Opening yourself to vulnerability is the first step to harnessing the power of love.
Mark Coleman, MA
Residential Retreat Teacher
Mark Coleman, MA, has a master’s in Clinical Psychology and has trained extensively in the Buddhist tradition, both in the Insight meditation and in the Dzogchen tradition. He is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has taught insight meditation retreats since 1997.
Mark is a life-long nature lover and is passionate about guiding people into the beauty of meditation and nature. He has led wilderness nature retreats worldwide for over twenty years. Through his organization Awake in the Wild Mark leads year long nature meditation teacher trainings in the US and Europe.
Co-founder of the Mindfulness Training Institute Mark also leads year long professional mindfulness teacher trainings in Europe and the US.
He is author of Awake in the Wild - Mindfulness in nature as a path to self-discovery, Make Peace With Your Mind, From Suffering to Peace and his recent book A Field Guide to Nature Meditation.
He lives in Sausalito, Marin and likes nothing more than hiking, biking and kayaking in the outdoors.
Mark Coleman's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
September 27 - October 2, 2026 | Sunday - Friday | 5 nights
The Dharma of Nature: Nature as Refuge, Teacher, Beloved
Spaces Still Available! Through guided nature-based meditations, together we will cultivate embodied mindfulness, deepen our connection to the earth, and awaken to the profound wisdom found in nature. Explore teachings on impermanence, interconnection, and letting go while opening to joy, awe, and inner stillness. This retreat offers a powerful refuge—nourishing the spirit, supporting resilience, and inspiring heartfelt presence in the midst of our changing world.
Mark Coleman
Victoria Cary
Kirsten Rudestam
Lissa Edmond (Teacher in Training)
Fernmarie Rodriguez (Teacher in Training)
Ramona Lisa Ortiz-Smith (Teacher in Training)
Short Program | On-Land
Saturday, October 17 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Power of Loving Awareness: Meeting Adversity with Compassion and Clarity
5 CE Credits. Mindfulness leads to clarity and understanding. Compassion supports caring about life’s challenges. Combined, they allow a kind embrace of the pain and struggles that arise in ourselves, each other, and the world. During this heartfelt day of meditation, we will discover how these qualities help in responding to the stresses that are part of being human. We will explore how they are necessary in any journey of awakening and in learning to live wisely and kindly in the midst of difficulty.
Mark Coleman
Short Program | Online
Saturday, October 17 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Power of Loving Awareness: Meeting Adversity with Compassion and Clarity
5 CE Credits. Mindfulness leads to clarity and understanding. Compassion supports caring about life’s challenges. Combined, they allow a kind embrace of the pain and struggles that arise in ourselves, each other, and the world. During this heartfelt day of meditation, we will discover how these qualities help in responding to the stresses that are part of being human. We will explore how they are necessary in any journey of awakening and in learning to live wisely and kindly in the midst of difficulty.
Mark Coleman
Retreat | On-Land
November 27 - November 30, 2026 | Friday - Monday | 3 nights
The Gift of Loving Awareness: Embracing Life with Wisdom & Kindness
Spaces Still Available! Mindfulness and love are essential qualities of an awakened life. When awareness and compassion are integrated, they offer a wise and tender way of meeting whatever arises within ourselves, our relationships, and the world. This retreat invites you to cultivate loving awareness through mindfulness and heart-opening practices, supporting clarity, kindness, and resilience. Together, we will explore how to meet life’s challenges with greater ease, understanding, and an open, responsive heart.
Training | Online
January 20 - January 21, 2027 | 6-Month Hybrid Training
Leading with Mindfulness and Wisdom: A Regenerative Training for Environmental (Applications are closed. Join the waitlist.)
Explore timeless wisdom and practical mindfulness tools and techniques uniquely adapted for this time that support awareness, balance and resilience. Through residential retreats, online group sessions and peer support, the training supports not only professional life, but personal life and community, while creating space to draw inspiration from our love for the Earth. This program supports you in strengthening your skills to manifest impact in your community and organization.
Retreat | On-Land
March 31 - April 5, 2027 | Wednesday - Monday | 5 nights
Awake in the Wild: Contemplating Joy, Wisdom, and Wonder in Nature
Registration Open. For centuries, the natural world has offered a direct path to presence, insight, and renewal. On this silent retreat in the hills and meadows of Spirit Rock, we practice outdoors, guided by the living world. Nature becomes both teacher and mirror, revealing impermanence, interdependence, and the ease of letting go. Through embodied mindfulness, we rediscover quiet joy, wonder, and belonging, supported by silence and community, returning to a deeper sense of connection.
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | On-Land
Monday, October 19 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Mark Coleman
Drop-in | Online
Monday, October 19 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Mark Coleman
Drop-in | On-Land
Monday, November 9 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Mark Coleman
Drop-in | Online
Monday, November 9 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Mark Coleman
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Mark Coleman through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.
