Date/Time
Date(s) - April 11, 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.
SPRING EQUINOX: Curiosity • Possibility • Becoming
- Vision boards and collage
- Reflective writing
- Exploring personal symbols of growth and change
Spring invites us to notice what is stirring. After loss, parts of ourselves may change, disappear, or slowly reappear in unexpected forms. This gathering is not about “moving on,” but becoming curious about what is emerging now and visualizing what we would like to see growing within. Questions that might arise include – What is growing here? What new questions, desires, identities, or possibilities are asking for attention?
- Space is limited; please register online
- Registration closes Saturday, April 10th 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.