MINDFUL BY NATURE
Book & Workshops
The book points the way to a better approach to living one’s life and, in doing so, to better protecting our precious planet. It is truly inspiring.
Don Rakow
Professor, Author and Founder of Nature Rx
In these troubled times where the world is burning—both literally and figuratively—the stories and exercises act as a much-needed balm that inspires readers to engage with the natural world and its beauty in subtle and profound ways.
Dawn Mauricio
Author and Buddhist Meditation Teacher
If you desire to establish a deep and heartfelt connection to the natural world, let this book be your guide.
Lang Elliot
Author, Speaker, Cinematographer and Sound Recordist
Mindful by Nature Workshops
Journey into the fields and forests with trusted local naturalists and meditation instructors. Together we will explore our own inner nature while strengthening connections to the more than human world. It has perhaps never been more important to have a deep sense of place, an understanding of our own true nature and to foster community and belonging. Through seasonal workshops with a focus on mindfulness, movement, nature awareness practices and community building we will do just that!
_JPG.jpg)
Tim Drake
For over twenty-five years Tim has worked in the field of education focused on nature connection, mindfulness and environmental studies. His passion for fostering supportive and nurturing learning environments led him to develop heart centered, environmental education programs at Ithaca College and Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension in Ithaca NY. In these programs thousands of youths and adults have spent tens of thousands of hours in the forest and natural areas. These programs include a year-round forest preschool, summer camps, after school and homeschool programs, college courses and workshops.
Tim has trained in wilderness and naturalist skills with the Wilderness Awareness School, the Institute for Natural Learning, The Tracker School, The Vermont Wilderness School, and The Northeast School of Botanical Medicine.
Tim has had a nature-based awareness practice for 25 years and a formal meditation practice for over a decade. In 2021 he received his certification as a Mindfulness Meditation Instructor after completing an intensive two-year training with prominent leaders in the field, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. In addition, he received instructor training in Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and has studied with American Buddhist Author and teacher Pema Chodron, author and Neuroscientist Rick Hanson as well as author and Mindfulness Instructor Dawn Mauricio.
About The Authors
Dr. Jason Hamilton
Jason is a Professor in the Department of the Environment at Ithaca College. He is a wildlife tracking instructor, education Director for Ithaca College Natural Lands reserve system, a Master Beekeeper and facilitator for the Cornell Master Beekeeper Certification Program, He received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and a second Ph.D. in plant ecology from U.C. Santa Barbara. He held a postdoctoral research associateship in ecophysiology and global change biology at the University of Illinois before joining the faculty at Ithaca College in 2001.
Jason’s research focus is sustainability science, the new discipline that considers humans and their local and global environments as one socio-ecological system and has given lectures across the country on sustainability and climate change.
Jason’s passion in teaching is providing students opportunities for experiential, integrative, transformative, education. He founded the Ithaca College natural reserve system and created the concept of living college classrooms (designated outdoor spaces for teaching) which are used when teaching classes he developed such as Environmental Sentinels, Farming the Forest, Tracking and the Art of Seeing, and Introduction to Herbalism.
Drawing on 40 years of meditation experience and formal and informal study in the Theravada and Zen traditions, Jason worked with Tim to develop the Ithaca College course Mindful by Nature. Starting in the natural classroom of the IC Natural Lands and continuing online through the COVID-19 lockdowns, this class helps students from across the College to deepen their connection to the natural world.
