Awakening With Birds: A 3-Day Retreat Experience with Tricia McFarlin and Stuart Nelson
March 27 - 29, 2026
Auspicious Cloud Zen Retreat Center
6650 Trackside Road, Chappell Hill, TX 77426
What is it like to share our lives with birds? What can we learn from this observation? Join Tricia McFarlin and Stuart Nelson for a weekend on the rural grounds of a Zen retreat center, practicing meditation and observing birds. Both Tricia and Stuart are lifelong naturalists.
The days will include vegetarian meals, meditation in the Zendo (meditation hall), along with outdoor walks and stationary observation of the birds of Chappell Hill, Texas. The Texas Blackland Prairie is a rich ecoregion characterized by various wildflowers, grasses, and hardwood species, and is home to many upland wildlife species. Using our senses, we have a chance to witness hawks, songbirds, sparrows, vultures, wrens, and more - we will be surprised!
In addition to meditation times, we will also experience:
Binocular Skills Didactic
Introduction to Birding Didactic
Birds and Life - Discussion
Hearing Birds - Experiential
Morning Bird Walks - Experiental
Afternoon Bird Walks - Experiential
Gestalt Birding Didactic
And surprises!
All accommodations are shared. Meals and accommodations are included in the price. For this special retreat, everyone — members and non-members — will pay the same low rate.