When we're around other humans, beloved as we are, we self-reference in a way that seems to be distinct from almost all other species. Our lives, our thoughts, our preoccupation with ourselves… we tend to ruminate. Then we come outside, and as we cultivate mindful presence, our attention goes outwards. This is why I always tell people “go outside!” It shifts our attention from this self-preoccupation—which is often painful, negative, or catastrophizing—to present-moment reality. So we walk outside, we sit, we live, and we start being influenced by this beautiful, natural world. There's no problem to fix and no self to be improved. It’s just this.
Talks
June 2, 2023
| 56 min.
Awakening in Nature through Insight into Interconnection and Anatta
Mark Coleman
![Mark Coleman](https://www.spiritrock.org/uploads/team-photos/teachers/_600x750_crop_center-center_none/Spirit-Rock-Teacher-Mark-Coleman-9-14-23.jpg)
Mark Coleman
Residential Retreat Teacher
Mark has trained extensively in the Buddhist tradition. He is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock, an author and has taught insight meditation since 1997.
Mark has led wilderness nature retreats worldwide for two twenty decades and leads leads year long nature meditation teacher trainings in the US and Europe.