Thaw Out:
a mindfulness course
A FREE FIVE-WEEK ONLINE COURSE FOR AGES ~18 - 35
Shake off the winter and inspire a fresh perspective with mindfulness, nature connection, and peer support. Starts April 4th at 7pm on Zoom.
Cultivate everyday mindfulness and feel more present
Connect with others who are inspired to grow their self-leadership skills
Plant and water the seeds of intention by reflecting on ‘what do I want for myself?’
Develop a regular nature connection practice
Discover how the ‘5 elements’ can guide you to thrive
Join this Free Five-Week Course to:
The Details:
Five Thursday Evening Zoom Calls this Spring:
April 4th
April 11th
April 18th
April 25th
May 2nd
Zoom calls will be from 7 - 8:30 pm ET
Group Chat Thread: Join us on Signal for the course duration to share photos and ongoing digestion from our weekly themes.
Weekly Journal Prompts are sent out each Monday
Replays will be available if you can’t make a live call
Each week we will work with one of the five elements to inspire our self and nature connections.
Space: The Field, Opening to Possibility, Setting Intentions
Earth: The Foundation, Non-Judgmental Awareness, Finding a Sit Spot in Nature
Fire: The Courage, Turning Towards Obstacles with Compassion
Water: The Release, Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You
Air: The Continuation, Connection with Your Web of Support, Commitment to Your Path
Q+A about the course:
Do I need to participate in the live calls to benefit?
No, you do you. Of course, the live calls will give you access to directly working with our facilitators and receiving peer support. Our group chat is additional support for the duration of the course to help you stay accountable to your mindfulness with nature practice and to integrate the material between our calls.
How does the nature connection part work?
As part of the course, you’ll be encouraged to find a ‘Sit Spot’ with nature near you. A Sit Spot is a place where you can slow down, connect to yourself, and observe nature through your senses. Even urban areas have plenty of nature to connect with - a tree you walk by every day, or a local park. Along with our weekly journal prompts for self-reflection, you’ll receive prompts for nature connection. You can share what you discover in our group chat thread.
This course is part of the Yana Program
What is Yana?
Yana is Sarana Institute's young adult-focused program serving those aged ~18-35. For us, it stands for 'Young Adult Nature Awareness', and yāna is also a Buddhist term meaning 'vehicle'. Our intention is to provide a “vehicle” to ride the waves of life with these skills: mindfulness, compassion, nature connection, and food awareness. The Yana program offers online mindfulness and compassion courses, workshops, resources, and our in-person Yana Retreat in August.
Why is This Course Free?
Our Yana programs are sponsored by the Lang Family Foundation. This supports us to reduce registration fees or even offer courses entirely for free! If you have the means to donate we greatly appreciate it. Your contribution helps us to further offset registration fees for the Yana Retreat and provide bursaries for those who need financial assistance.
How Can I Donate to the Yana Fund?
After you submit your registration for this free course you will be taken to our donation page. Any contribution helps! You can also directly donate here.
When and Where is the Yana Retreat?
August 8th - 11th, 2024! Our retreat takes place at Sarana Springs, a 171 acre wildlife refuge outside of Chatsworth, Ontario, approximately 2.5 hours North of Toronto. Taking part in this free course will introduce you to some of the material we’ll be exploring much more in-depth at the retreat. Learn more about the retreat here.
John, Yana Retreat 2023 Participant
“it allowed us to take off the masks we wear every day out in society and feel like we could fully express who we are in a safe environment without judgment.”
Janet Rose, Yana Retreat 2022 Participant