Awakening the Earth Holder
Join us for a 4-day EcoDharma retreat with Larry Ward and Joe Reilly
Meditation Forest at Seven Oaks
Grounded in the understanding that the Earth is our mother and all beings are our relatives, this retreat invites you to explore mindfulness and meditation practices to help embody the call to hold, protect and preserve the Earth. This is the same aspiration shared thousands of years ago by the Earth Holder Bodhisattva, Dharanimdhara, from the Lotus Sutra.
Through the lens of both ancient Buddhist sutras and indigenous traditions, Larry and Joe will guide you in deepening your connection to the Earth and embracing the call to protect and preserve our shared home.
This retreat offers a unique blend of teachings and practices from Plum Village, the Lotus Institute, Indigenous wisdom, and the Vipassana background of Insight Meditation.
Registration is handled by the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. Click the button below to learn more and apply today. This retreat is expected to sell out quickly, so please register as soon as possible.
March 20–23, 2025
Seven Oaks Retreat Center
Madison, Virginia
Larry Ward
Dr. Larry Ward is a renowned poet, writer, and spiritual teacher known for his wisdom, clarity, and depth of insight. He is the Co-founder and Executive Director of The Lotus Institute and the acclaimed author of America’s Racial Karma: An Invitation to Heal. A senior Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, Dr. Ward was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh and carries the Dharma name True Great Sound.
Holding a PhD in Religious Studies with a focus on Buddhism and the neuroscience of meditation, Dr. Ward blends scholarship with lived experience. His teaching is a dynamic tapestry of profound insights, personal stories, and a deep commitment to collective healing. With warmth and clarity, he invites others to explore the intersection of spirituality, social transformation, and personal growth.
Joe Reilly
Joe Reilly is on a musical journey of faith and spirit. His songs touch deep reserves of compassion and joy within the hearts of his listeners, giving encouragement to others on the spiritual path and using music as a universal voice of communication and celebration that builds Beloved Community. Joe was raised Catholic and currently studies and practices progressive Catholicism, Native American spirituality, and engaged Buddhism. Joe has been a student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh since 2004 and is often found singing and writing songs on spiritual retreats. Reflective of the diverse traditions that guide his path, Joe has brought his music into Ba’hai, Buddhist, and Jewish Temples, Catholic, Methodist, Unity, and Unitarian Churches, and many Native American gatherings and ceremonies. Joe is of Italian, Irish, and Native American (Cherokee and Choctaw) ancestry, and lives on Anishinaabe land in what is now called Detroit. Learn more about his work at joereilly.org.