..................................................................................
Project NatureConnect
Institute of Global Education
Natural Systems Thinking Process
PROJECT NATURECONNECT
Institute of Global Education
Introductory Course
ECO 501 Educating and Counseling
With Nature
3 Credits in the Degree Program
Activities
With
a group of kids, go to a natural area and ask them to find an area that
they would like to play in, but only after they have asked that area if
it is OK to spend some time there. Find one object that you
really enjoyed playing with, something you just really liked….maybe you
liked the color, maybe you liked how it felt. Ask it if it is ok
to bring it back, but make sure that you don’t tear off a plant leaf or
uproot a flower. Talk about why this would not be a good
idea. When the kids return, ask them why they chose what they
did. Ask them if they feel as special and important as what they
had chosen. Guide them in direction toward their self-worth.
ACTIVITY: A Direct Experience of you.
This is a choice. You get to choose to be in contact with Nature,
just you and Nature. Don't let your mind be the great thief and
steal away your real experiences by protecting you with stories.
GO out into Nature. Gain permission to do this activity
with the area. When you have gained permission, become aware
of all the things you are attracted to. Sun, trees, warmth, a
field. Whatever catches your senses. Accept that this is how
you feel, even if you find yourself saying this is ridiculous,
don,t listen to your mind. Listen to your body. If you feel it
and then it comes to mind, this is your body. If you find your
mind saying something and then you feel it, it,s your story.
This also applies to not being attracted to something. If you
feel the urge to leave an area and your mind is saying that it
is okay to stay, then leave.
The purpose is to allow the body to use all of the tools it was
born with. Do you question when you are thirsty? Do you ask yourself
if you really have to go to the bathroom. Generally without thinking
we are drawn to getting a glass of water or are heading to the
bathroom before our minds are going "hey, I haven,t gone
pee in awhile, what do you say, should we go or not?
Right now we are re-establishing equilibrium between mind and
body. That is the key ingredient to learning to walk balanced.
Whatever you feel, feel it. Be okay with it. Wander around touching,
smelling, seeing whatever you feel attracted to. Remember you
have to obtain permission first.
Set aside 5 minutes a day to do this activity. If you find your
stories taking over then try saying the word "connection
or focus on your breath "breathing in, breathing out. After
awhile you,ll feel the relief of being you without your story.
That is a direct experience of you. Tell me who you are. Tell
everyone. That is your gift.
Created Activity:
Go to an area that is natural and as free from distractions as possible:
Ask for permission to enter the area and after receiving permission spend about ten minutes moving through the area.
Whenever
you note something that attracts you, if it is possible to do so
without causing any damage (and it is small enough to do so),
pick it up and take it with you (make a mental note of where you
got it).
After doing this for a few moments sit down
with what you have collected and enjoy those expressions of
nature for a few moments.
Note how you feel about them and what you sense about them.
Thank each item for giving you this experience and for sharing itself with you.
Now
return each item to the original place where you found it (or as close
as you can remember) thanking the area you took it from for letting you
enjoy it for awhile.
Note how you feel about returning the items.
How would you feel if you could not return the items even if you wanted to?
How
do you feel differently about the items in taking them and returning
them, as opposed to ∑∑∑if you had not taken them from their original
place to begin with?
How did the area feel to you after returning the items?
How does it feel differently than when you first approached it?
Write three G/G statements resulting from this experience
Write
a statement as though you are the old brain explaining to the new brain
what it is that you want the new brain to comprehend from this activity.
This is a site specific activity with nature. Go to a stream,
creek, or river. It can be tiny or large. Ask the flowing body
of water permission to consciously connect with it. If it says
yes proceed. Notice how you are feeling. What season are you
visiting this body of water in? Are you aware of the last time
it rained? How has the amount of rain fall effected the river?
Can you feel the connection between the creek or stream and your
body which is also made up of water?
If you feel safe and attracted go into or along side the river
and go up stream? How do you feel moving opposite the natural
flow of the water? Where are you opposing the flow in your life?
How is the river flowing, is it running smoothly or is it blocked
up in places? If there are rocks and things climb and explore
the river or creek. What are you attracted to? What kinds of
animals or living beings do you come across with your attractions?
How do the animals or living beings you see live their life?
What insights can you gain from comparing your lifestyle to the
lifestyles, of the other natural beings you are attracted to?
Do this activity for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes write
down any insights. What is the river teaching you about your
life? How are you feeling now? Has your mood changed from when
you started the activity?
Thank the natural area for connecting with you. You are invited
to visit this same area at different seasons. What is similar?
What is different?
This activity to me specifically addresses part of the water
cycle and our connection to streams, creeks, and rivers. It brings
into awareness the connection between observing a river flowing
and the flow of a person,s life. It also touches on the importance
of rain and could bring awareness on people,s vocabulary of what
makes a day a beautiful day. To often I hear "It,s going
to be a great day sunny and 70 whatever. Where when it rains
there is always a dreary tone and words used. Meanwhile people
complain when a drought hits.
