Spirit of Place, Spirit of Earth
An Eco-Justice Training
Friday, June 12 - Sunday, June 14, 2026
"The destiny of humans cannot be separated from the destiny of Earth."
How do we recognize and honor our innate belonging to the Earth? How is this sense of ecological belonging a spiritual and religious matter? What does it teach us about justice, and how do we tend it within our communities and across the bounds of space, time, and species? How are these lessons learned and felt from direct experience with the land?
The Center for Earth Ethics will explore these questions and more at our faith, spirituality and climate training, which is returning to the Hudson Valley this June. Since 2016, CEE has hosted trainings to strengthen our awareness of our connections with the land and with one another, and discern ways to respond to the climate and ecological crises. As the interconnected web of life experiences strain and faces potential collapse, this communal work of reflection becomes an essential source of vitality to strengthen us for the work ahead.
This program, designed for leaders and members of all faiths and spiritual traditions, will address climate science and policy, bioregionalism, environmental and climate justice, spiritual and religious perspectives on ecological belonging, and the power of collective action and moral courage. We will share skills to offer spiritual support and pastoral care, co-create ritual and ceremony, communicate science through an ethical lens, and learn from the land and waters. The program will run from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening with an optional stay through Sunday morning.
The training will be held at The Ashokan Center, New York State’s oldest environmental education center. Adjacent to the Esopus Creek and Ashokan Reservoir in the Catskills foothills, the Ashokan Center is powered by 100% renewable energy. Our program will integrate the outdoor classroom, forest and waterways of this special site. Miles of hiking trails, kayaks and a wood-heated sauna are available to participants, alongside a fully vegetarian, high-quality menu. Participants may stay on-site or commute from home. Learn more about the Center’s facilities.
The priority application deadline is April 30; the general application is May 15.
Details & Location
Friday, June 12 – Sunday, June 14, 2026
The Ashokan Center
477 Beaverkill Road
Olivebridge, NY 12461
Sliding scale fee (more details below)
We gratefully acknowledge the support and collaboration of New York Disaster Interfaith Services.
Presenters and Facilitators
Rev. Kathryn Beilke
(Beyond Plastics)
Olivia “Liv” Watyana’li:yo Bigtree
(Onyota’a:ka (People of the Standing Stone), Turtle Clan, Haudenosaunee; Skywoman’s Forever Farm)
Dr. Susan Bodnar
(Development, Ecopsychology and Wellness Lab, Teachers College)
Sister Carol DeAngelo
(Religious Organizations Along River)
Dr. Kathleen Deignan
(Iona University)
Tory Field
(Center for Earth Ethics)
Amy Gillingham
(Wild Roots Farm)
Wes Gillingham
(Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Catskill Mountainkeeper)
Dr. Joshua Ginsberg
(Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies)
Karenna Gore
(Center for Earth Ethics)
Tim Guinee
(The Climate Reality Project)
Poppy Jones
(Phytotherapy for Land and Soul, Ouroboros)
Victoria Loorz
(Church of the Wild)
Dr. Erin Lothes
(Bethany Center for Ecological Education)
Rachel Marco-Havens
(Butterfly Movement, Woodstock Chamber)
Imam Adé Mendes
(Yoruba, International Sufi School of Peace and Service)
Dr. Sarah Nahar
(The Work That Reconnects, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry)
Del Orloske
(The Ashokan Center)
Samrat Pathania
(New Yorkers for Clean Power, New Paltz Climate Action Coalition)
Kenny Perkins
(Native Food Hub Alliance)
Veronica Raya
(Cetiliztli Nauhcampa Danza Mexica)
Rev. Thia Reggio
(Second Presbyterian Church NYC)
Michael Richardson
(Third Act Upstate NY, Rivers & Mountains Greenfaith)
Dr. Shannon Roback
(Riverkeeper)
Jeanne Shenandoah
(Onondaga, Haudenosaunee)
Rev. Dr. Gregory Simpson
(Center for Earth Ethics, Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church)
Grandmother Clara Soaring Hawk
(Ramapough Munsee Lenape)
Alexie Torres
(Jubilee Gift Galaxy, Soul of the Movement)
Erin Lothes
Sarah Nahar
Del Orloske
Shannon Roback
Thia Reggio
Key Training Areas
Place-Based Insights for Global Understandings
Connect with local land, waterways and living systems, and explore local advocacy and conservation efforts as a pathway for engaging global environmental issues.
Pastoral Care & Spiritual Support
Practice your skills for supporting individuals and communities through the range of emotions that many are experiencing, including anger, shame, grief and anxiety.
Ethical Communication
Engage prophetic traditions and truth-telling modalities, drawing on sacred texts and teachings, storytelling, and learning from the land.
Key Training Areas
The training will address three key areas.
Practical Action
Practical action sessions will focus on disaster preparedness and resilience efforts.
Pastoral Care & Spiritual Support
Spiritual support sessions will focus on those aspects of leadership that some faith traditions categorize as “pastoral care,” with attention to the ways in which many people process this crisis through the lens of their faith traditions.
Ethical Communication
Ethical communication sessions will engage the prophetic – or truth-telling – aspects of faith traditions, including the exploration of sacred texts and teachings, storytelling and application of moral reasoning.
CEE’s 2025 Climate Training at the Ashokan Center
Eligibility
Members of all faiths and spiritual traditions are encouraged to apply; preference will be given to those in the Hudson River Watershed, including New York City. This program is especially suited for religious leaders, educators, community organizers and others engaged in faith-based leadership or environmental work. No prior background in climate science is required. Participants should be willing to engage in dialogue across traditions and spend time outdoors.
Cost
Sliding scale: $25 / $75 / $150 — We believe financial barriers should not prevent anyone from participating. Choose the amount that reflects your circumstances. Paying toward the higher end helps subsidize others. No explanation is needed.
Accommodation
We welcome commuter (day) participants and can offer the option to stay onsite at The Ashokan Center on Friday and Saturday nights. Onsite accommodations include designated campsites where you can pitch your own tent (the fee for tenting is $16 per person per night) as well as single and mixed gender bunkrooms (dorm style sleeping spaces) (the bunkroom fee is $50 per person per night). Financial assistance available.
Please note that, while most of the facility is non-smoking, there are designated smoking areas that we can direct you to.
On Food and Faith
Our 2019 training explored climate change's impact on farming and food security, empowering participants to take action in a ways that align with their deepest values.
On Water and Faith
Our 2018 training examined cycles of water that give life to our planet are in distress due to climate change, mismanagement, and pollution.
A Multi-Faith Approach
Our 2017 training explored how faith traditions view the Earth and how different communities have confronted the ecological crisis.
The Gospel in the Ecological Crisis
Our 2016 training addressed the role of Christian churches, clergy and communities in addressing the climate crisis and a changing world.
