Inner & Outer Landscapes: Rewilding Through Nature Writing With Vanessa Chakour
In this five-part seminar, learn to connect with the natural world around you from the inside out through the practice of nature-writing.
Course Description
Have you ever wondered what the world around you is trying to say? Or what the natural world inside of you is trying to say? In this course led by author, nature advocate, and rewilding facilitator Vanessa Chakour, we’ll learn how to tune in to both, deepening our relationship with the internal and external natural world through writing. We’ll combine sensory exploration and research in our writing practice to connect with our local landscapes and awaken wonder within, lifting the veil between ourselves and the natural world. Together, we’ll strengthen our writing while deepening our relationship to ourselves, our senses, and the environment we’re a part of—and that’s a part of us, too.
Syllabus at a Glance
This course includes five total sessions each lasting 2 hours on consecutive Tuesdays beginning April 23.
Session 1 (Tuesday, 4/23, 2–4 PM ET): Exploring Sensory Awareness
We’ll practice slowing down and noticing more before embarking on some of our first nature writing prompts.
Session 2 (Tuesday, 4/30, 2–4 PM ET): Unearthing Curiosity
You’ll identify a being that has piqued your interest, and begin researching and writing about them.
Session 3 (Tuesday, 5/7, 2–4 PM ET): Letters to (and from) Nature
We’ll write to nature, as well as from the perspective of a being in the natural world.
Session 4 (Tuesday, 5/14, 2–4 PM ET): The Inner Wild
We’ll delve into the nature within! The wild isn’t just out there; it’s our flesh and bones, too.
Session 5 (Tuesday, 5/21, 2–4 PM ET): Sharing Work and Discussion
We’ll share our work with one another and discuss our nature-writing practices moving forward.
Course Materials
A notebook, pen and time. You may want to get a small notebook to carry with you, as well.
Between Sessions
Outside of class, you’ll have several optional essays to read, as well as suggested prompts and assignments to help you continue to engage with your writing as you move through the world.
Pricing Options
In addition to full-price tickets, a limited number of no-pay spots are available for this course. Please note that these tickets are reserved for those who would not otherwise be able to take this course and who expect to attend all sessions. No-pay spots are distributed via a randomized drawing two weeks before each course begins. For more information and to apply for a no-pay spot, please click here. To learn more about our pricing model and randomized selection process for no-pay spots, please visit our FAQ page.
Community Guidelines for Students
Please take a moment to review our community guidelines for students, which aim to share our classroom ethos and help set the stage for the best possible learning experience.
Atlas Obscura Online Courses
Atlas Obscura Courses offer opportunities for participants to emerge with new skills, knowledge, connections, and perspectives through multi-session classes designed and taught by expert instructors. To learn more about our current course offerings, please visit www.atlasobscura.com/online-courses. For answers to commonly asked questions, check out our FAQ page here.
Founded in 2009, Atlas Obscura created the definitive community-driven guide to incredible places across the planet and is now an award-winning company that shares the world’s hidden wonders in person and online.
Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite that will provide access to each class meeting. Please save the confirmation email as you’ll use it to access all sessions of your course via Zoom.
Vanessa Chakour is an author, naturalist, visual artist, herbalist and nature advocate. A dynamic blend of her vast personal experiences over 20+ years, she facilitates courses and retreats; helping students access their inner wild while learning from the plants, fungi and animals that share their ecosystems. She created Rewilding Through Writing programs to facilitate healing through the creative process; encouraging writers to trust their creative instincts and build confidence in their voice. Vanessa lives with her partner in Western Massachusetts where they steward Mount Owen Forest Sanctuary, promoting ecosystem diversity and resilience through forest stewardship and propagation of native and endangered plants and fungi. She is the author of Awakening Artemis, a memoir of healing through the lens of 24 medicinal plants, and the forthcoming Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature that Sy Montgomery, bestselling author of How to Be A Good Creature, calls a "triumphant and vibrant interweaving of memoir and natural history."
This is an interactive, small-group seminar that meets over Zoom. Students may be encouraged to participate in discussions, work on assignments outside of class, and workshop projects with their instructor or classmates. Due to the interactive nature of this course, we strongly recommend students attend as many live sessions as possible. Within 72 hours after each session meets, students will receive access to a recording of the live session, which they can watch for up to two weeks after the course concludes.
Instructors may use Google Classroom to communicate with students outside of class. While students aren’t required to use Google Classroom, instructors may use this platform to post resources, discussion questions, or assignments. This platform also offers a space for students to connect with one another about course material between sessions.
We provide closed captioning for all of our courses and can share transcripts upon request. Please reach out to us at experiences@atlasobscura.com if you have any questions, requests, or accessibility needs.
There are 25 spots available on this experience.