The time spent in this activity is important also allowing the
sound of the flowing water the time to fully integrate into a
person,s vibration and body.
In partners, go to a natural area, and gain its consent to participate
in a nature connecting activity with it. Slowly, and quietly
walk through the area together. After five minutes, the partners
will stop, look into each others eyes, and one partner will ask
the other, tell me who you are,. The other will answer who they
are in that moment, what they feel, see, are experiencing. After
finishing, the first person will simply say, thank you. The second
person, will then ask the first person, tell me who you are,.
After they have answered, the second person will also simply
say, thank you. Continue to walk through the natural area, for
30-40 minutes, walking a couple minutes in silence, then repeating
the exchange. No other conversation, analysis, or thoughts are
to be shared about what the person has talked about. Each person
supports the other in who they are in that moment by simply saying
thank you.
This activity allows one to go deeper and deeper into them selves
in the present moment. This activity can be repeated several
times over a day. Ex. 40 minute session, then 20 minutes of quiet
time alone, then repeat, x3, or x4, etc.
You can go through a lot of layers with this activity. I believe
nature would be an excellent facilitator in this.
This activity can be used with small groups or simply yourself.
Pick as natural an area as you can with as few people distractions
as possible and familiarize yourself with this area in detail
prior to the activity. Ask this place for permission to learn
and visit. Look around for safe areas to place participants once
they have gained consent with the various areas. Spend time enough
to feel the area, its safeness and how you would enter and leave
in the dark. Thank this natural area for allowing you to learn
and share.
I have always experienced unique kinship, spiritual connections,
and a deeper peace during solo times of darkness in the woods,
at least an hour before any daylight and sitting still through
this time period for an hour after daylight. In this time, there
are many senses that we are more open to from recent sleep. Our
being is refreshed but our new brain has not dominated us as
powerfully as mid-morning or in the rush of the day.
Wake at least two hours before any daylight and gently walk to
the area selected with no flashlights or any other light. Follow
the same process of following natural attractions to or within
the area and gain consent to be fully involved with this natural
place. Gently sit in this area and sense as many of the intelligences/natural
attractions that come naturally to you. My experience is that
a multitude of senses are more aware. Sit as quietly as you can
without movement of any kind, other than blinking and breathing.
Stay in this place until full daylight has come and then stay
for another 30 minutes. When finished, I have always been deeply
refreshed, felt more alive to all my senses and deep peace and
spiritual kinship with Earth.
Now on the same day, repeat this process, only go to the area
you were at in the morning activity at least an hour before sunset
and stay at least an hour after dark----following the same process
of natural attractions and consent. On another day or the next
day, visit this area for 30 minutes in the middle of the day
and note any differences you feel and following the same natural
attraction and consent process.
With small groups, you want to know the area well and give the
participants assurance that you will place them in an area that
they are to stay until you come around to get them and guide
them out.
With a group, you can gather after each solo and share experiences
and then follow write-up processes to share later.
I feel this activity is beneficial in relation to experiencing
natural areas at unique times when nature is in transition, thus
placing people in a natural harmony to experience/sense with
natural attractions that deepen these. It is also a unique bridge
to our senses in the sense of how our body, mind and spirit resonate
naturally with closings and openings of the course of night and
day.
This activity can enhance: ìWhat immediate actions can
I take to sustain my relationships? How can I participate in
these actions now?î DAN SHELTON
The Activity:
Dealing with a low-self esteem, as most folks have, is what we
have been wrangled into thinking... of our world and ourselves.
The basis for this is a misconception right from the start- on
Who We Are. If I allow my thinking of separateness to continue-
focusing on that, then I have made no gains. I choose to do this
activity by bringing a thankfulness and gratefulness to each
encounter met during the activity done and then try to incorporate
that throughout the day with laughter and a playfulness.
The objective of this activity is to gain consent from yourself
to go within and without appreciating, thanking, acknowledging
and playfully enjoying each precious gift. That means to oneself,
thanking for the gifts of all the senses that have come to life
within and without. My reality holds no room any longer for an
activity that is unattractive; choosing to only to see, the it
is what it is, as it releases within me not only forgiveness,
but an understanding that all is, and all is well,. When the
"if,s and,s or but,s including the "I should haves
come in, I recognize that as a wrangler, an unreal story. I start
out by writing down statements such as "I am worthy, I am
love, I am peace, I am OneI am that. Even pretend at first if
you mustfor when you do the activity often you become that. Only
be consistent. With consistency, it changes one from a low-self
to a higher self; one that you are.
Now practice writing down your own statements: Try it now. Writing
it down, reading it, and saying it to yourself means in essence
you go through a period of releasing the wranglers, of forgiveness,
of acceptance to all.... to one of Oneness. If it is only one
statement, focus on that; write it down, read it, say it mentally
or out-loud; makes no difference. The statement is something
that comes from within, from Source itself. Listen. If it takes
some minutes to do this-give into this-time is not of the essence.
