Spirit & Place, IU Indianapolis

Intro to Mindful Birding: Put Down a Field Guide, Pick Up Your Feel Guide
2025-11-09 13:30 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Crown Hill Cemetery – Waiting Station, 3402 Boulevard Pl., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.
Mindful birding is a practice combining mindfulness with the joy of birding. Connect with the natural world and the birds that inhabit it, letting go of the need to identify (field guide), to focus on what we notice, feel, and wonder (feel guide).
Mindful Birding invites participants to slow down and connect with the natural world through attentive observation of birds and their habitats. Guided by experienced forest therapy practitioners, attendees will practice mindfulness techniques to enhance awareness, engage all senses, and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the rhythms, sounds, and beauty of local birdlife. This experience fosters calm, curiosity, and connection to both nature and community.
Questions? Contact 303-408-9158 or michmorton14@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Michelle Morton Forest Therapy, Witness Nature Indy, and Crown Hill Foundation.
Registration: Click here to register.

Inner and Outer Space: Celestial Visions and Vibrations - 3 performance times!
2025-11-11 17:30 - 20:30 | The Indianapolis Propylaeum – Carriage House, 1410 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, 46202, United States
Immersive Art & Sound Installation – multiple sessions!
Timed experience. Registration strongly encouraged.
Enter an immersive installation where art and sound evoke the vastness of the universe. Set to a cosmic backdrop of large-scale oil paintings, experience the sounds of space through live gong and theremin performance. Reflect on your inner cosmos in this meditative journey through silence, vibration, and awe.
An intentionally contemplative event, Inner & Outer Space has been designed to limit distractions. Attendees should observe total silence as they expand beyond the earthly experience into the universe itself.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or HariDattiKaur@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Diane Hancock Gong Meditations, Esther Hale Art, Randy Schwartz, and The Indianapolis Propylaeum.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
Tuesday, Nov. 11 — 5:30, 7:00, & 8:30PM
Wednesday, Nov. 12 — 3:30 (daylight show), 6:30, & 8PM
Inner & Outer Space is a timed experience offered 3 times daily, with an early show on Wednesday. Walk-ins may be accommodated as space and timing allows. Advance registration is strongly encouraged to ensure the best possible experience as space is limited.
Arrival Window: Please arrive no later than 10 minutes past your registered start time. Early arrivals may wait in an anteroom where they can interact with the artist.
Silent Reflection: Upon entering the gallery/performance space, feel free to wander among the artwork or choose a seat to quietly reflect and take in the recorded cosmic soundscape. Chairs will be provided. No yoga mats, please. Silence cell phones to preserve the contemplative atmosphere.
Live Performance: The gong and theremin experience begins promptly at 15 minutes past the hour. No late entry will be permitted once the performance begins.
Post-Performance: Guests are welcome to remain in the space for an additional 10–15 minutes of silent reflection after the performance concludes.
The event creators would like to thank The Indianapolis Propylaeum, Heartland Mindfulness Collective, Indy Dream Events, and CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health for their support.

Thin Spaces: Where Heaven Meets Earth
2025-11-12 09:30 - 11:00 | Fort Harrison State Park, 6000 N. Post Rd., Indianapolis, 46216, United States
Free park admission – tell gate attendant you’re there for a Spirit & Place event.
Walk through a peaceful urban park while reflecting on nature’s spiritual power. With pauses for poetry, scripture, and quiet conversation, this contemplative walk explores “thin spaces”—where heaven and earth feel especially close—and invites you to reconnect with self, spirit, and creation.
Join a contemplative walk through Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park, blending movement, reflection, and conversation. Along the Harrison Trace Trail, participants will pause for readings from Biblical and literary texts, explore “thin spaces” where the divine and natural world meet, and engage in quiet meditation. The walk concludes at the Nature Center, where participants learn about the park’s history and restoration. Gentle, reflective, and accessible, this experience invites participants to connect deeply with nature, spirituality, and community.
Questions? Contact 317-359-5467 or events@lutheranfamily.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Lutheran Child & Family Services of IN/KY, Inc.; Indiana Department of Natural Resources at Fort Harrison State Park; and Pastor Dave Schreiber.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details: Meet at the Delaware Lake parking lot. Dress for the weather!

