bug repellent (optional)
Wear
- What to Wear Hiking
- Hiking shoes (sneakers may not grab trails well)
Registration Fee:
Sliding Scale: Need-Based: $50, Standard: $80, Pay-It-Foward: $120
Facilitators:
I am a writer, teacher and speaker who explores the paradoxes & possibilities of belonging through meditation, creativity and nature-based practices.
I’ve studied meditation, spirituality, art, and the esoteric for over thirty years and am gifted at teaching profound truths using contemplative, creative & culturally relevant practices that are engaging and joyful.
Lin Wang Gordon
Lin has studied insight meditation (Vipassana) for over a decade and in recent years, she has studied from the Tibetan Dzogchen traditions.
In particular, she was moved by the power of nature meditation to connect with a deep sense of love, wonder, resilience, and belonging. She graduated from Mark Coleman’s Awake in the Wild Nature Meditation Teacher Training and has learned to lead ecodharma retreats from David Loy and Johann Robbins. She is enrolled in the Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Community Dharma Leaders Program (CDL7). She co-hosts the Sacred Earth Sangha of the New York Insight Meditation Center, and taught at various retreat centers.