...
...
...
...
...
...
Accredited Nature-Connecting Holistic Health and Wellness Degree Courses On Line: Natural Attraction Ecology Career Education Personal and Professional Whole Life System Training Grants and Jobs.
Project NatureConnect
Institute of Global Education
Organic
Psychology Applied Ecopsychology Ecotherapy
Special
NGO Consultant, United Nations Economic and Social Council
Practical distance learning remedy reverses nature deficit disorder
Natural Attraction Ecology Retreat Reports
Applied Ecopsychology in Action
| SYNOPSIS: These quotable field reports are the outcomes of the funded sensory science of Natural Attraction Ecology. They offer a sampling of the results obtained by retreat members engaging in its organic ecopsychology process. It is a science that helps us improve health wellness and counseling by enabling our thinking and feeling to safely connect their natural senses with the green spirit of nature's grace, balance and restorative powers. Participants benefit from and strengthen their inborn love of nature as they share and master ecotherapy activities that strengthen their personal and professional relationships in a good way. The reports are empirical evidence that demonstrates the contribution of our sensory connections with natural systems, in people and places, to increasing personal, social and environmental well being. NOTE: If you are looking for a quote on a specific topic, apply your finder to this page. Use the Project NatureConnect search engine to locate additional pages with similar information PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Educating Counseling and Healing With Nature Supportive Degrees, Career Training Courses and Jobs On Line Project NatureConnect offers nature-centered distant learning online retreats that enable you to add the benefits of nature-connecting methods and credentials to your degree program and/or your skills, interests and hobbies. We honor your prior training and life experience by providing grants and equivalent education credit for it. You may take accredited or professional CEU coursework and/or obtain a Nature-Connected Degree or Certificate in most disciplines or personal interests. A partial subject list is located at the bottom of this page.
FIELD REPORTS: on-line retreat program participants share their results from doing the nature-connecting activities found in The Web of Life Imperative and Reconnecting With Nature books. (Continued from Educating, Counseling and Healing With Nature where "Webstrings" are identified as the natural attraction strands of the web of life that hold it as well as each of its individual members together) For additional reports visit our Search Engine and Survey of Participants I hosted an picnic under the stars for this activity. As my family and friends gathered to break fast we listened to the crickets and simply got lost in our own natural connections for a time. I had my pnc journal with me and shared some of my experiences and discoveries with them. Everyone was very receptive and appreciative of my sharing. This gave me me a strong feeling of validation for the path that I'm walking. Later that evening I was thinking about how PNC integrates verbal/written communication with non language learning as a tool to mend the rift between old and new brain. Having been unable read and respond to all of your postes due to my vision therapy I feel that I am sustaining a profound loss. I want to take this time to thank you all for your patience. And I want to tell you all how much I appreciate your sharing and feedback. Everytime that you share with me I become wiser. ^^^ I was thinking on these things yesterday as my husband and I were traveling to see his uncle one more time. I was watching the sky and the clouds and my mind was wondering all around the sky and beyond. It seemed like the clouds were forming into a shape that looked almost human. I asked my husband to stop the car so we could take a break from the drive and stretch... and I wanted to continue to watch the clouds above. Soon after I was able to see more of the sky, a flock of birds came into view. They were flying in formation... like a giant U in the sky. I noticed how some of the birds would drop back, out of formation and front-center of the U, and find their way to another position with less wind resistance. They seemed to have a message just for me. Then I looked back to the cloud formation... and though my husband could not see it... I saw what appeared to be an angel. I will not go on and on here... although I could... as I am filled with many words and feelings and thoughts from this experience. I will say that I felt a deep connection with nature in that moment. The sky... the clouds... the birds were all relating directly to my thoughts of the meaning of life... the family's challenges and other worlds beyond what my eyes can see at this time. It was rich and warm and beautiful... I truly felt all things were interrelated and connected... and it gave me peace. This experience helps me to