Weekly Reflection: What We Believed

After everything has gone wrong,
after what we believed would never
break has broken, something gives 
way and, against all despair, a sliver 
of light reaches us like dawn through 
the night window to lift our sorry face.

No one knows how this works, but 
we are stirred to step out of our story 
and reach beyond all the warnings 
to ask for love one more time.

This can happen in a second: when 
I pick up the book you dropped, or 
as a stranger asks if I’m ok when 
she finds me staring into traffic.


A Question to Walk With: Describe a time when you were jarred out of your own history. What moment jarred you and what did it feel like, for the moment, to have no history?

This excerpt is from my book of poems, This Slow Quick Dance.

Discover the Transformative Power of Love
June 3-9, 2025 — Online

In a world where disconnection and emotional exhaustion are all too common, love remains a powerful force for healing and transformation. The Power of Love Summit is a free, 7-day online event designed to help you release fear and past pain, deepen your most important relationships, and cultivate love as a source of strength and emotional freedom.

Register now to experience 40+ renowned voices in spirituality, psychology, and healing — including Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Anne Lamott, Katherine Woodward Thomas, and many more. Plus, secure your spot today and receive 3 exclusive bonus sessions with Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and Jane Fonda.

Whether you’re looking to heal from past wounds, strengthen your connections, or simply invite more love into your life, this summit is for you.

Click here to claim your free spot today!

Upcoming Events with Mark in 2025!

June 27-29, 2025: This 3-day retreat with Mark dives into the great matter of Friendship at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY. Explore how friendship is indispensable to us, and the inevitable trials by which our bond is strengthened or broken, and how our friendships bring us back to life. For details or to register, click here.

July 18 - 20, 2025: You Don’t Have to Do It Alone: The Power of Friendship is a 3-day retreat at Siena Retreat Center in Racine, WI. For information and to register, click here.

Aug 22-24, 2025: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life is a new retreat from Mark based on his upcoming book. This 3-day retreat at Mercy by the Sea in Madison, CT will celebrate the publication of his 27th book and look into the gifts and the rhythms of aging. Stay tuned for the details! Contact Mercy by the Sea for info.

September 7, 2025 | 11 am PT / 2 pm ET: Banyen Books & Music FREE book event Mark Nepo in Conversation with Joel Fotinos. Click here to register.

September 21, 2025 | 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET: Book Passage FREE event Mark Nepo in Conversation with Brooke Warner for The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life. Click here to register. 

2026

January 11, 18, 25, 2026: New Webinar!! The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life. Register now at live.marknepo.com.