Now relishing your affirmation or statement, take it outside
and with permission sit, with your statements non-verbally, and
find an attraction in the out-of-doors. It might be the stars
at night, it might be the air, the dirt, the cool breezeShare
it with Nature. Go to each attractive attraction and say your
statement of affirmation. How does it make you feel? What do
the attractions say back? For truly, That is Who You ARE.
When wranglers persist to come to the forefront, let them come
and let them go or pass right on by; you need not capture them,
hold them, feel them any longer- as you are not that. You just
are. Accept them, forgive them, and understand them as having
no power over you as you thankfully let them go in peace. Breathing
slowly deeply in and out, in and now out, in fully and now out
completely, knowing you are who you are. You are is-ness. As
there is no past/no future/ only the Now, the moment.
Is.
Be-ing.
Our self-concept is mainly formed of ideas we think fit ourselves.
Many of these ideas we have gathered from our past experiences
and from other's ideas about ourselves. Some of these ideas are
fixed statements which influence the way we go about in life,
and we rarely stop for a second to question them. These ideas
register in our mind in the form of statements that say: "I
should" or "I should be" Some people might say
things like: "I should be admired", "I should
be understood", "I should be perfect", "I
should be able to do whatever I want", "I should always
know more than others", "I should never be hurt"
or "I should be hurt, "I should have done something
about my life earlier", "I should have been a lawyer",
etc.
The objective of the following activity is to get a reality check
on how true those statements feel once you are in intimate connection
with nature. Take a piece of paper and write as many "I
should" or "I should be" statements as you can
find about yourself. When you have written statements that really
feel central to your idea of yourself and how you relate to yourself,
others and the world, go connect with nature. Find a place or
object in nature with which you feel you can have an intimate
connection. If you feel you have received consent to relate to
it, use all your senses to connect to it. Stay with this intimate
connection for as much as it is possible, and feel how it intensifies.
After at least 10 minutes of relating to nature, use your sense
of language to share with it your "should" statements,
share them out loud.
As you share these statements check how you feel about them in
the present moment. Are you experiencing a sensation of congruence
(accuracy) or incongruence (inaccuracy)? Some statements may
bring up stronger sensations than others, explore those further.
What is your overall feeling about these statements after having
gotten feedback from an intimate connection with your environment?
There are other statements that are important in forming our
stories about ourselves, as Dr. Mike Cohen would say. Those statements
can have the form of: "If I", "I could have",
"I would have", "I always", "I never"
This same activity can be done with these kinds of statements.
Activity:
I am struck by the wrangling stories presented in our society
about the dangers, and negative constructs, going into nature
may bring. Similarly to the experience of this group of people
I described above, the collective we, of our society relies on
masks as our presentation to the world, discounting the reality
of who we, are and the reality of the blessings and support offered
in nature.
An exercise I have conducted in a number of settings and will
restructure to share nature,s blessings is one of mask making.
Going to an area and asking permission to participate in the
activity, once permission is granted ~
Ask individuals to describe their first impression of being in
this area.
Ask individuals to explore the area and spend some time in one
spot that creates an attraction for them.
Gather as a group and share learnings about their attraction
in nature.
How did this differ from your first impression?
Depending on the length of the activity and the comfort of the
participants in the group, the discussion will be facilitated
in a way that is safe for each participant. (I prefer to conduct
such a workshop over a minimum of six hours)
Have participants select items in the area that represent parts
of themselves. When the pieces are selected have participants
assemble them into a mask and relate to the group what they are
choosing to share about themselves through their mask.
(This can be done with a variety of media ~ again dependent on
the length of time and the group comfort level)
Sit somewhere in your home for about 5 minutes. Observe and label
the thoughts that enter your mind as "my stories."
Notice whether your thoughts tend to deal with past or future
events. Next go to the closest attractive natural area outside
your home and get consent from the area to become involved with
it. Say out loud "nameless" several times. Notice moments
when your stories are absent from your mind and you are enjoying
the moment. Thank this natural area for supporting you to be
in the present moment. Go back indoors and say out loud "stories,"
then immediately step outside and say out loud "present
moment."
I sat in front of the dinning table, leaned my body forward and
rested my head on the table. I started to call ãstory,
story, story·..··ä. Some scenes of
my childhood appeared. I consciously knew that my thoughts were
tending to deal with past events. After 3 minutes, I went
out to my balcony facing the park. The strong afternoon sunshine
shrank my eyes. I said out loud ãnamelessä several
times. The ãstoryä was gone. I could only recognize
the strong sunshine with red light and its warmth. I retuned
back to the dinning table and said out loud ãstoryä.
My old childhood story did not come back. What was in my mind
was the sunshine. I followed the activity to step outside and
say out loud ãpresent momentä. The blue sky attracted
me with its calmness sheer. There was no more ãstoryä
in my mind. I found this activity could be helpful to me when
my thoughts are down and desperate.
Bonnie Chan
1. From Chris Meuse
The following activity is designed on the theory that many of
the causes of drug and alcohol abuse, crime, depression, suicide,
anxieties, etc. have their roots firmly planted in a soiled mind
set, polluted by a sense of low self-esteem from webstring deterioration.