love myself for the way I stay open to the messages (intelligence) of nature. I am also reflecting on my feelings toward the natural world compared to the feelings I have toward the material (man made) world. I am thankful that I have enough perspective to see the value of the natural world... and appreciate the way it sustains me during the difficult times in my life. Peace, ^^^ I was on site at a landscape job trimming a hibiscus which was taller than I. It was about 95 degrees and humid too. It felt really hot but I had a cool experience with this hibiscus. As I stood right next to it touching its branches I felt very cool air just there right around her. I stood there for a while enjoying it. I stepped away and then back into it just to feel the extreme difference in temperature. It really made me think about global warming and how this was just a moment of the concept. Then I held my breath as long as I could and I tried to wrap my arms around the hibiscus when I started breathing and I really felt like the hibiscus was breathing life into me. I felt like the cool air it was giving off was the respiration and I knew that plant's very significance to my survival. I breathed on her, then inhaled, feeling a communication happening without words. I later picked up a rake and tried to find the same experience but of course there was not a connection of life with the rake. The three most important things I learned from this activity I learned that I am constantly exchanging respirations with the living beings surrounding me. I learned that our exchange of respirations is a circle of life. I learned that I can not ever disregard the significance of any living being. I am a webstring connection.Plants have natural attractions to me as well as I being naturally attracted to them. I am sharing respirations with life. Without it I would feel challenged and some sense of insecurity. At this point I absolutley feel my connection in nature as a significant webstring. ^^^ The plants in the wilderness are my friends. I just got back from a hike with the kids. My son began hitting a caterpillar on a leaf and was hitting the plants around it...I felt myself getting angry and telling him to respect their space..then I calmed down and said that they were my friends and he was hurting them. I told him that we are here on this earth to live in cooperation with one another and we must respect each others space. After he screamed at me at first, then he stopped and said 'oh mama, I will give the plant a hug..' he gripped his arms around the plant then stepped away as we walked on...sigh..not sure what all was learned here yet but wanted to share it... ^^^ Last week I began pinning the the mimbres pottery button on my shirt and I would like to share my curious experiences of day 1. I took my usual walk into town and to my office in order to feed the fish (these days I rarely work in my office at all), and then to the post office to pick up my mail... and then to the library to return a book. Typically, the only children I see are the ones playing in the school yard that I pass along the way. But it happened that I met a mother along the way walking her toddler in a stroller. The child was so cute that I leaned closer to share a smile. The child saw my button and reached out to touch it. The mother immediately reacted to keep the child from grabbing it, but I let her know it was okay. The child was more tentative now, but I moved closer and he reached out with his pointer finger and touched the pin. I briefly shared with the mother about the Mimbres pottery design and had a chance to share about my appreciation for the pin and the benefits of being "out" in nature. She agreed and then told her child, "Well...okay, we are off to the park." The child shrieked with joy. Moving on after our exchange I met another child walking out of the post office with her mother. This child was a bit older, likely 4 yrs. I slowed when I passed and said, "Isn't a beautiful day today?" The mother squinted at the sun and said yes, but I have to go to work now. I made my body smaller and playfully asked the little girl, "Are you going to work too?" She was unsure if she should speak to me, perhaps a bit shy... but I could not help but notice that she was looking at the pin. I was not able to say more because the mother was obviously in a hurry, but I reached up to the pin and nodded to the girl and she smiled very big... forgetting her shyness in the brief exchange. I had two other exchanges that day... also with children... and they both noticed the pin as well. Now maybe this happened because my counseling work is focused on children...and I likely attract children because they feel my attraction to them... as I am deeply passionate about supporting children and sharing nature with children - especially urban children who are being brought up in nature-disconnected "hot" ways... but I am still very curious about the outcome of wearing the button. I saw many adults that day, but none were attracted to the pin as the children. I