Summer Interlude Series 2026
The Light of Joy!
Thank you for joining us for another inspiring Summer Interlude Series!
“Joy is a light that fills you with hope and faith and love.” –Adela Rogers St. Johns
In the spirit of our 2026 Programming Theme, “30 Years of Light” (in honor of our 30th anniversary), we invite you to join us for a lighter version of our Summer Interlude Series that emphasizes the simple joys we can cultivate to sustain us through the twists and turns of life.
CLICK ON THE LINKS below to be taken to access to the free recordings for each session.
July 8th
The Joyful Art of Doing Nothing with Diana Cameron.
Many of us find it hard to truly rest or unplug to recharge our batteries or re-ignite the creative spark within. Join Diana as she helps you let go of the guilt, carve out the time, and drop into a healing break from the to-do list.
Passcode: %1dHJvL5
July 15th
The Joy of Plants with Marissa Faris.
Come be inspired to view and engage with plants in a whole new way. The possibilities are endless for the joy the plant kingdom can offer you when you pay attention to these living beings.
Passcode: %1dHJvL5
July 22nd
Finding the Light: How Meditation Opens Us to Everyday Joy with Brandon Mehrgut.
Joy thrives in an environment where we’re open to receiving it. Join Brandon as he shows you how adding a meditation practice or tweaking the one you already have can open you up to the everyday joys available to us if we only make space for them.
Passcode: w63W&x^#
July 29th
Your Path to Receiving and Sharing Joy with Rev. Nancy McCranie
How do we expand our capacity for joy and our comfort in receiving and expressing it? Join Nancy as she shares how to discern and honor your way of being joyful (through the wisdom of the Enneagram and other resources) and then pass it on in the world.
Passcode: B=AuAY7J
Speaker Bios:
Diana Cameron:
A digital product manager who leads meditations and holds certifications in Ayurvedic wellness counseling and Pilates, Diana Cameron has spent her career at the intersection of building and breathing. She created The Haven because she needed one herself. Her primary work is in tech, where the pace rarely stops. The Haven is the pause: a digital space offering free meditations, a living community poem, and guided resets to help people let go and reconnect to what is real. Diana believes the most radical thing we can do in a noisy world is allow ourselves to do nothing and simply be. the-haven.com
Marissa Faris:
Marissa Faris earned her master’s degree in horticulture from Texas A&M University and worked as a horticulturist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She was a featured presenter at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show and went on to work as a freelance garden designer and consultant in both San Diego and Austin. She is also an experienced environmental educator. Marissa enjoys sharing with others the joy of connecting (or reconnecting!) with the natural world.
Brandon Mehrgut:
Brandon spent ten years in China — half in the Himalayan mountains, half in Shanghai — training in meditation before returning home to Texas to apply what he learned in the American context. He founded China’s largest mindfulness community in Shanghai (now 8,500+ members) and now leads Austin’s fastest-growing secular meditation community through his nonprofit, MeditationCommunity.org. As a certified corporate mindfulness trainer through Potential Project and dually certified executive coach (ICF & IAC), he delivers practical programs that drive measurable gains in focus, resilience, and leadership clarity.
Nancy Chester McCranie, M.Div.
Recently retired as the Director of Volunteer and Bereavement Services for Hospice Austin after 17 years, Nancy is devoting some of her newly “free” time to deepening her study of the enneagram (begun in 2008) and is excited to share her expanding knowledge with Eremos. Nancy also holds a M.Div. degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and is an ordained minister with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