It is in this mind set of worthlessness, that individuals turn
to a variety of escape mechanisms, such as drugs, or suppressed
seclusion, in an effort to ease their pain and suffering. Of
course, we know the long term affects of these fruitless solutions
are devastating; devastating to one's self, as well as to all
of nature as a whole. Low self-esteem results in the creation
of a fear based mentality; a fear of trusting one's nature to
live life with confidence and love.
The crippling affect of a fear based existence is not only sad,
but it is unnecessary. By reconnecting with nature one can again
discover the love and peace which nature intended one to experience.
The new brain barriers of a conditioned mentality, can be broken
down, down, down, by the love of mother nature. Thus, allowing
sensations of joy to set one free, to live a life based in unconditional
love. This is a non destructive life; non destructive to self,
to genius, to soul, and to all of nature's creations.
Please note that if the fearful situation you choose, for the
following activity, is an intensely sensitive situation, it may
be wise to conduct it with the support of another person.
Go to an attractive natural area. Become involved with it and
gain its consent to help you with this activity. If the area
remains attractive for at least 10 seconds, thank it.
In this natural setting, look for a small piece of branch, leaf,
wood, pebble, something natural, approximately the size of your
thumb, that attracts you. Once you have found this object, thank
it for being attractive and obtain its consent to help you with
the activity. Recognize that it reasonable to do this.
Find a comfortable and pleasing place to sit. It is in this setting
that nature will supply you with the positive support/rapport
necessary to conduct the activity.
While sitting, look around and find an attractive sight to focus
your attention on for the moment. Once you sense the joy of this
attraction, turn your eyes and head away from the attractive
sight and sit comfortably, while holding the thumb size object
in your hand. Close your eyes and bring to your attention a situation
in which you sense fear. It could be a fear of public speaking,
a fear of flying, a fear of love, etc. Now focus on this fearful
scene; create a large bright image of the scene in your mind,
intensify any sounds that you may hear while living out the scene,
and feel the negative sensations associated with this fearful
experience. Repeat the inner visualization, auditory, and kinesthetic
sensations (you may add gustatory and olfactory sensations to
intensify the experience) until you are feeling the intense reality
of the experience.
Once you are living the experience, open your eyes and "immediately"
place your thumb size object approximately 12 inches in front
of your face at eye level, and "immediately" begin
to move the object back and forth across the line of vision,
from extreme right to extreme left, at the rate of about one
back and forth movement per second. ( Follow the object with
your eyes; do not move your head.) Do this 8 times, then switch
the movement to a diagonal movement from the upper right side
of vision to the lower left side, at the same rate of speed for
6 movements; then switch the diagonal movement from the upper
left side of vision to the lower right side, for 6 more movements.
Finally, return to the original horizontal movement for 5 more
movements. Stop, place the object down, and "immediately"
focus on the pleasing natural attraction which you were focusing
on prior to starting the activity. Give it a warm smile and know
that NIAL is supporting the removal of your fear. Sit quietly
and allow all the surrounding natural attractions to flow effortlessly
to you. Sense nature's peaceful joy!!!
This activity will permit the removal of fearful sensations on
a neurological new brain level, and will enhance the capability
of nature's multi-sensory attractions to bring peace and balance
to your psyche.
2.
From Mike Cohen
I use a similar activity to 1. when I wake up in the middle of
the night thinking about something that seems important and I
can't get back to sleep. I am attracted to the small moving object
I imagine because I imagine it is of nature and has the webstring
power to gently, safely, reasonably erase any word strings that
enter my consciousness. As my eyes follow it racing around all
over inside my head, it erases my word strings like a demagnetizer,
Words disappear until I can sense them coming and thereby erase
them before they do. As soon as I recognize that I'm doing this,
I'm asleep and I know it.
3.
From Gretchen Grani
Sit somewhere in your home for about 5 minutes. Observe and label
the thoughts that enter your mind as "my stories."
Notice whether your thoughts tend to deal with past or future
events. Next go to the closest attractive natural area outside
your home and get consent from the area to become involved with
it. Say out loud "nameless" several times. Notice moments
when your stories are absent from your mind and you are enjoying
the moment. Thank this natural area for supporting you to be
in the present moment. Go back indoors and say out loud "stories,"
then immediately step outside and say out loud "present
moment."
4. From Renee Hamilton
This activity could easily be done in the morning, evening, while
at work, or while driving (don't close your eyes, though. :)
)
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, preferably next
to awindow, so you can at least get some fresh air into the room.
Once you have made yourself comfortable, take several deep breaths
tohelp you relax and to clear your mind. (If you have done Yoga,
do Yoga breathing) Allow yourself to take in the fresh air from
outside, filling your lungs with its crispness.
As soon as you are relaxed allow your mind to go to a place that
you enjoy in the wilderness. (For example, I often go to the
mountains ofALaska or the meadows of New Mexico). Think of this
place, while continuing to breath deeply, and why this place
is attractive to you. Imagine yourself there running, playing,
swimming, relaxing, camping, sitting, enjoying.