am seeking the learning from this experience, and hope to continue this activity this week to see what will happen... I hope to do so mindfully using the NSTP operants. ^^^ I spent two days at a sanctuary site that is for sale near my city. This site is truly sacred not only is it on a vortex but it has one of the soundest and most diverse ecosystems that I’ve seen in Mo. The site has an enchanted forest, 2 natural spring fed ponds, caves, orchards and meadows were the notable characteristics of the landscape. As the owner guided me on a tour of the site I was inexplicably drawn to a clearing within the forest. It was like discovering the life force of this place yet I couldn’t tell if the energy was flowing to or from the source. I felt grounded not only to the spot but to the moment. I could feel webstrings flowing from every direction. I felt an equilibrium that was previously unknown to me. I was free and completely attached at once. I recognized the duplicity that has always been me. I remained transfixed in this place of perfect balance for two hours [my guide had retreated to another area]. When she reappeared and beckoned my return, I knew that I could only hold onto this experience as my eyes hold to their experiences; only by releasing it could I it be made complete. Walking back through the forest I allowed my the leaves of the lower branches caress my skin and rather than pushing through lower branches I thoughtfully and gently raised them enabling me to connect with them without breaking their connection to the trunk. I left that place renewed and energized yet calm and relaxed. I learned that natural energy isn’t about highs and lows but is balanced, equal and sustaining and that my innate personality mimics nature. ^^^ Even bacteria have a mode of communication that allows them to co-evolve with changing conditions If the webstrings attractions I experienced under the maple tree were removed, I may lose one of my senses ~ the sense of greenness My senses of self-worth and trust were greatly enhanced in this exercise, where I could express my trust and gratitude to the protective tree; feeling that other webstrings were responding to my expression made me feel valued, acknowledged Part of me was re-educated, the part of me that can take the time to engage with webstrings rather than standing aside as a viewer When in doubt, go back to senses; to communicate clearly, throw out words Brain storage connecting with webstrings is just as simple and natural as following gravity; most of my brain is already made of instinctual knowledge that would allow me to survive in nature; only a small portion of my brain deludes me into thinking that the natural world is the enemy, that I need protection against it; deep inside, I know this to be the lie that allow the greedy and the power hungry to use separation as a tool of manipulation; revolution is in reconnection ^^^ Sorry this is delayed, Thank you for being such wonderful, supportive people. Mom is ok for now. She lives near the beach, so I did take some time out to go do the assignment for Ch 7 while I was with her. I like watching the willets fish for clams at the waters' edge because their color, rhythm, and movements with the ocean waves gives me a sense of their connectedness to their niche environment. Knowing that they trusted their webstring intelligences to find a place that nourishes them, and provides space for community brings about a sense of trust and expansive joy inside my body. I see webstring intelligences all around me at the ocean and feel a sense of peace and trust that mine are intact and being healed, as well as guiding me to find my niche also. I like myself because my color, rhythm, and movements with the ocean waves gives me a sense of my connectedness to this niche environment. This statement was hard to swallow at first, because as Dr. Cohen stated in the material for this chapter, we have been chided as children about our connectedness to nature, and so it feels a bit embarassing to admit I, in fact, do love the way my animal self responds to the waves, and water of the ocean. The movements of my body in this environment feel sensual without feeling sexual. Also another way I've been chided in the past is simply feeling playful with others while dancing (my body's natural webstring attraction to the mucic), which has been misconstrued as wanting to be sexual, which has brought about that sense of shame and embarassment. I am grateful for this experience because it has somehow helped something inside be healed about not being ashamed of how my body moves in relation to my environment. Thank you! ^^^ I did the activity at Stevens Coolidge Reservation. I did the asking for consent activity a number of times with varying results. The most dramatic time was just after I arrived, and I asked for consent to be with these two sapphire berry trees where bluebirds and others were busy feeding on the fruit. Instantly a monarch butterfly appeared and circled right in front of me, as if inducing me to follow, which I did, being very attracted to its movement and brilliance. It perched on a flower to feed and my face was literally 6 inches from the flower as I watched it probe unconcernedly with its unrolled proboscis. I’ve never had the opportunity to observe this so close up! It was fascinating! And also fascinating that by following the shift in my attraction, I was richly rewarded. (“We learn by going where we need to go…” or something like that—I remember this quote from a poem my brother read at my grandmother’s memorial service.) 