Lawrence Schuessler has been working in the field of Outdoor Education for the past 25 years. He has worked in the mountains of Colorado, California, Utah, Washington, and New Mexico. He has lead trips in the canyons and deserts of Arizona and Utah, kayaking in the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, and canoeing on the Green and San Juan rivers.
Over the years, he has held many roles within the outdoor education industry, from managing logistics, Instructing, Course Directing, Staff Trainer, as well as being a Program Director. Lawrence enjoys working all the different roles within outdoor programming, for he feels it keeps him engaged, empathetic, and excited. Lawrence has a broad skill set that includes rock climbing, backpacking, mountaineering, canoeing, kayaking and canyoneering.
As an educator, Lawrence whole-heartily believes in the power of experiential education and place-based learning and facilitates experiences that are supported by those philosophies. He also knows that long periods of time in the wilderness is magical and he does all he can to help his students drop into and be held by the wild.
On the expeditions that Lawrence facilitates, he weaves in both mindfulness and mindful movement in the hope of providing another way for students to drop into their bodies and minds. The hope is for each participant to build a connection to the land, to their mind, as well as providing a tool/resource that students can take home with them after the trip.
Lawrence is committed to equity, inclusion, diversity, and relevancy, and he weaves these topics and learnings into all of his teaching through listening, asking questions, and being curious. As a white outdoor experiential educator, he is particularly mindful of what it means to be a social and environmental justice educator and activist dedicated to decolonizing his own teaching. He is committed to continual learning, for I will never get to the point where my learning is done.
Over the years he has made mistakes, learned painful lessons and has continued on the path of anti-racist work in the hopes and intentions of doing less harm and calling in more white people to do personal anti-racisist work. He believes deeply that each of us are connected and this quote by the visual artist, activist and academic Lilla Watson has deeply impacted his views on this, “If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Lawrence has been exploring and practicing multiple traditions since 2001. He has been a student of Buddhist meditation since 2009 and has taught meditation since 2013. Lawrence has studied in the Theravada tradition and practiced vipassana or insight meditation. He has completed the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Advanced Practitioner Program, the Inward Bound Mindfulness Education Teacher Training program and Nature Dharma Training with Susie Harrington, Mark Coleman and Gil Fronsdal. He has enjoyed mentoring youth with Inward Bound Mindfulness Education and Spirit Rock Meditation Center youth programs.
Lawrence is currently in the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Training. Lawrence supports Nature Dharma retreats with Susie Harrington at Desert Dharma. Lawrence’s root teachers are Jack Kornfield, JoAnna Hardy, and Susie Harrington. Many teacher’s have influenced Lawrence’s understanding of the Dharma and many more will continue to do so.
When Lawrence is not in the wild, he can be found trail running, rock climbing, painting, surfing, riding his bicycle or cooking with his partner Caitlin.
