2027 – 2028 Mindfulness Teacher Training
Led by Martin Aylward and Mark Coleman
Starts September 2027
Berkeley, CA
The Mindfulness Training Institute offers professional, yearlong teacher training courses, providing experiential learning, in-depth instruction and practical skills to teach with confidence and clarity. Trainees are educated in the scientific research on mindfulness, contemporary teaching forms and the historical Buddhist context.
2026 – 2027 US-Based Awake in the Wild Teacher Training
Led by Mark Coleman and Lori Schwanbeck
Based in the Western US and Mexico
Applications Closing Soon!
The Awake in the Wild Teacher Training is a ten-month training program to prepare you to skillfully guide mindful nature practices outdoors. Inspired by wisdom teachings from the Buddhist tradition, by Mark’s book, Awake in the Wild, and by the wilderness retreats led by Mark and Lori for more than two decades across the Americas, the Awake in the Wild Teacher Training will prepare you for the unique challenges of facilitating meditation programs in nature, while also drawing on nature as a support for presence, connection, and insight.
Wisdom of Gratitude & Teachings of Nature in Baja
Led by Mark Coleman, Lori Schwanbeck, and Teddi Dean
November 23 – 28, 2026
Modern Elder Academy, Baja, Mexico
Celebrate the season of gratitude by reconnecting with nature and like-hearted humans.
If you’re looking for ways to open your heart and deepen your gratitude for all the myriad aspects of your life – its seasons and cycles, lulls and storms – there is no better teacher than nature.
When you strengthen your sense of connection with the natural world around you – the sky, the elements, the greater forces that are all around us – your mindset broadens. Gratitude blossoms in your heart as you experience the vast beauty of the world and understand that you are part of something so much larger than yourself.
Thanksgiving is a powerful time to tap into the wisdom that nature has to offer – especially for those who are looking for a different way to celebrate the season of gratitude in a way that feels deeply meaningful.
You Are Not Your Fault: Meeting ADHD With Mindfulness, Wisdom, and Compassion
with by Mark Coleman
November 13–15, 2026
Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA
Do you face challenges with focus and time management? Do you struggle with emotional hypersensitivity or frustration tolerance? Do you find it hard to follow through on tasks or commitments? Or to be reliable and consistent? If so, you are not alone.
In this workshop, through engaging in various mindfulness meditations, loving kindness and forgiveness practices and contemplative inquiry, you will discover how these challenges interrupt our functioning, how to navigate them, and how we can meet ourselves with compassion, forgiveness, and a good sense of humor.