2) 3 important things I learned: it was reinforced for me: fear interferes! I noticed a few times when asking for consent I feared ‘rejection’! At those times I was interpreting a lack of attraction as rejection. And it seemed like each time that I was afraid, I did not feel consent. Times when I was feeling centered and relaxed and trusting that whatever connections I needed to make would happen, amazing things DID happen! Also, at one point I was sitting writing and a chipmunk began scolding me fiercely. I decided to respect its protest and I got up and moved away, at which point the chipmunk became very calm and I was able to observe it with my binoculars in an extremely rewarding way. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a clear look at one before! I noticed the warm goldy-orange blush to the fur on its lower parts, and the way the sun was glazing its back hairs with dazzling white. I felt a strong connection as we exchanged looks. So it seems like when I can respond honorably to nature’s signals, I reap benefits. Also, I noticed how unfamiliar it felt to be asking for consent from nature, though I routinely do it in my close relationships with people. A part of me felt it was flakey and unnecessary. Interesting! And the contrast to the man nearby was marked. He was hurriedly mowing down tall luxuriant hanks of grass in what seemed a most reckless manner, after my careful asking for consent. This was a very thought/feeling provoking exercise! I would feel hopeless despair if the webstring connections I experienced were taken from me. The more I attune myself to the subtleties of my surroundings, the more I can make adjustments that enhance my good feelings and minimize my detracting distracting ones. Into the trustable space in my psyche I want to place further reinforcement that prioritizing nature-connecting time is vital for me! Once again, I slept much better the evening after my activity. And also, my mood was utterly transformed by the time spent there. Upon arrival I was feeling stressed and actually very angry. By the time I left I felt serene and joyfully curious! Another piece I want to save in this space: a stance of gaining consent can influence my interactions in powerful ways that I have much to learn about. This stance is something I want to practice and pay attention to the results of! ^^^ Thanks for your sharing. It's so enjoyable to read your beautiful words, they are very inspiring! I love your constant striving for the self integrity and connecting with nature. Your deep understanding of NSTP also encourages me a lot. I was attracted to what you said as follows: This addiction leads to quick moments of euphoria, but they quickly fade, and dissatisfaction, stress, and want set in as we try to get more of the same. We don't want to get out of the box of our current mode of thinking. We look at our "successes" and deny that our quality of life is actually decreasing. And, we don't like to admit that we're wrong, and that the things we use to give meaning to our lives are all false. I would try to convince a person that it was attractive to think using 53 senses because it is more fulfilling to enjoyably experience natural loves, attachments, allurements, attractions (however a person is most comfortable relating to them) for the wholeness they impart to life and our role within the web of life. I'm going to improve my ability to answer them by trying to live my life guided by the NSTP and being more open to the messages NIAL offers. I found attractive were that our anger and frustration comes from the lack of fulfillment we experience from not being in contact with our multisensory selves; that fulfillment from NIAL can decrease the levels of violence, greed, and prejudice that are so much a part of our Western Civilization; and that bonding with natural areas, and building responsible relationships in general, leads to sustained learning, community, and integrity. I totally agree to the above statements. These 9-leg thinking are excellent examples further proving the importance of the combination of old brain with new brain. And if everyone keeps this connection, the world will be full of love and laughter. I hope I can take the role of educator like what you've been working as. It's meaningful and my contribution to the development of an integrated community. In the embrace of nature. ^^^ After reading your responses to each one of our Chpt 3 assignments, I feel so blessed. This course is not at all as I had imagined. It