Do this for a couple of minutes or for a few, depending on where
your imagination takes you. Finish up by taking a couple more
deep breaths and carrying with you the image that you created
in your mind.
5. From Alfred Blue
Go to a place that is appealing to you. Find a place where you
can sit down and just observe the activities of your senses as
they encounter whatever is there. Recognize how sensitive and
powerful your physical senses are in picking up and recording
all the nuances in your environment. Take a moment and thank
them. Notice how you feel when you do. Notice what kind of being
you truly are, and thank the one you are. Then, let your imagination
soar. Unawakened or untrained people have the illusion that imagination
is a disconnect from reality, and indeed, it can be. But, it
can also be led by the senses into another reality not detected
by the logical mind. See if, or to what degree this happens to
you. Then, when you are through relishing the experience, write
down your impressions, read them back to yourself outloud, and,
if you are so inclined, share them with the rest of the group.
May your experiences with this day be peaceful and encouraging
ones.
6. From Beverly Deering
Go to an attractive area in Nature. Take some moments to pay
attention to your breathing, feeling the air coming in and out
of your body, feeling it as it enters your chest and your stomach.
Let your outbreath release any stress or tension you might be
feeling. Then, as you walk through this attractive area, continue
to keep in the background a subtle consciousness of your breath,
feeling it in your chest and stomach, breathing in and out a
sense of connection to everything you see, hear, feel, smell,
touch and sense. Explore the area, using as many senses as you
can. Just keep a soft awareness of your breath, as well as everything
you sense, and notice any feelings as you connect with Nature
around you. At the end of your walk, write down how this experience
affected you and any feelings and thoughts that arose.
7. From Marie McLean
In a situation with teens at risk, with their many stories
of hurt and inadequacy and shame, I would introduce this activity
once they had gotten to know each others' and their own histories
as 'stories.' It's often easier to forgive someone else their
story than to forgive yourself, particularly if there is shame
involved. It's really just a variation on the theme "Who
are you without your names and labels?"
Choose a partner and silently go for a nature
walk. Set a limit of fifteen minutes, and then agree to
come together again to share. It's not necessary to stay together
the entire time.
Follow your attractions as they come up. As
you non-verbally appreciate each attraction, ask each one "Who
are you without your names and labels?" Note the qualities
it has. Can you find those qualities in your partner? See if
you can find two or three attractive natural things or areas
that can share this with you. Thank each area for its part in
helping you to build stronger webstring attachments to your friend.
When you and your partner come together again,
take them to each of these things or areas, and share with them
your attractions. Thoughtfully verbalize how this area or thing
shares part of its essence or qualities with your partner. Always
be mindful of phrasing your words so that your partner will feel
good about him/herself. Be prepared to share this experience
later in the large group.
8. From Judy Sher
This activity works best with trees, especially large ones.
So if possible work with them, however it can work with smaller
plants and grasses as well.
Go to an attractive natural area, especially one with trees and
seek out an older tree in the area. Thankfully ask for its permission
to become involved with it, gain its consent to help you with
this activity. If the area remains attractive, continue with
the activity. How does this tree feel to you? What do you notice?
Can you hear its story? Thank it for sharing this information
with you. Ask the tree if you may speak to one of its seeds either
present or absent physically. If yes, there may be an actual
seed on the ground for you, if so, go find it and pick it up
in your hand. If not, just imagine the seed there. Ask the seed
what it needed to grow into this type of tree. What life attractions
were necessary for it to thrive and live? Thank the seed. How
did that make you feel? If you can share this experience with
others do so and find out what feelings your sharing brings up.
Can you see yourself and others once as a seed, needing certain
ingredients to grow and live. What did you receive? How do you
feel?
Thank the tree and the seed for its wisdom and sharing and notice
if there are any G/O stories that came up. If so, what did the
tree and seed teach you about G/G information about you and your
life.
When I went to do this activity I actually got surprised by the
information that I received. I went and spoke to a very tall
blue spruce that lives in front of my house. I received permission
to interact with it and picked up one of its pine cones. Inside
I found a small seed. I looked at the tree and then looked and
felt the seed sitting so small inside my hand and asked it, what
did it take for you to grow into this type of tree? My new-brain
thought it would say something like, temperature and light and
moisture ? all things that I know, but it said courage and persistence
trust and vision and truth. Almost knocked my socks off. My G/O
awareness thought how could this be. But my G/G awareness let
my in on a secret. Since I am part of nature and I am conversing
with this seed ? it's talking about me and it at the same time.
I had to let go of my old conceptions of what it means to get
information from nature ? it's not always literal, its multilayered
and sensient and gives us me what I need. What a great and unexpected
teaching.
I feel there may be many applications to this type of activity
done individually and with groups. If you feel inspired I would
be interested to hear what happens if anyone of you try this
out.
9 Activity designed by Jan Kindred
Go to an outdoor natural area that is at least six feet in diameter.
Ask permission to become involved with it to do a harmless activity.
