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Challenge:
"I have some resistance to doing this course, and I suspect part of it is that the feelings aroused in me by nature are so strong, the re-connections between old and new brain are just waiting to happen, and my life and the way I see the world may never be the same again. Leaving the safety of the old, even for something as wonderful as the learnings and experiences from this course, is uncomfortable!
Transform:
"What makes this experience most memorable was I felt a definite shift into another plane, mindset, state of being, way of life (whatever you may call it). Gone were the norms of civilization. In its place, was a new and different set of priorities and rules. Everything accepted by society as a "valuable" was now worthless. Forget the Nikes, needs were basic-food, water, shelter. And I remem
ber realizing this shift, really digging the fact that I was finally where I wanted to be & that I never wanted to return to my previous state of perspective or lose the feelings I had discovered while on the river.
I know that my inherent sensitivities to natural attractions are alive and well because when I visited this attractive natural area, I could enjoyable sense, feel and BE one with the rhythm of almost all natural events. I was part of the whispering of the wind through the leaves, alongside the beaver swimming next to the canoe, emmersed in the changing weather with its wind and rain on me, the dusk, the dawn."
Self-Worth:
"The most important thing I learned was that I can do these exercises anywhere. I don't have to wait until my day off to go to my favorite place to experience a connection with nature. I can take my break outside and try to do these exercises in an environment in which I feel very disconnected. I also learned that perhaps the presence of nature in this kind of stale environment may have a positive impact on other individuals. I also learned that connecting with nature can do miraclous things such as purifying your breath of air. How could this experience not enhance my self-worth and trustfulness of nature? I am allowing myself to be more open to non -physically explained phenomenon and it's incredible in every aspect of myself (spritual, mental, emotional and physical).
Doing this activity re-reminded me of how much nature has been there as my guide and friend my whole life. Reading others experiences in nature touched me and gave me a new level of acceptance for myself. Because so often nature has touched me in deep sorrow and alone, I have often in the past believed something was wrong with me. As I have begun the Nature Connect experiences and listened to others I have come to realize that it wasn't desperation or weakness that drew me to nature but instead my intuitive wisdom that knew where to go for strength and reconnection to my core."
Reconnection:
"As I thought of my other good experiences in nature, I remembered them as very special moments, often with tears coming to my eyes. They were times of great comfort, joy in beauty, appreciation of the gift, and wonder of the simplicities//complexities I observed. Many of them were calming/relaxing....certainly like melting into oneness. I wasn't taught these experiences ...I inherently knew how to have and enjoy them. What I am learning is the exotic power they contain that I have learned to forget. "
Exploitation:
I was attracted to a spot half way up the forest covered hill behind my home. There was an area I felt attracted to...but no particular part of it . I let go of the shoulds and let it be. As I relaxed and opened to sense the place I felt as though I was at a look out. Shutting my eyes made clear the specific attraction of my connection, air. I felt the sun, dry crackling oak leafs beneath me, the smell crisp with fall moistness. But air brought the full felt focus of my multisensory experience. The crows talking, dogs doing the same, gun shots from the shooting range in the town over the hill, the sounds of falling leafs, men's voices. I became frightened and wanted to open my eyes. Then I sourced out the voices and the air assured me they were a distance away. I remembered to listen with my heart and senses in connection with Nature.
Eyes open and my first experience was to sense grace. Witnessing a leaf carried by winds currents down first against the blue sky , then past the back lit white pine, feather like its path floats the brown leaf to rest beside a group of silver sun struck mountain laurels.
Tears fell down my cool cheeks and I felt a mixture of gratitude and sadness. The fear I'd experienced was a story connected to the men currently clear cutting 30 acres across the street in front of my home....to build 22 houses. The gratitude came from the leaf reminding me of the grace in connecting with nature. Connecting in the moment and how perseverance, courage and positive growth is nurtured when this connection is unearthed. Nature used, in this experience, my pain to power this healing connection . The healing of my ripped faith was inspired by the wisdom of the falling leaf's effortless natural movement.
Integration
I can mirror these falling New England leafs in their graceful beauty and cycle. To sense when to bloom, grow, bear fruit, let go, die and then start again. I have learned to trust (listen with out much "mind" in the mix) and not expect . Nature is a huge supportive wordless community wanting to assist at all times. Nature knows my pain and can relieve me (the relief may not be what I expected...so it is best not to ask just be) if I open to a positive connection in respect and communion. My bond with nature and native self has become stronger through this nurturing communion. The more I open and actively set out to connect the more integrated I become with Nature and all my senses. Very positive.
Support:
"By late afternoon the sensory invitation to make an unscheduled visit to the beach was insistently delivered....I HAD to go. As I walked along the edge, where Sand meets Sea, I was specifically drawn to Sea's sound, clearly welcomed. I became aware of something I'd noticed before, but never REALLY noticed -- that there are many voices within that sound, a multitude of whispers that join to form a chorus of rounds that spiral ever larger. Sea's sound has substance. I could feel it rush up against me, and I could feel my body steel itself against that rush. Then, with just a tiny shift, I opened myself up and exposed the empty spaces within ....and Sea's sound washed through me. Resistance gone, I knew myself to be supported."