is so much more! I truly feel that we are creating something unique through our communications. I am ever so thankful to Dr Cohen for the opportunity that he gives everyone who takes the time to connect with/through his course(s) to find an ecocommunity, a group of people with whom to evolve and grow and discover a new way of thinking/being. ^^^ "I found 3 grashoppers sunning themselves on a tall green plant. As I observed and communed with these magical creatures, I received many silent messages." Thank you for reminding me that this level of silent communication can be refined all the time. What you don't say in this statement is what attracts me most. I can just imagine you communicating, without a movement, still and receptive, understanding with all your senses what the grasshoppers were sending your way. What a beautiful treasure! I can't help but be curious about those powerful silent messages you were blessed with. In Nature's whisper is where our truth lies! Making the time to sit and turn our senses toward that whisper ~ turning down the volume of our thoughts so we can hear what She is telling us. Truly, that is where I am my real self ~ not in the chatter of my mind that doesn't want to leave me any peace. I wish to give back to nature for all that nature has given me. I wish to accomplish this by helping others open up their senses and experience what nature has to teach. Emily, you special one, you are already doing this. You certainly are helping me learn how to open up my senses ~ your dragonfly and grasshopper stories are gifts that I will take into my pocket the next time I walk in nature. I will really try to hear Nature's whisper... Namaste! I feel a strong desire to know more about these individual animals ~ what are their lives like? At times, the little girl in you comes out and I so cherish it. Being curious about the life of the flicker, or of the red-bellied woodpecker ~ what is their attention on? where do they go when they fly out of sight? what senses do they have that are completely foreign to me ~ what do they feel like when they glide over the meadow? must be so exhilarating! do they play? are they connecting together in a playful way? so many mysteries... I feel like my spirit has been refreshed ~ like some thirst in me has been slaked....Nature is the source of healing for me. What a validation of what we are doing in this course. The image is so strong, that of the thirsty spirit finally finding the source that refreshes it. You are to heal others, Sally, of that I am sure. You are to guide people whose spirit is thirsty get to the green source, to refresh themselves and get well again. ^^^ When I am outside enjoying nature, I connect more fluently with my own species. This gave me a little smile. True ~ it is sometimes much easier to connect with nature, to birds and trees, than to other humans. Words so often don't convey the language of the soul. I also find that I am relaxed and happy enough after spending time in nature to be able to communicate joyfully with other humans, especially those who enjoy nature as well. ....the peace of invisibility/camouflage from the scrutiny of civilisation really talked to me. It expressed the essence of my attraction to nature. Those words made me realize how weighed down I feel when I have to justify to my 'civilisation' many of my choices about simplicity, about my attractions, about the decisions I need to make. Returning to nature is like being invisible again ~ free to be, to sense, to commune. A camouflage hat allows me to breathe again. I honor nature in and around all things --- in people, a simple breath is a consistent mantra of connection to anyone's nature, and our common bonds. The spiritual matrix, the breath that unifies all, the very proof of Oneness. The image of the mantra makes this concept even more sacred. I never thought of the mantra of breath in, breath out, a repetition that is the basic chant of life. These connections build value and reawaken deep meaning and belonging, which sustains our soul. Our soul does need that deep meaning, that belonging, to feel sustained. It feels deprived when the mind creates the illusion of separateness. Through following our natural attraction to earth, we reconnect and allow soul to dance again. Deeply honoured to have spent time with you all again, ^^^ Reconnecting With Nature is the second course I took. I did a lot of activities with my nature friends by following the coursebook and benefited more than what I expected. This course brought me into a deeper thou ght by showing something new I didn't reach in the prerequisite course. I was filled with more sensory tools that gradually influence and fulfill my daily life. Through the course, I leant how to successfully reconnect my old brain with my new brain, and how to avoid the wranglers' stories contaminating my sensory awareness and preventing my natural sensitivities feeling and reasoning from green in green. With contacting nature's nameless, intelligent, attraction loves (NIAL), I am empowered