Presented by the Center for Sacred Space with Support from Contemplative Outreach
Dr. William Thiele, PhD, will facilitate a day retreat, lunch provided, at the Naval Life Oak National Seashore, Gulf Breeze, Florida, on Saturday, March 21, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Central Time
Join us as we practice spiritual truths from Mary Oliver’s poem, “When I Am Among the Trees.” (Click here to read.) Dr. Thiele will lead us in learning divine truths of contemplative living from the nature beings all around us, tapping into the feeling of oneness with all beings in the natural world, and letting go of the illusions of separation from God and from one another. This will be an experiential contemplative retreat with a theme of “Walk Slowly and Bow Often: Eco Spirituality as a Contemplative Practice." We will weave centering practice (inner sanctuary) into Eco-practice (outer sanctuary), dissolving the illusion of separation, “holding space for the sacred within and wherever we go.” Our inspirational verse is Genesis 28:10-17, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven.”
Who is Dr. Thiele? William Thiele, PhD, is a spiritual director, licensed professional counselor, retreat leader, Compassion Cultivation Training teacher, and author of books & articles on contemplative living. He has authored the books The Gate of Heaven is Everywhere and Monks in the World: Seeking God in a Frantic Culture. He publishes "A Contemplative Path" podcast on iTunes and blogs on Wordpress.com
What Do I Need to Bring? You will need to bring a chair and a water bottle. You may wish to also bring a journal/notebook. This event will take place entirely outdoors in the forest, so we also encourage hats, comfortable clothing, and sunscreen.
Accessibility notice: just a heads up that we will be going through sand on this forest path. We want everyone to feel welcome, so let us know if we can assist.
How Do I Get There? We will meet at the Naval Live Oaks Area picnic pavilion, located near the park's headquarters building on the north side of Highway 98.
Going east on Highway 98, you will see a sign for the National Seashore Bayside. Just past this sign, the entrance will be on your left. You will cross over two lanes of traffic and follow the road to the end.
If you are traveling west on Hwy 98, there will be a National Seashore Sign on your right, and you will turn right into the entrance just past the sign. Follow the road to the end.
Call if you need assistance, Kaye Westmark 850-516-7812.