November 12 from 9:30 am - 4:00 pm at Mercy by the Sea in Madison, CT

About this Offering

Living Earth, Living Cosmos will invite participants into an immersive, daylong experience of spiritual renewal through deep connection with our planetary home. In the quieting days of late autumn, the season offers its own invitation to slow down—to turn inward while remaining deeply attuned to the living world around us. 

We will begin by watching “Journey of the Universe,” an Emmy Award-winning film that weaves together science and ancient spiritual wisdom to tell the epic story of cosmic evolution. From there, participants will journey through the Cosmic Walk, an embodied ritual experience of the 13.8-billion-year Universe Story, held along a 138-foot spiral beside the expansive sea. Moving through deep time, we will reflect on our interconnectedness with all life—from cells to animals to stars bringing forth the elements of our bodies—and what it means to participate creatively in the unfolding story of Earth. 

In our afternoon session, we will come more fully into our Earthly being and into the aliveness of the season. With the cyclical release of leaves and the long migration of birds, the landscape gradually becomes subdued in sights and sounds, opening a sense of spaciousness as the darker days draw us toward stillness. We will explore the wisdom of this season through practices of release, rest and simplicity. Opportunities to connect with the land and sea will be offered through a series of sensory meditations that invite us to awaken to the sacredness of life and renew our kinship with the natural world. 

As we gather into a season of gratitude, we will consider what it means to receive the gifts of the Earth—and to recognize our place within the larger story of life. Our time together will conclude with a final reflection that unites our Cosmic and Earthly connections, from stars to falling leaves, from the vastness of deep time to the sea that laps the shore. Participants will leave with a renewed sense of belonging, discovering that our place in the Cosmos is at once vast and intimate, ancient and alive.

About the presenters

Regan Stacey is an artist, teacher, and guide who weaves together sensory awareness, creative practice, and 
contemplative ways of knowing, inviting participants to encounter the Earth with greater intimacy and wonder—and 
to rediscover the ways this remembering can nourish our lives, our communities, and the living Earth of which we are 
a part. She is the founder and lead instructor of The Forest Therapy School, a forest therapy guide training program, 
and offers forest bathing and mindfulness-in-nature retreats. Learn more about Regan at https://reganstacey.com/.

Sam King is an educator, writer, facilitator and environmentalist. He serves as a Researcher for the Yale Forum on 
Religion and Ecology and Project Manager for the Emmy Award-winning “Journey of the Universe” film and 
multimedia project, where he curates a monthly newsletter and hosts a podcast inviting audiences into a deeper 
understanding of what it means to be woven into the 13.8-billion-year story of the cosmos. Learn more about Sam at 
https://fore.yale.edu/About-Us/Who-We-Are/Our-Team.