and rejuvenated by the love of nature, my trust in nature's support was proved again and again through my whole course, which I was encouraged a lot and really appreciate the good feelings nature brought to me. My expereinces showed and confirmed that I am part of nature, my natural sensitivities are awaken through participating in the process of tapping onto nature's balanced intelligence; I fully trust nature because nature never m isleads or fools me, nature's wisdom signals can be found everywhere. Nature contains intelligent love. Mutual trust is the essence of establishing a safe and peaceful community for all living creatures. We all need support from each other, or we will feel inscure. And this support comes not only from human beings, but from living creatures as well. Everyone, not matter age or others, have the same right and access to connect with nature. ^^^ The non-verbal love of nature is everywhere around us. What we human beings need to do is to be friendly and co-operative, stop excessively exploitation and go back to the embrace of nature. My experiences in the backyard are the best examples showed that The trees, flowers, grass, soil, sunshine, they are all living creatures, they are all natural friends I have, and they are all generous as nature taught me, they help provide a safe, clean, comfortable environment to support and help me gain my inherent but lost intelligent webstrings, and obviously they did work. One of my activities I did in the backyard with a little girl was very interesting and unforgettable. We closed our eyes in turn and became each other's guide. ...It was very dark so we brought a torch with us. I explained to the girl briefly how the activity worked. (She's only 8 years old, but I didn't think there's any problem for her to understand, this is the advantage of the course, no matter who you are and how old you are, we all can participate in the activities.)... ... I was told to take off my shoes becuase it's safe enough to do so as the girl said. My feet were wet when I was barefoot, I knew it's because of the rain and the soft groud were coverd with something so that I didn't feel very cold. What was it? I touch with my feet. A little rought and small pieces, also the leaves, I was walking on the leaves, it's different from walking on the grass, but still very comfortable. could feel some of the leaves were rotten, it's not the sign of death, they just started living in another form. I couldn't help wondering the meaning of life, the circle from birth to death is vrey short, I should be more optimistic towards my life.... ...Then it's my turn to guide the little girl. She's also very nervous because it's the very first time for her. I told her to trust me and relax because it would be dangerous. I lead her to a small tree, asked her to squat down, hold her finger to touch the leaves, she did it very slowly to make sure she was touching something not hurting. She touched the small leaves with a finger, said"Smooth, wet, a little sharp and many of them. " Then said with a smile"Aha, I know they are leaves." Then she was relaxed a lot to touch with both of her hands, when she touched the flowers, she was close to them and smelled with her nose, "Sweet." She said. She took some deep breath, felt content and gently touched the flowers. "Small round flowers." I suggested her give a hug to what she touched, she did it without any reluctance. I knew a trustful relationship had been established, once she felt secure she would like to keep further contact with nature.... We had good feelings when doing my activities. No matter alone or with the girl, both of us felt great support from each other and nature. At the beginning of the activities, we both felt nervous and relucta nt, doubted the safety and had no idea how to do if anything dangerous happened. We became more cooperative and active while doing the activities, because we were encouraged by nature's nonverbal power, and aware of the importance of mutural turst. The natural creatures we met were friendly and responsible, that made us beome more friendly and responsible as being a guide or participant. Our natural senses and their intelligence deserve our trust. ^^^ This morning, on the front porch looking west, the sound of a bird comes to consciousness. There is another and another. Then, a crow's ca-ca comes to the surface. It has been there, in the background the whole time. I connect with the web of bird calls that is always there realizing these creatures and their sounds can be known by this experience. I am wrangled to think that we must study the calls, know the names of the species and be able to identify them in order to really know them. But that is not true. We can know them by connecting with them through our senses. I know all the birds through my ability to connect with them through my senses. For this, I am grateful. There are grey cotton ball clouds in the sky. Suddenly they are reflecting the rose-colored light of the emerging sun. How long was that hue there before being