Weekly Reflection: The Difference

The Difference
When in school, everyone
said “Great men build dams
and bridges, don’t you want
to be great?”
But through cancer and dreams
broken by my insistence on
them, life welcomed me
into its river.
Now, forty years on, you ask,
“What does it mean to be
great?”
And I touch your head and
then your heart and whisper,
“To know the difference and
let it live in your hands.”
A Question to Walk With: In conversation with a friend or loved one, discuss what it means to be great.
This is from my book of poems in progress, In the Clearing. 

I’m excited to announce that my wife Susan McHenry is offering a hands-on webinar from her home studio for the Ceramic Arts Network series Clay Flicks on August 20 at 1PM EST. Please share with your potter friends! – Mark

Thursday, August 20, 2026 from 1–3pm EDT USA

To learn more and/or register click here.

August 28-30th, Mark’s three-day immersion into The Language of the Soul, an exploration of how we listen inward, how we speak from what is most true, and how that practice can change the way we move through the world.

Only 3 commuter spots left, for those who want to join without staying overnight, to learn more click here.

And for anyone who feels called to attend but is navigating financial constraints, Mercy by the Sea’s ministry offers partial scholarships through their Mercy for All Fund. Learn more and apply here.

“Then, by entering the call of creativity, I was drawn into life other than my own. And being deeply receptive has led me to see that everything in life, seen and unseen, is connected. We are part of an Infinite Web. When one small thing moves, all of creation is nudged.” – MN

A full day with Mark, set among the rolling vineyards of Sonoma County. If you’ve been sitting with questions about what it means to keep creating, keep becoming, in this next chapter of life, this might be the retreat for you. This event is SOLD OUT, click here to join the waitlist.

Join Mark and author/publisher Brooke Warner, in conversation about The Language of the Soul. Just as rivers and mountains erode over time, so too do the meanings of words. Click here to RSVP.

Tucked near the Santa Barbara coast, Godmothers is more than a bookstore, it’s a gathering place, the kind that makes room for deeper conversation. A small, warm evening with Mark, well worth the drive if you’re in the area. SOLD OUT! Click here to join the waitlist.

Aug 28–30: The Language of the Soul, Mercy by the Sea, Madison, CT. Only 4 commuter spots left!! Click here to register. *Mercy by the Sea’s ministry is willing to offer partial scholarships to those in need. Learn more and apply here. IN PERSON

Sep 12: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, Day Long Retreat, Balletto Vineyards, Reserve Room, 5700 Occidental Rd, Santa Rosa, CA | 9am – 5pm | Sebastopol, California, SOLD OUT, Click here to join the waitlist. IN PERSON

Sep 13: @ 1pm PT: The Language of the Soul. An intimate afternoon conversation with Mark and Brooke Warner at Book Passage Corte Madera, California. Click here to register. IN PERSON

Sep 15: The Language of the Soul. An intimate in-person gathering with Mark at Godmothers Bookstore near Santa Barbara. SOLD OUT, Click here to join the waitlist. IN PERSON

Oct 11: @ 11-noon PT/2-3pm ET The Language of the Soul. A conversation with Mark Nepo and Joel Fotinos, presented by Banyen Books & Sound. Click here to register. ONLINE

January 10, 17, 24, 2027: The Language of the Soul, The Power to Awaken, Connect, and Heal. A 3-session webinar guided by Mark Nepo. 1-2:30PM ET | 10-11:30AM PT. Click here for more information. ONLINE

February 8-13, 2027: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, a Mastery week, The Modern Elder Academy in Baja, Mexico, Click here to sign up. IN PERSON

FEB 26-28, 2027: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, The Shallowford Center for Mindful Living, Atlanta Georgia, Link to Come, IN PERSON

April 2027: Weeklong Retreat with Mark Nepo in a castle outside of Milan, Italy Click here to learn more and register. IN PERSON

MAY 21-23, 2027: The Language of the Soul, Sophia Institute, Link to come! IN PERSON & ONLINE

JUNE 25-27, 2027: The Language of the Soul, Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY, Link to come! IN PERSON

AUG 27-29, 2027: The Path of True Experience, Mercy by the Sea, Madison, CT. Link to come! IN PERSON

SEPT 10-12, 2027: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life. Siena Retreat Center, Racine, WI, Link to come! IN PERSON