Date/Time
Date(s) - January 17, 2027
10:30 am - 1:30 pm
Categories
Seasonal gatherings at Hoyt Arboretum with Clara-Julia Peru offer a nature-centered space for you to spend time with grief rather than fix, resolve, or move beyond it. Mindful walking, artistic expression, sensory practices, and community reflection help us understand that grief is not linear. As the seasons shift between growth and dormancy, abundance and release, grief may feel different from one day, month, or year to the next.
Each gathering includes mindful forest walking, creative expression (writing, collage, photography, nature art, etc.), guided grief circle, as well as gentle sensory and somatic practices inspired by neuroarts research. All forms of grief are welcome – bereavement, anticipatory grief, life transitions, divorce, ecological grief, burnout, identity shifts, and other experiences of loss.
WINTER SOLSTICE: Stillness • Sensation • Sanctuary
- Watercolor
- Aromatherapy and sensory exploration
- Guided reflction and community witnessing
Winter invites us inward. In a culture that often encourages productivity and moement, this retreat explores the value of pause, rest, and sensory awareness. Participants are invited to listen to the quieter landscapes of grief and to notice what emerges when nothing needs to be fixed. Consider questions such as – What is asking for refuge? What happens when we stop pushing against our experience?
- Space is limited; please register online
- Registration closes Saturday, January 16th at 4:00pm
- Class details will be emailed closer to the program date
About the Instructor: Clara-Julia Peru is a poet, photographer, eco-collagist, and nature guide from Marseille, France, based in Oregon. She is the founder of CIJIPI, an initiative at the intersection of art, nature, and healing. Her work draws on a background in literature, art history, and trauma-informed care, offering workshops that support emotional resilience and creative empowerment through seasonality and nature-based practices. She guides participants with trust, respect, and a focus on resilience and self-empowerment, integrating her training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Psychological and Mental Health First Aid, and as a Wilderness First Responder. Clara-Julia is also featured in the NeuroArts Resource Center (NRC) for her innovative contributions to the growing field of arts in health and nature therapy.
Hoyt Arboretum Friends Education Policies:
Read our adult education policies HERE.
If you qualify for an Oregon income assistance program, please email [email protected] for details about further discounted program rates.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Hoyt Arboretum Friends member for discounted program rates, please click HERE.