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Project NatureConnect |
ECO 400: Exploring the Benefits of Nature-Connected Thinking
A free, one credit (optional), home study course that can be done alone or shared with others by email.
(NOTE: This course parallels portions of the more complete Orientation Course Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship which is available for students in formal degree, certification and personal growth programs. To save time and duplication, applicants here should be familiar with the scope of the Orientation Course before applying for this one as it may be more appropriate for their goals. Also explore the online course for personal balance)
"Our body, mind, spirit and ability to love come into the world through nature's biological systems. They and we are part of nature's perfection, wisdom and restorative powers. However, like tearing a leg from a live rabbit, the extreme, but normal, disconnection of contemporary thinking from nature's ways injures our sensory attachments to life and our ability to think clearly. Wounded and damaged our limited thinking deteriorates our wellness, our destiny and the environment.
Our great challenge is that our socialization rewards our disturbed and wanting psyche to become attached or addicted to artificial substitutes for nature, to our contemporary ways and materials along with their destructive impacts from competition. As an outcome, although the means is readily available, we learn to deny that we can cooperatively reconnect our thinking with nature's regenerative powers in order to co-create in consensus with nature, ourselves and the world in peaceful balance."
- Michael J. Cohen
DESCRIPTION: Let nature-connected readings and activities help you transform the destructive energies in your thinking into rejuvenated and balanced ways of knowing. Strengthen your resilience by learning how, via organic psychology, to counteract your education's omission of natural consensus. Discover how to cooperatively reconnect your reasoning and senses to their nurturing origins in nature's restorative vigor, intelligence and peace.
Or-gan-ic Psy-chol-o-gy : 1. The peaceful art and science of building responsible relationships by thinking, feeling and interacting while in conscious, sensory contact with genuine natural systems and their unifying, restorative powers. 2. A nature-connected, non-polluting, counseling, education or healing process whose rewards simultaneously strengthen natural systems in people and the environment.
An optional $20 contribution to Project NatureConnect is suggested to help sustain the program and website. Other costs may include the purchase of the text, Einstein's World, that goes with this and other courses. To avoid paying for it, use a local library edition if one is available.
Procedure:
Call the Faculty at Project NatureConnect, 360-378-6313 and get the OK to do this course by yourself or with other students by email.
Complete a simple application for the course
Join this course's naturequote discussion group by contacting the Faculty and getting on a mailing list of students who will do the course together.
Obtain a copy of the text, Einstein's World, that goes with this and other courses.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment 1:
Week One. Do the Secret of Natural Attractions Trail all the way through Station 22 Part 4.
http://www.ecopsych.com/trailattract.html
Read the article Stairway to Sanity online until you are sure you have a working knowledge of the difference between "4-leg" and "5-leg" thinking and knowing.
http://www.ecopsych.com/wholeness2a.htmlIf not done previously, be sure to do the Four-Leg Thinking and Knowing exercise at the bottom of the Stairway to Sanity page.
Part B
Get 5-leg information from sources 2A and 2B :
2A. Vist the quotes page for this course. It contains five pages each with a series of six sets of nature quote INSIGHTS on each page. Note that there are four quotes in each of the six sets of INSIGHTS on the page.
http://www.ecopsych.com/eco400a1.html2B. In the book Einstein's World read at least two chapters each week for the 6-week duration of the course.
http://www.ecopsych.com/ecoeinstein3.html
FOR WEEK TWO (and the next five weeks)
For Week Two Read through the six INSIGHTS on the first quotes page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a1.html
On three separate days this week, on each day select a different one of the of the six INSIGHTS on this page that are most attractive to youA. On each day of the three, identify which one of the four quotes in that selected INSIGHT that you find most attractive. (then do C below).
or
B. Put together a short sentence that you feel combines the most attractive parts of the four quotes in that INSIGHT (then do C below).
C. On each of the three separate days of this week after doing 3A or 3B go to the most attractive natural area locally, backyard or back country, that is convenient to you. First with your eyes closed and then opened, quietly discover what part or parts of this area during your visit is/are most attractive to you. Note what you think and feel as you become aware of these attractions in nature.
D. Thoughtfully consider the contribution your attractions in this natural area make with regard to the statement you selected in 3A or 3B. What does your "4-leg" contact with natural attractions do? Does it clarify, modify or strengthen your thinking? Write down and then by email share with others on the course what you discover or learn from combining 3 and 4 above (9-leg knowing), Save what you write for use later.
For the next four additional weeks:
For Week Three Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a7.html and repeat the process A-D described in "For Week Two," above
For Week Four Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a13.html and repeat the process A-D described in "For Week Two," above
For Week Five Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a19.html and repeat the process A-D described in "For Week Two," above
For Week Six Read through the six insights on page http://www.ecopsych.com/400a25.html and repeat the process A-D described in"For Week Two," above
COMPLETE COURSE
For the last five days: Using your thoughts and feelings from the first week attraction trail, readings and the 15 writeups you did from the five weeks of activities assignments write a three page (or more) paper that describes important things you found attractive and worthwhile from doing weeks 2-7 above. Integrate them into your personal and professional goals.
Share your paper with your online classmates (2C) who will help you assign it a grade, then send your grade to the staff to register it if you so desire.
If you want a regionally accredited academic one-credit for the course, contact the staff at 360-378-6313 for instructions as to how to obtain it.
SPECIAL:A nature-connected, personal balance and healing, stress-management course online.
Receive inspiring nature-connection quotations by email weekly. Send a blank email to naturequote@aweber.com
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Project NatureConnect
INSTITUTE OF GLOBAL EDUCATION
Special NGO consultant United Nations Economic and Social Council
Online Organic Psychology books, training and degree programs
P.O. Box 1605, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 USA
360-378-6313
nature@interisland.net | www.ecopsych.comInternational Simultaneous Policy Organisation
Using our Votes to Take Back the World
P.O. Box 26547, London SE3 7YT, UK
Fax: +44 (0)20-8460 2035
info@simpol.org | www.simpol.org
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