Questions about the Teacher Training
After the retreats, there will be one-hour online group meetings with Mark each month to discuss teaching topics and for the group to ask questions. You’ll be encouraged to meet with your fellow student-teachers–both through the training member-only website and directly–to discuss homework assignments and issues that come up in your own teaching: a support group that will hopefully last much longer than the training. As for those homework assignments, below is a general timeline of the homework assignments to help you better gauge the workload.
The total tuition cost is $5,950. This does not include travel, books, supplies, or the lodging and food costs of the four training retreats, which will be roughly $300-600 each. A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your place in the course.
Payment plans are available.
A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your place in the course. Then there will be a $750 payment due at the start of the training. After that, we ask for monthly payments of $600 will be due every month for the next 7 months. As a sign of your commitment to the training, instead of sending a check every month, you would send in your installment payments as postdated checks when you send in your deposit. The checks will be deposited as they become payable.
If this payment plan would not work within your budget, you do have another option. For those with financial need, Mark asks that you submit a paragraph or two describing your financial situation. Along with this statement you should also submit a payment plan proposal of your own that will work within your budget. Mark will review your statement and proposal with your application to evaluate whether it is acceptable.
You will be camping during the majority of the retreats, either in tents or simple cabins. Below is a list of recommended items, particularly for the first retreat.
On your head:
wool hat
baseball cap, sun hat, or visor
sunglasses
On the top:
2 polypropylene shirts
3 t-shirts
windbreaker
fleece or down jacket
warm sweater for the cold nights
On the bottom:
2 nylon long pants
warm pants or thermal layer for evenings / mornings
On your feet:
2 pair wool socks
2 pair socks
hiking boots
shoes for wearing in camp
For camping:
tent
floor tarp for tent
sleeping bag
sleeping pad / thermarest
camping pillow – can be found at camp stores
For meditation:
Zafu or thermarest back jack (that your thermarest fits into – that’s what I use and its very comfortable)
Important Miscellaneous Items
small day pack for carrying lunch, water, etc. during day hikes
personal toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, etc.)
bio-degradable soap
flashlight – headlamp is ideal
cup, silverware, bowl & plate
small towel
sun block
water bottle
journal / pens
bug spray / repellent
spare batteries for headlamp
Food
personal snacks – bars / trail mix etc.
personal teas
any special dietary foods you may need
The costs for the retreat are to cover the rental of the location, food, supplies and any provided lodging. Since the retreats will be at different locations and we are uncertain how many people will be in the training, the retreat costs are estimated to begin with. Some may be lower than $500-600 and a few many be higher, though we are trying to ensure that they will not be the latter.
After you have completed the training, you will be invited to affiliate with Awake in the Wild, much like you would do with any professional or medical association. Affiliation will allow you to network with other graduates of the training and include 4 online group meetings with Mark to help you continue expanding your practice and ask questions that may have come up in your teachings. The cost of affiliation is currently $150. Eventually, there will be optional Awake in the Wild Alumni retreats.
The apprenticeship with Mark Coleman lasts from 1-2 years, depending on how often you would be able to assist with Mark’s retreats, and is by invitation upon completion of the Awake in the Wild Teacher Training. It is an unpaid apprenticeship, but you would gain a wealth of knowledge as you assist Mark.
Depending on the retreat locations, there would be the travel and potentially some lodging costs associated with the retreats you would be apprenticing on. There would be no other fees involved.