While the restorative power of time well-spent in nature is undeniable, developing techniques for tapping into the art of mindfulness can really boost these benefits. Liz Korabek-Emerson, owner of Korabek Training, is a MTI certified mindfulness teacher and has found Creek Farm to be an ideal setting for demonstrating her approach. 

Liz welcomes you to join her for weekly sessions at Creek Farm Thursday mornings July – September 8:00 – 8:45 AM (weather permitting). Session are open to everyone and include both sitting and walking meditation. 

By Liz Korabek-Emerson

About five years ago, I was searching for a location in the Portsmouth, NH area where I could offer outdoor meditation during the summer months. I had been leading a year-round meditation group at a local tai chi studio and wanted to expand my offerings. I continued searching until I discovered Creek Farm. Although I’ve lived in the area for several decades, I had never been to the property. It is one of Portsmouth’s best kept secrets! 

It has everything I was looking for—a beautiful view of the water, spacious grounds, a quiet atmosphere, plenty of parking, and even a stone wall to provide easy seating. Forest Society president, Jack Savage generously agreed to support meditation at Creek Farm as an experiment that first summer, and I have continued to offer weekly meditation at Creek Farm every year since. 

The sessions have attracted both novice and experienced meditators. Sometimes they are people on their way to work in town, local retirees or visitors from away. During the lock-down it gave people an opportunity to gather safely and find solace together. For many people, it was their first visit to Creek Farm and were then inspired to explore other areas of the property such as the boat launch or hiking trails.  

One of the benefits of practicing mindfulness meditation outdoors is that it encourages people to expand their idea of what meditation is and how to do it. While some think of meditation as doing “nothing” or as a way of relating to our internal thoughts, being outdoors helps us to open up to the joy of our senses and welcome all of our experience into the moment. This includes the sound of the songbirds, the breeze off the water, the expansiveness of the sky, the companionship of tall trees, and the groundedness of the land that holds us. 

The more we can connect to these experiences through our senses, the more we can come home to being in our bodies and bring this feeling of an embodied presence into our everyday life. We can then show up better for ourselves, our communities and the environment. 

For weather updates or cancelations, check the calendar page on korabektraining.com