The Good Life Gap Semester in Maine

Like many city dwellers, days, weeks, months, and years all flew by in a blur. The shifting of the seasons was something I barely noticed. I often felt rushed and anxious. During my first ten day stay at Seguinland, there was a forced shift in my perspective. The assigned readings, homework questions, and group discussions required me to ground myself in the present and pay attention to my surroundings. I felt deep gratitude for my teachers and classmates and the insightful conversations we shared without cellphones or computers between us. I witnessed the beautiful natural landscape around me with all five senses and meditated for hours on end. I left the program feeling refreshed, motivated, and feeling in love with life. The course introduced me to a lot of the concepts and life philosophies that I am still deeply passionate about. Thanks, Seguinland! “Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished.Tell about it.” -Mary Oliver

The education I received at the Good Life Course goes deeper than understanding mindful concepts. It was a mind, body, and soul experience. My mind was enhanced by the readings of Braiding Sweetgrass and Consolations as well as the discussions that followed. My body was challenged to break out of its comfort zone and go ziplining, canoeing, hiking and to try yoga. My soul was revitalized from meditation, good conversation, solitude and friends. From this course I learned how to see beauty, and how to find balance. The course allowed for self-discovery and gave me the skills (my backpack) to start my post-college life. 

I find myself returning to the ideas of this course on a regular basis. When life is hectic and overwhelming I lean into the teachings of The Good Life. I will be forever thankful for the memories and teachings I gained at Seguinland Institute.

From the stomping grounds of the city that never sleeps, my life had become overwhelmed with stress, daunting professional expectations, and a spiraling loss of direction. My return to nature and experiences with personal reflection helped me find purpose for my days. The Atlantic coasts of Georgetown, Maine and the energy that radiates from the Back River, lifted me into another perception of my own reality. The Good Life Course promotes spiritual growth from within, making the experience truly a one of a kind lifetime memory. My carvings from Maine will walk with me deep into my professional career here in NYC and I am forever thankful for the eye-opening lessons that only Prof. Francis and his genuine staff could provide. I will for sure return to Francisville and will be sure to bring others along to experience the life changing escape. Sending nothing but love to my family up in Georgetown! Bless!

"In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect." - Alice Walker

The Good Life Course was one of the most profound experiences I have had in my life. I come from a very technical and science based background, but I throughly enjoyed our philosophical discussions on what constitutes a good life. The readings were also incredibly enlightening and there was no shortage of fun activities and great food! Georgetown is downright gorgeous and is the perfect place to be discussing and cultivating the philosophy of the good life. Leaving the course, you will no doubt feel refreshed, prepared, and invigorated to live your wild and precious life.

The first year I had attended one of the Good Life programs, my experience with a variety of professionals, notably Zen-practitioner Justin Park, led me to discoveries regarding the relation of my body and mind. For example, rounded-breathing + relaxation in the eyes & shoulders has been massive in dissolving anxiety and instilling clarity. Another nice thing about this course is that there's not so much focus on degrees of excellence, or even the pass / fail dichotomy. Expectation is a present factor as with any earnestly-aspiring program, but the focus seems to lie more so on Self-Orientation than with seemingly external "what-factors". In other words, enjoy your learning... and never stop. A professor that is not only willing, but excited to learn with and from their students, is my kind of dude / gal . Philip, Meg, Justin, Marsha, Loren, and company are some cool cats / "pretty neat" , and I definitely found Nature more neat in working with them ;D

" Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. " - Seneca

One of the things I really appreciated the first time around going on the trip is the amount of diversity the trip has to offer for everybody. There are a number of people living on the peninsula who have different expertise in so many different fields, which makes it good because there's something for everybody to fall in love with and someone to look up to. Francis has literature, religion and philosophy; Lawrence has poetry; Ruth has farming; his dad has construction; then there's Justin with mindful meditation; and Meg with writing and Yoga. Along the way he also brings in some very interesting special guest, different for everybody. Even if you talk to professor's kids you can learn a thing or two about wonder and awe!

This is class wonderfully integrates the outdoor experience of the coast of Maine with intellectually stimulating academic content. In the course, students learn of the importance of maintaining a relationship with nature, the Self, and other life-long learners. Intermingling with students from Manhattan College (I am from UMF) was a wonderful opportunity to speak with students with different life experiences than the majority of us, finding comfort in our commonalities and new interests in our differences. The course material has a focus on the natural environment that is rooted in Transcendentalist and Taoist philosophy which allows one to take a much-needed break from modern living.

I grew up in Maine so I am pretty used to being outdoors but the sites and adventures I got to experience here were once in a lifetime. The sites that we visited were all amazing. The little islands we went to were amazing. I have always been nervous of deep water but the people there made me feel safe and comfortable. For one of the first times in my life I was alright on the water. The morning yoga was very relaxing and much more enjoyable than I previously expected it to be. Overall I would say that this is an excellent opportunity for anyone.