Ft. Harrison State Park, Sven Schumacher

Nature Journaling
2025-11-12 13:00 - 16:00 | Mounds State Park, 4306 Mounds Rd., Anderson, 46017, United States
Outdoor Experience – 3 opportunities at 3 unique venues!
Registration required.
Slow down, observe, and reconnect with nature, yourself, and others. In this guided exercise, you’ll explore the outdoors with a journal in hand, using words, pictures, and numbers to capture your experience and reflect on the wonders of the natural world.
Anyone can journal! Nature journaling is a powerful way to deepen your connection with the natural world. It blends art, science, and mindfulness by encouraging you to observe closely and record what you see, hear, and feel using words, pictures, and numbers. Whether you’re an artist, a writer, or simply someone who loves spending time outdoors, this workshop will help you see nature through a more attentive and reflective lens. We’ll begin with a 30-minute indoor* introduction to the practice of nature journaling, including simple drawing techniques and writing prompts designed to spark curiosity and insight. Then, participants will head outside to explore and journal in a nearby natural space for approximately 90 minutes. The workshop will close with time to share reflections and pages from our journals with one another.
Ideal for adults and families with older children and teens. No previous art or writing experience is necessary.
*NOTES:
The Broad Ripple Family Center and restrooms will be closed in observance of Veteran’s Day. The Nov. 11 journaling session will be entirely outdoors.
There is a $7 vehicle admission fee to Mounds State Park
Questions? Contact 317-372-3936 or jettodd1@me.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between certified nature journaling instructor James Todd, Broad Ripple Park Family Center, Holliday Park, and Mounds State Park.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
NOV. 11 — The Family Center and restroom will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. Meet at the park shelter #13.
NOV. 12 — Meet at the Mounds State Park Nature Center. Park admission is $7/per vehicle.
NOV. 13 — Meet at the Holliday Park Nature Center.

Inner and Outer Space: Celestial Visions and Vibrations - 3 performance times!
2025-11-12 15:30 - 20:00 | The Indianapolis Propylaeum – Carriage House, 1410 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, 46202, United States
Immersive Art & Sound Installation – multiple sessions!
Timed experience. Registration strongly encouraged.
Enter an immersive installation where art and sound evoke the vastness of the universe. Set to a cosmic backdrop of large-scale oil paintings, experience the sounds of space through live gong and theremin performance. Reflect on your inner cosmos in this meditative journey through silence, vibration, and awe.
An intentionally contemplative event, Inner & Outer Space has been designed to limit distractions. Attendees should observe total silence as they expand beyond earthly experience into the universe itself.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or HariDattiKaur@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Diane Hancock Gong Meditations, Esther Hale Art, Randy Schwartz, and The Indianapolis Propylaeum.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
Tuesday, Nov. 11 — 5:30, 7:00, & 8:30PM
Wednesday, Nov. 12 — 3:30 (daylight show), 6:30, & 8PM
Inner & Outer Space is a timed experience offered 3 times daily, with an early show on Wednesday. Walk-ins may be accommodated as space and timing allows. Advance registration is strongly encouraged to ensure the best possible experience as space is limited.
Arrival Window: Please arrive no later than 10 minutes past your registered start time. Early arrivals may wait in an anteroom where they can interact with the artist.
Silent Reflection: Upon entering the gallery/performance space, feel free to wander among the artwork or choose a seat to quietly reflect and take in the recorded cosmic soundscape. Chairs will be provided. No yoga mats, please. Silence cell phones to preserve the contemplative atmosphere.
Live Performance: The gong and theremin experience begins promptly at 15 minutes past the hour. No late entry will be permitted once the performance begins.
Post-Performance: Guests are welcome to remain in the space for an additional 10–15 minutes of silent reflection after the performance concludes.
The event creators would like to thank The Indianapolis Propylaeum, Heartland Mindfulness Collective, Indy Dream Events, and CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health for their support.

Nature Journaling
2025-11-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Holliday Park Nature Center, 6363 Spring Mill Rd., Indianapolis, 46260, United States
Outdoor Experience – 3 opportunities at 3 unique venues!
Registration required.
Slow down, observe, and reconnect with nature, yourself, and others. In this guided exercise, you’ll explore the outdoors with a journal in hand, using words, pictures, and numbers to capture your experience and reflect on the wonders of the natural world.
Anyone can journal! Nature journaling is a powerful way to deepen your connection with the natural world. It blends art, science, and mindfulness by encouraging you to observe closely and record what you see, hear, and feel using words, pictures, and numbers. Whether you’re an artist, a writer, or simply someone who loves spending time outdoors, this workshop will help you see nature through a more attentive and reflective lens. We’ll begin with a 30-minute indoor* introduction to the practice of nature journaling, including simple drawing techniques and writing prompts designed to spark curiosity and insight. Then, participants will head outside to explore and journal in a nearby natural space for approximately 90 minutes. The workshop will close with time to share reflections and pages from our journals with one another.
Ideal for adults and families with older children and teens. No previous art or writing experience is necessary.
*NOTES:
The Broad Ripple Family Center will be closed in observance of Veteran’s Day. The Nov. 11 journaling session will be entirely outdoors.
There is a $7 vehicle admission fee to Mounds State Park
Questions? Contact 317-372-3936 or jettodd1@me.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between certified nature journaling instructor James Todd, Broad Ripple Park Family Center, Holliday Park, and Mounds State Park.
Registration: Click here to register.
Event Details:
NOV. 11 — The Family Center will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. Meet at the park shelter.
NOV. 12 — Meet at the Mounds State Park Nature Center. Park admission is $7/per vehicle.
NOV. 13 — Meet at the Holliday Park Nature Center.