Rewards:
"As I continued along the trail, I had the sense of'whisperings' just in front of me. "There's the one who asked permission to be here'. And each time I 'heard' this , I thanked them. I was surprised at the number of animals that seemed un-disturbed by my presence. I had not seen so many animals on my previous walks. And the sweet voices of the birds touched and opened my heart. It felt like a mutual 'love fest'. That's the only way to describe it for me. As I was being gifted by their voice
s, it seems that they were feeling gifted by my permission asking and awareness. What a beautiful flow. The amazing thing I learned is that this is so simple! Just honor, respect and asking permission...and what a 'love gift' I received!"
Self:
"I soloed on this activity and went to a favorite area overlooking the beautiful vista of pinons, ponderosa, juniper, yucca plants, hills, and distant mountain peaks. The day was warm and breezy, birds chirping. I closed my eyes and began to explore the area. I felt plants, rocks, trees and tasted a few as well. The scent of vanilla from Ponderosa pines filled me. I felt very relaxed and soon lay down on my back, solidly contained and supported by the planet mother.
So many senses intensely came to life: trust, community, place, gravity. Prior to doing this exercise, I was plagued with all sorts of projects I had lined up for the day. I felt overworked, overwhelmed and somewhat out of control. But I did force myself to move away from these stress related chores and go into nature. Soon my stresses began to shed and I started to relax and felt welcomed- as if coming home to the Self. A Self that feels whole when in contact with Nature.
This sensory nature connecting process is really powerful stuff. I wish I had more words to add accolades and applause and flashes of light as my expression to how this makes me feel"
Spirit:
"I sat with someone special beside the small, irregularly shaped lake. A jutting peninsula, island-like in the foreground, caught my attention frequently as pictures of a Japanese-style bridge connecting the "island" and the shore formed in my mind.
Recognizing that the strands that make up the web or life are sensory attraction bridges to nature that I can feel, provided special meaning. The geese flew overhead, periodically coming to a splashing landing as their outstreched feet braked in the water. The calm, the peace of the site; the wholeness I felt in the connection; remains with me as I think of it now. It is an anchor for me; the "sensory attraction strands" are indeed more than just that, but a bond deeper than words. They helped me sense that this is a resting place, a nesting place, a grounding place, a centering home where I can be still, be with God."
Communing
I am sitting on a park bench in a soft rain. Because of the rain there are very few people around. I am sitting here because a very old, very large tree has called me here. The tree is several feet around and must be hundreds of years old. I cannot explain the way it called to me; but I knew immediately that I wanted to do this "knowing without names" activity here.
When I know this area without names or labels I feel an ancient presence, timelessness, warmth (but not temperature warmth) "heart warm" whatever that is. The place is saying wisdom, knowledge, power. I feel sad that I cannot know what it knows. I wish it could teach me. Without my name I am nature, the same as the tree, the grass, and the soft rain that falls on my face and becomes a part of me.
I am a question, I am hungry, but not for food.
In doing this activity I have reaffirmed my trust in nature. My eyes very often fill with tears when I do these activities. The moment I saw this tree my eyes filled and I had to touch it. I put my fingers into the deep groves in the bark and I can feel the tree "breathe" (for lack of a word). This type of attraction is something I have felt all my life and I know that it is real. If I were to lose this ability I would feel very alone. I want to be part of the world around me and I appreciate it allowing me to hear and feel it.
Trust
"Upon the stage of this natural area, I slowly make my way, feeling lines radiate from the center of my being, from my belly, lighting pathways of connection. And following the pathways, acknowledging the connections, I know myself as a sensing being, a sentient being, who cannot deny the truth of what she feels.
Just as love starts with self, so too trust. I'm beginning to understand that as a child - with my 53 senses sensing like crazy to discover all I could about this world I live in- I trusted those bigger and smarter than me when they told stories that reduced my senses to five. (after all that's what good little girls do, right?) Contact with nature is helping me to see that in trusting others, I began to learn to distrust, mistrust myself -- it was them or me, had to be, because my 53 senses were still sensing like crazy and telling me this five-sensed world is a lesser world than the world really is....and I couldn't live, didn't know how to live, in both.
I'm beginning to understand that my story of trust never did become clear and precise, but rather developed into a distorted and tangled mess. AND I am excitedly beginning to see that the full sensing part of me never really did let go (or I never really did let go of it) --that it sat on my shoulder (like Jiminy Cricket) and kept whispering not to trust those bigger and smarter people and their limiting stories, while the five-senses stories, and the people who told them, grew more and more powerful. And so I became confused,and so clarity eluded me....and I so came to trust no one, myself (and "Jiminy") included."
But my children, who were raised away from extended family, don't have these stories or personal relationships with ancestors.[I had to shut my office door right now because I feel a sadness welling up.]But this story is about what happened this morning --- i had a few minutes before i needed to leave for work and it occurred to me (was attracted to by Old Brain which planted thought in New Brain?) to spend time with my companion plant. So I went over and sat in my chair, asked and received permission in a fraction of a second, and gently we held hands again. The thought came, "I am a person who loves. (period)" And it felt soooo good and true And it didn't hurt at all. Reconnecting with nature had healed me and given me a New-lived-personal-experience-beautiful-connected story about myself, this person who loves. Oh my, sigh, I smile and cry, joy and wonderfullness!!
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INSTITUTE OF GLOBAL EDUCATION Special NGO consultant United Nations Economic and Social Council
PROJECT NATURECONNECT
Readily available, online, natural science tools
for the health of person, planet and spiritP.O. Box 1605, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
360-378-6313 <email> www.ecopsych.com
ORGANIC ADVANCED ECOPSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION
The Natural Systems Thinking Process
Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Director
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The Web of Life Imperative.
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