Wait 10 seconds. If the area is still attractive after this time,
thank it and proceed with the exercise.
Find some sticks and/or rocks and use them to make a circle approximately
four feet in diameter. Just a few are necessary to define a border.
Sit inside the circle (in the middle or towards one edge) and
for 15 minutes pay attention to what is currently in this space,
right from the earth to the sky, and to what enters this space
during this time. Notice how the things you are observing make
you feel and give these feelings a one word label (example: peaceful,
anxious, joyful, afraid.) Are these feelings coming from your
immediate experience in the moment or are they triggered by stories,
past experiences, memories or expectations?
If something is unattractive, perhaps like a stinging/biting
insect or an unsettling weather pattern, notice if it is currently
a threat to you. If not, are you able to allow yourself to re-write
the story that it is currently not a threat and peacefully allow
it to go about its business? Can you acknowledge that it is just
following the flow of its own life and is not there to vindictively
hurt you and may even feel just as threatened by your presence?
Can you allow yourself to feel respect for this life even though
it may trigger discomfort or fear?
If something is attractive, enjoy it and discern how it makes
you feel. Why do you think it makes you feel this way?
10. From Jenna Caplette
Exercise: In a safe place, with a partner experience life through
your feet. Close your eyes, plug your ears, keep your hands in
your pockets or by your side and have your partner take off your
shoes and guide you to different experiences through your feet.
After about a ten minute experience, have your partner put your
shoes back on. (If possible do this on a very dark night with
your eyes open without a flashlight, without a partner.) Temperatures,
textures, feel the connection you have every day, all the time
to Mother Earth. What does She say to you? What webstrings attract
you through your feet? Can you trust them to lead you? ö
11. From Lynn Ruoff
Activity: Seek Nature âs Wisdom - Seek Your Wisdom...
1. Bring to mind the most recent unresolved concern,
worry, issue (an old brain story) that you would like to
seek some wisdom and guidance about.
2. Place this thought is in your minds periphery, without
judgement let it be there for a few moments. Then,
go outside and seek a natural attractive area, ask its
permission to seek its wisdom and then thank it if it feels
right.
3. Close your eyes as you bring to the forefront this "old
brain story" you are seeking wisdom about and ask
this natural attractive area for guidance as to how
to resolve this story. While eyes are still closed listen and
sense what nature is telling you, then again,
sense with eyes open what nature is telling you,
then thank nature when all information has been received.
4. Write down, and/or share you experience with
someone else to ground this experience into your
consciousness.
12. From Karthik Sidhar
Fear of Taking Tests?
Take a questionaire consisting of 5 extremely simple questions.
Sit in a area most comfortable to you, preferably outdoors. Make
sure the surroundings must be silent(less distracting) Once you
feel at complete ease with your surroundings and blend with it,
memorize the entire questionaire and itís answers. Slowly,
close your eyes and start by focussing on your mindís
eye which is the portion between your eye brows. It might be
difficult at first but with determination it is easy to achieve.
Now mentally visualise the following:
You are literally thrown in an
exam room. You are about to take the most crucial exam of your
life, an exam that might decide whether you will live or die.
You can see several students, all seem as panicked as you areósweating
profusely, shivering terrible out of anxiety. You look at the
exam paper. Suddenly you feel your back feel warm. These are
the questions that you have so well known. Good Lord, I can ace
this exam,î you tell yourself. You realize that the only
reason why you can do well are because of 2 factors. You seem
less anxious than the others surrounding you and that you have
gone through the questions and their answers very well and are
able to recall them perfectly. ÖÖÖNow the results
of the exam are being declared. "What, I have got an A?"
you scream at the announcer."I am the only person who got
it?" Now you feel the euphoria deep within yourself. ....
Slowly count from 5 to 1 and then open your eyes. Enjoy the bliss
surrounding you and try listening to any natural sounds if outdoors..It
can be the chirping birds, or even just the wind if nothing elseÖ.
Repeat this exercise as long as it take and make it a regular
routine. Just watch the ìanxiety demonî or what
you think of as an incurable disease dissappear in an amazingly
short time.
13 Amy Withrow
Go to a natural area of attraction. Ask permission to do this
activity within this area. If permission is not granted, move
on until you find a place that does grant it. Find a comfortable
place to sit down. Within your range of vision, again, find something
that attracts you (ie. rock, flower, tree, mountain, cloud, etc.)
Make sure that it holds your attraction - if it does not continue
to be attractive to you, please find something else that does.
As you gaze upon this attraction, notice what sensations you
are aware of in your body. Where are they? What are they? Without attaching
words or names to the sensations, for a few minutes, just allow
yourself to experience and savor what you notice. Now, think
of a recently challenging experience you have had - make sure
that it is not one that is heavily trauma-based for you. As you
bring this experience into your awareness (close your eyes if
this helps you focus), again, notice what sensations are in your
body - try not to judge them, just notice, and pay attention
to them for a few minutes. Now, again for a few minutes, gaze
upon the attraction, and again hold your awareness on these sensations.