noticed?. It is a captivating sky that leads to feeling attracted to the moment through the sensory input of sight and hearing. The clear, bright, white light of the full moon peeks surprisingly from behind the rose tinted, grey clouds. It was there all along and I wonder for what it is a reminder. I am someone open to new messages. I actively seek a different song from that which is constantly being sung in the world today. I am on a journey to retain an ability to honor the deep rituals and wisdom handed down through the ages while doing my best to represent the leading edge of our consciousness and evolution toward a more integrated way of being. Thankfully, nature connecting activities are at the heart of this quest. ^^^ Hello all, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to read my posts, for your comments and for your postings. I did not get this out as quickly as I planned, I just spent seven days with my dear brother, and returned him to the airport this morning. EVERYTHING in my life is changing, sometimes I feel it is all too fast...that is good. This natural path that I am on is the most important thing I am doing right now. Thank you for continuing with me. General description of how you did the activity and what happened, along with quotes you like from the readings, and how they added meaning to the experience For this activity I decided to find a place around my pool that would allow me to stand with my feet bare. The entire area was in full sun, and normally it is too hot to stand on the dirt at this time of year. I wanted to stand facing the sun, and take in some of the light energy. I was attracted to a little patch of dirt that appeared to be still wet from the sprinklers that had watered earlier. As I studied the area a moment, I felt that I should move some of the gravel around to clear space for my feet. I started to move it with my bare foot, and the gravel stuck to my foot. I pulled back and the gravel fell onto the decking around the pool. I then decided that this area had no feeling for me and immediately noticed a patch of gravel on the other side of a small bush to my right. I moved over, silently asked permission to enter and stepped gently onto the gravel that covered the area. The gravel was dry, but because it was still early in the morning, it was not hot. I remained there, still and quiet while I let the sun shine on me. Soft breezes brushed against my face, and I could hear the songs of birds in the trees around me, I then focused all my attention on the light of the sun, closing my eyelids while letting the sun nourish and energize my body. After a few minutes, I felt the hard gravel poking into the souls of my feet, making me want to move away from the spot. I hesitated a moment, wanting to soak in a little more of the light. When I did move away from the area, my foot brushed up against a small bush and a thorn scratched the side of my foot. I felt like the little bush was scolding me for staying a little to long, and I smiled when I thought about the love that was surrounding me. I felt as if I had been filled up to over flowing with wonderful natural light, that I had been enlightened to a new way of living. As I left the area, I thanked the ground and the bushes for allowing me safe journey. The experience continued through the day for me, even bringing more wonder to the food I was eating. Later in the day, as I was opening a fresh young coconut, I felt the most amazing sensation, and I knew it was the energy of the living water that was inside the coconut, waiting for me to enjoy. I realized the miraculous transfer of energy of light is contained in ALL living things. "We don't own our natural attraction webstring…we become it; it becomes us. That makes Earth like our other body, our second mother." I loved this, what an incredible wisdom there is in this understanding. We have many choices in this relationship with our second mother, and we can be co-creative with her consent. " The purpose of science has long been to conquer nature" The greater the diversity, the stronger the bond community. Nothing in nature is ever insignificant…there is no waste of anything If the the webstring attractions I experienced in the activity taken away from me I would certainly miss the light that my body received during this time. I would feel quite unenlightened. Whether or not he activity enhanced your sense of self worth and your trustfulness in nature At the very most basic level, I know that I am loved and that I am never alone. If I woke up today, I did not have to wonder if the sun was out there for me…it woke me up! This exercise helped me to identify the light body that I am. I always liked the little song we sang in Sunday school "This little light of mine" but I never really felt the light that I am until I experienced it with the help of my second mother…nature. ^^^ I went to the backyard to share the quote with my natural friends. The backyard is my intimate friend who I fully trust and spent lots of happy time there. I gently entered