Build a deep connection with a living giant throughout the shift of seasons.
Scholarships are available. Check out the FAQ at the bottom of this page for more information!
What is slow blooming?
Spring emerges slowly. Trees have been working all winter to develop buds, ready to unfurl into leaves. Birdsong begins tentatively, building to a crescendo of mating calls. The snowmelt begins, and drop by drop, a hint of green appears. At first, you might notice a tuft of grass or a single crocus bursting through the snow. And then, almost overnight, the world is buzzing with vibrant new growth.
Slow Blooming is a fully immersive experience where you’ll be able to slow down and connect with a single tree as it awakens from its winter hibernation. Throughout the course, you’ll also begin to change, expanding your awareness of the tremendous natural transformations that occur every single day.
This course came out of my lifelong love for trees. Everywhere that I’ve lived, I’ve made a conscious decision to befriend a tree in my neighborhood so that I feel more at home. A recent study showed that humans can have decades long relationships with tree friends that elicit joy, admiration, and a connection to something larger than themselves. It’s a friendship that can be passed from generation to generation, a constant in a world that is rapidly changing.
Portland is frequently called the Forest City. Whether you’re deep in Fore River Sanctuary or walking in the Old Port, you have the opportunity to connect with trees. This experience will give you the tools to find a sense of belonging anywhere you go.
What you’ll learn
Slow Blooming is an 8-week course and cohort. Weekly sessions will take place in person in Portland, ME.
Each session is designed to deepen participants’ relationships with the tree they’ve chosen to observe. Using your tree as an anchor point for the passage of time, your practice will be bolstered by guided centerings and gentle movement, environmental education, hands-on mindfulness meditations, journaling, and community sharing circles.
Week 1: Arrival
Course & cohort intros. Learn about fascination attention vs directed attention, and you’ll choose “your” tree.
Sunday, April 12, 2026 9–11 am
Week 2: Seasonal Shifts (Phenology)
Attune to the subtle seasonal shifts and passage of time.
Sunday, April 19, 2026, 9–11 am
Week 3: Buds
Observe the tiny beginnings of seasonal growth.
Sunday, April 26, 2026, 9–11 am
Week 4: Roots
Ground into an expansive underground world.
Sunday, May 3, 2026, 9–11 am
Week 5: Flowers
Soft, fragrant, and colorful. Bask in the beauty of arboreal flowers.
Sunday, May 10, 2026, 9–11 am
Week 6: Leaves
Observe the verdant new growth one leaf at a time.
Sunday, May 17, 2025, 9–11 am
Week 7: Animal Life
Learn about the wildlife that inhabits your tree.
Sunday, May 24, 2025, 9–11 am
Week 8: Closing
A celebration of ephemerality. Meet each other’s trees!
Sunday, May 31, 2026, 9–11 am
Meet your Guide
Davinica Nemtzow
Davinica (she/her) is a certified Mindful Outdoor Guide from the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health and a proud Mainer. She builds inclusive communities that honor our collective growth, healing, and sense of belonging through connection to each other and immersion in nature.
Through Kaneel she offers guided mindfulness practices in natural settings throughout the state of Maine. She encourages people to connect with the natural world in meaningful ways so they may become active stewards of our planet.
Are you ready to…
Cultivate a consistent mindfulness practice?
Connect, share with, and learn from a community of like-minded people?
Enhance your observational skills to be more engaged with the world around you?
Frequently Asked Questions
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If you have specific questions about accessibility, please reach out to Davinica at davinica@kaneel.me.
Parking: There are at least 6 designated accessible spaces in a partially paved parking lot. None of them are van-accessible with striped access aisles. There is also ample street parking available.
Trail: This course is wheelchair accessible. The trail surface is paved (asphalt, brick, or cement), and typically at least 4 feet wide. We will spend most of our time on a lawn-style grass. The estimated grade is mostly gentle (5% or less). Most of our experience will be in stillness, and when we do walk it will be slow and for very short distances.
Sensory Activities: Throughout the meditation, participants will be invited to explore the space using all 5 of their senses. Participation in any of these activities is not required and can be adapted for those with sensory impairments or difficulties.
Restrooms: There are two wheelchair accessible all-gender toilets in the park. A vault toilet is a permanent waterless bathroom that sits above a vault or “pit” that is serviced by a waste management company. Vault restrooms do not require plumbing or electricity.
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Early bird pricing is available through February 28 and is just $195!
The regular price for the 8-week program, cohort, and course materials is $250.
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Need-based Scholarships
Using a pay-what-you-can model, a subsidized rate is available starting at $85.
Please email Davinica at davinica@kaneel.me with a price that feels accessible to you and she will send you a discount code to enter when purchasing.
Discounts
CSA Members of Plant Food Farm can receive 10% off. Reach out to Mike for the code.
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Each week, you should bring:
A blanket or a camp chair to sit on
Journal and pen
Appropriate layers for the weather
There will be a few pairs of binoculars and some insect magnifying glasses available. If you have your own pair, bring them!
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In 2025, Slow Blooming began as a request from participants of Slow Leaf Peeping who wanted to continue to learn about their trees.
If you took Slow Leaf Peeping, this will be brand new content with a similar format!
You don’t need to have been a part of Slow Leaf Peeping to join this course.
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This course is for any and all people who want to slow down and align with the gradual shift of seasons. This course and cohort will support and nourish you whether you are new to mindfulness or have been practicing for years.
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While this course can be used to add another skillset to your arsenal, this is not a professional certificate program. It's for anyone who wants to engage in learning for the sake of learning.
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Attendees should try to make themselves available for all of the program sessions as each lesson builds off of the previous weeks.
However, you can miss up to 2 sessions.
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There’s a lot to learn about our natural environment in the rain! Classes will be held rain, snow, or shine when possible.
Refunds
We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule any and all classes due to unforeseen circumstances such as extreme weather, even at short notice.
If we cancel the full course due to unforeseen circumstances, there will be a full refund.
All full-course cancellations by customers must occur no later than April 5, 2026, at 12 pm. In this case, you have the option of a full refund or donating your payment to our community care fund.
No refunds will be issued in the event of a no-show or cancellation after April 5, 2026. Your payment will be donated to our community care fund.
Other policies
All participants must be over the age of 12. Participants under the age of 18 must have written permission from their parent or guardian.
It is required that all customers behave safely and respectfully to all Kaneel staff, fellow participants, animal life, and the environment.
The teacher reserves the right to ask you to leave the course if unruly or unsafe behavior is displayed. In such an event, no refunds will be made.