For a few minutes each, toggle back and forth between the sensations
of the natural attraction, and the sensations of your challenging
experience. End with the sensations of the natural attraction.
Thank the attraction and the area for being willing to participate
in this activity with you. Write down what you experienced or
noticed while doing this exercise and share it with your group.
The basis of this exercise is to use your attractions as a way of resourcing your nervous system. The basis of Peter Levine's trauma work is that the more resourced your nervous system is, the more resilient it becomes and the more resilient it is, the more it is able to bring to the surface your trauma (wranglers, old stories, etc.) and the easier and faster it will be able to discharge old, tissue-bound experiences. Resources can be lots of things, like your support system of friends and family, certain clothes you have, and certainly, your attractions in nature. I believe that by doing these exercises of following our attractions and paying attention, we have been doing just that - resourcing our nervous systems. Thus, it more often is able to access the rest and relaxation of the parasympathetic nervous system as opposed to the fight or flight of the sympathetic nervous system, which is where we spend most of our time in disconnected lives.
From Sharon Massey
I have taken the process and
ritual of asking for consent when out in nature and applied it
to my interactions with people and social systems. Because I
lack the language to name what I am accessing (I think Mike says
its a collective webstring) I have been asking for consent to
interact with people's souls. When I am passing people on the
street, I acknowledge them in my head even while I am saying
hello out-loud. When I am talking to people, I simultaneously
ask for permission to participate in the interaction in my head
(with your consent). I say this out loud to my kids--but even
saying it in my head
has results with the average person.
The test for this was doing
it myself--moving through my day and making a conscious nonverbal
connection with each person I encountered. I got many more hellos,
smiles, and even physical touch then usual. I have
also described this process to people and they have expressed
that it worked for them too.
Thanks Sharon, I tried this for the last few days, and it felt weirdly sci-fi at first, but I do believe like lotus flowers, we appear energetically more open, and this then allows communication (nonverbally) to initiate. I also noticed that I felt I could pick up on people's energy vulnerabilites, for instance a need to feel in charge, or a need for feedback, or a slight hug, or smile. This was a great test for my awareness of my presence on other's as well.
From C.J. Rich
It seems that a lot of people are afraid of mice. My mother was, even though she grew up on a farm. My cats have had a terrible habit from where I used to live- a converted horse barn. They loved to put mice in the bathtub and freak them out until weakened, and then go from there. I would always get a surpise in the morning when getting ready to shower....a bad scene from Psycho in the shower awaited me.Does this help your fear? For a long time, I've wanted to get over that fear, which I've kind of generalized to all animals. I went outside last evening after it had turned dark and sat on the back steps, close to the fallen leaves. I just wanted to try to stay out for awhile without feeling terrified. For awhile, I had been getting visits from skunks, and I figured there was bound to be a groundhog, a cat, or a mouse scratching around out there. I sat there, feeling the chilly autumn wind, repeating "attraction...connection" to myself and, eventually, I heard something rustling through the leaves. I asked permission to stay for a few more minutes thinking that, after all, this was the animals' natural habitat. I was the intruder, especially now that it was nightime.A good way to give some perspective, yeah we are guests sometimes Then I saw them - a pair of iridescent eyes reflecting off a slim patch of light coming through the kitchen window. I stood up, but I didn't leave. Neither did the eyes. "Connection...connection...." I said it a few more times, forcing a half-smile. Eventually the eyes casually moved on. I'm not sure what it was. It was pretty dark: Maybe just a cat; but I felt like something "big" had happened. The creature didn't run, it didn't attack. We were nature - together.
from Kathy Petett
Age: Children, 8-11
Have children decorate (2) shoe boxes. In the first box, "my
old stories," and in the second box "my new stories."
Ask children to come up with all the things they believe to be
true about themselves, and write each on a small piece of paper.
Place a slit in the top of each box an put the "old"
stories---"I'm retarded everyone says so", etc. Then
have children engage in a nature activity, like sitting by water,
picking up rocks, looking at leaves, feeling the wind. For each
nature experience, write a "new story," that begins
with "I like, or I feel". Add the new stories in the
other box, creating a slit in the top as well. Each week children
can pull out an old story, and let it go when they are ready.
For instance, "I'm not retarded, that was an old story somebody
told me, and it's not who I am." A ceremony like burying
the old story, throwing it in the trash, cutting it up..whatever
to bring closure.
2. Perspective taking nature style
An exercise for any age. Have participants sit back to back on
the ground. Imagine a line that is drawn between them. The dividing
line represents separation, the sitting touching back to back
represents potential integration. Ask each participant to describe
what they see from their point of sitting. Encourage as much
multisensory expression as possible...the wind, birds, grass,
people, animals, etc. Then ask the other person to do the same.
Then switch sides, and ask if each can understand "their
world" by sensing/seeing/feeling the things that person
described.
3. An individual journey
Find a natural attraction, ask for consent, then move toward
a comfortable sitting place. Enter the area with a particular
concern that you are dealing with. As you sit (bring a small
journal) write down everything the natural area is saying to
you about you. "The water says that I am creative and flowing,
but feel scared when an intruder drinks from my source."
