Why a gate?

In many houses of worship there are gates you must walk through to get into the heart of the space. The image of a gate is an invitation to go deeper. To cross into a new place. To start to change our way of thinking and seeing things.

This course is a journey through the first of the four gates, the Earth Gate. It is an invitation to look deeply to see the interconnectedness of you and the planet. In recognizing your connection to the Earth, you can begin to see your body as a gate for awakening.

About this course

Earth Gate is the first in a 4-part series that offers simple practices to understand how lived experiences and trauma are transmitted through your body. Combining mindfulness and meditation with leading research in physiology and trauma-informed teaching, the course explores how we can see our body and its nervous system as a vehicle for awakening. At this moment in history, our capacity to heal and transform ourselves and the planet is crucial. Mindfulness of the body is also mindfulness of the Earth.

  • In this course, you’ll learn how to:

  • Gain lifetime access to a library of meditative exercises and resources for practice

  • Listen deeply to the body and the nervous system so that you can understand what it is communicating to you

  • Name, accept, and let go of stress and trauma that has been activated in your nervous system

  • Recognize your connection to the Earth and how it's expressed within and around you

  • Gain a new sense of joy and appreciation for simply being present and alive

Course outline

The Earth Gate has 9 lessons. They are pre-recorded so you can learn at your own pace. We recommend one lesson a week. Feel free to take more than one week for each lesson, to pause if needed, or to return to earlier parts of the course. Do not rush yourself to complete things. When you enroll in the course, you receive lifetime access to all the materials.

  1. 1
  2. 2

    • Lesson 1: Mindfulness of the body

    • Lesson 2: The nervous system revolution

    • Lesson 3: The art of resiliency

    • Lesson 4: Practicing with the nervous system

    • Lesson 5:The biology of trauma

    • Lesson 6: The midpoint review and preview

    • Lesson 7: Self-directed neuroplasticity

    • Lesson 8: Practicing with resiliency

    • Lesson 9: The body as a (w)holy vehicle

Meet your instructor


Dr. Larry Ward

Senior Dharma Teacher

One of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s most senior, non-monastic Dharma Teachers, Larry has a PhD in Religious Studies with a Buddhism emphasis. His dissertation focused on the intersection of mindfulness and neuroscience. His teaching style, which he calls, “Deep Buddhism,” is interdisciplinary and focused on embodiment of the teachings, integrating Buddhism with neuroscience, trauma/resiliency work, indigenous wisdom and social imagination. His aim is to support the healing and transformation of societal karma at the deepest levels of body and mind. Larry is a knowledgeable, charismatic and inspirational teacher, expressing his insights with personal stories and resounding clarity, expressing his dharma name, “True Great Sound."

Enrollment options

Choose the payment plan that’s right for you. There are no added fees if you select a monthly payment. Each plan includes lifetime access to the course materials. All prices are in US dollars.

Earth Gate reviews

Superbly Done!

jylani ma'at brown

This course was well-paced, organized and clear enough for me to process the content. I appreciated the Black male energy as I found that is too infrequent in these spaces. Mr. Ward is an obvious scholar with a deep passion for transferring this wisdom in the most skillful and least harmful way.

"If you want a life change, then do this course"

Maureen Evans

The best course I have ever completed in my 46 year life thus far.

Great course!

Paul Singleton III, CMT ATR LCAT

I recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their meditation practice. Dr. Ward is very skillful in making connections between meditation practice, neuroscience, and what it means to work towards our collective liberation.

The Earth Gate is a wonderful course that opened my heart and mind to sacred connections between the earth, myself, and all beings.

Anita Dancoff

Each lesson was a gift containing healing strategies to enhance self awareness, overcome separateness, and learn to open our hearts and minds to each-other...I cannot think of better teachings at this or any time, and I carry these aspirations with me in deep gratitude.