"The tree says I am tall and inviting, but worry too much
about shadows." Whatever inspiring thoughts are generated
from the voices of nature. Then, go back to the original point
of concern and evaluate how nature helped to solve the dilemma.
I love doing and creating these activities, and hope to create
a whole book of 'em. Kathy.
Kat
F
Circle of Life
Appreciating the Web of Life
frome Carol Lindner
Everything an Indian does is in a circle,
and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles,
and everything tries to be round.
The sky is round
and the earth is round like a ball,
and so are all the stars.
The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.
Birds make their nests in circles.
For theirs is the same religion as ours.
The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle.
The moon does the same, and both are round.
Even the seasons form a great circle
In their changing,
And always come back again to where they were.
The life of a man is a circle from childhood to adulthood,
And so it is in everything where power moves.?
- Black Elk in Black Elk Speaks.
ACTIVITY
Go to an attractive natural area, the more natural the better. Preferably
one that has a looping trail
Bring along a journal and a pen
Gain permission to become involved with it, gain its consent to help you
with this activity
Walk the loop of the trail once and simply just ?be in the moment,? enjoy
the feelings you get from the experience
Stay conscious of your breath, breathing in through your nose and out
through your mouth as you walk in silent meditation to connect to how you are feeling.
Walk the loop of the trail once again and identify things in nature that are
formed in the shape of a circle
Note how you feel when you walk in the circular loop?how it feels to touch
those things you find that are shaped in a circle
Use as many of your senses as possible during this activity : sight, smell,
hearing, taste, touch, intuition, etc.
Note what thoughts and feelings?messages about your life, past or present, come up for you?
Express appreciation for your good feelings.
Now, think about a time in the past when the connection was broken.
Use your journal to describe the situation, how the circle of life was
broken and how you felt.
Think
about what could have been different to maintain the connection.
Then think about a time when you felt whole, renewed, inspired and
complete.
Write and share statements describing how the activity felt and makes sense to you.
Include in your journal writing the completion of the following statements:?
My experience in nature shows me that I am a person who gets good feelings
(from, when, if, by, etc. _________________
Elle
Go to an area that is natural and as free from distractions as possible:
Ask for permission to enter the area and after receiving permission spend about ten minutes moving through the area.
Whenever
you note something that attracts you, if it is possible to do so
without causing any damage (and it is small enough to do so),
pick it up and take it with you (make a mental note of where you
got it).
After doing this for a few moments sit down
with what you have collected and enjoy those expressions of
nature for a few moments.
Note how you feel about them and what you sense about them.
Thank each item for giving you this experience and for sharing itself with you.
Now
return each item to the original place where you found it (or as close
as you can remember) thanking the area you took it from for letting you
enjoy it for awhile.
Note how you feel about returning the items.
How would you feel if you could not return the items even if you wanted to?
How
do you feel differently about the items in taking them and returning
them, as opposed to ÖÖÖif you had not taken them from their original
place to begin with?
How did the area feel to you after returning the items?
How does it feel differently than when you first approached it?
Amber Berg
This
perosn can be any of the following: friend, family member/s,
significant other, neighbor your barely talk to, teacher, co-worker
etc.
whomever came yo your mind at this moment please consider.
I
want you to plan to go on a run, hike or walk to a specific set
destination with this person. Tell them you need a partner for
safety reasons to go to this area.
Before you leave, when
alone write down how you are feeling. Note if you have the
feelings of anxiety, happiness, fear, excitement etc.
When you
arrive make sure you feel you have gained consent to be there,
otherwise go to your ‘back-up’ destination. Wether you are out
for 1 or 6 hours make sure you are feeling consent to be in this
area. If you feel like conversing the whole time please do, if it
is silence that seems appealing to you let there be silence, go with
the flow! No pressure.
The key is for the two or more of you to
reach the destination. When you do share a moment of silence,
thank this area that it allowed you to reach it safely and ask others
if they are ready to head back, maybe they need another moment.
When you arrive back, still in the presence of the others make sure you thank them for joining you.
The next moment you are alone note your feelings. What are the three most dominate feelings you are experiencing?
What attracted you most about the area or activity you just experience?
If you have a difference in your feelings before as to after the activity, try and consider why.
Do you feel more confident after you have completed the activity?
How did it, if it did, effect your sense of self-worth?
?
Students may progress through this course at a faster or slower pace, as appropriate for all with permission of the course instructor. The default schedule is recommended.
FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION
Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.
Director, Project NatureConnect
P. O. Box 1605
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 USA
Tel: (360) 378-6313
Email: nature@interisland.net
Website: www.ecopsych.com
Communications should take
place during daytime working hours in the western time zone or
by appointment.
Project NatureConnect
Institute of Global Education
Special NGO consultant to United Nations Economic and Social
Council.
P.O. Box 1605 Friday Harbor WA 98250
(360) 378-6313
nature@pacificrim.net
www.ecopsych.com