into the yard, asked permission and said "Thanks". The quiet and peaceful place and all the living creatures made me feel that I was welcomed. I read the quote loudly towards the green area. The trees were dancing in the wind, as if they whated to tell me their understanding of this quote. I started walking in this place, trying to find attractions to do my activities. While I was digesting what "the importance of multisensory knowledge" meant to me, I noticed that the radiation of the sun made me very warm. I looked up, it's too shiny to see the sun directly, the webstring sensory attractions sent me a signal that it was not so attractive to stare at the sun. I kept moving, soon I was in the shadow of a big tree. I stood still, something caught my sight. I was standing with one feet in the shadow, the other exposed directly under the sunlight. I felt my left foot was cold when the wind blowed, however, my right foot was warm even the wind blowed at the same time. How interesting! My sense of reason got different conclusions with the two feet. I tried again. This time, I only use one feet. I put my left feet in the shadow, felt cool and the wind blowed on it, and my foot unconsciously struggling to look for another place. I got this information, moved it under the sunshine, and immediately I felt the warmth and even the wind seemed to be warm too. I knew that's not the magic my feet or I played, that's nature's intelligence and the wisdom of the sun and the tree helped me fill in my natural sensitivities. I thought of the quote, the way we try to find to support life is from nature, it's impossible to teach ourselves by cutting off the connection with nature, because we are part of it, there's no meaning if we ignore or disturst this connection. When I was in the shadow, I looked up the tree to see how shadow was made. That's also with the help of the sun, the tree absorbed the sunshine, part of the sunlight passed throught the leaves and made the shadow. There are always strings in nature. The picture of the three fish came into my mind,do they need the sunshine? How do they keep the balance once the sunshine is too strong? Like we would choose to rest in the shadow, the fish live in the water, and no fish choose to live in hot water. Does water surface reflect the sunshine or absorb it so that the fish don't feel uncomfortable? It's nature's way of keeping the balance that the fish are attracted to the water environment they are comfortable with. I'm more attracted to the intelligence of nature and the ways of how living creatures support their life by engaging in the connection with the community. Three most immportant things you learned from this chapter and activity. 1) The fact that we are too addicted to disconnection from nature brought lots of social problems and misled us to a real tough situation. The only way to wake ourselves up and take the responsibilities to strive for a peace and love community is to establish a stable and friendly relationship in nature with all the living creatures. 2) Most of us are suffering a lot as the result of tropicmaking mentality. B ecause of our disconnection from nature, it seems that we care little or ignore this cut-off and the painstaking psychological disorders. It's so sad and it's like putting a frog in a wok with cold water and heating the water with little fire, gradually the temperature of the water goes up, but the fog isn't aware of that and in the end he lost the ability to jump off the wok when it's too hot. Throw away the wrangler's stories is not so easy because for a long time, we believe and rely on them. 3) Nature never tells lie or misleads us, if there anyting confuses me, I know that's the time I should further "talk" to get used to nature's way of nurturing. ^^^ I went down by the creek and small ravine that runs along the side of my home as it is always a welcoming, peaceful, and beautiful place. It is mid September now, and the weather is very changeable ~ the 80's of the weekend have been replaced by the 60's, and the sun has the cool ~ warmth of autumn. I asked the area for its consent and help in drawing a picture of my "webstring way of knowing, as of old". It welcomed me with the breath of a butterfly as it almost touched me as a small beam of sunlight found its way to my hand. I thanked the webstrings that connected me to that welcoming moment. In my imagination then, I replaced the picture of the bird in the Mimbres design with the attractive webstrings around me in that moment ~ the flowing creek, full from the recent rains, became like a mane of hair or a ribbon of water flowing over the ancient one. The sunlight on my hand glowed around the head of the ancient one in bright warmth and love. The butterfly created a magnificent embrace of the ancient one. Clean fresh dampness, bright green leaves freshly washed from the recent rain, specks of blue sky peaking though the green canopy overhead, the little chipmunk watching me curiously ~ all reached out to touch the ancient one. A sense of peace and well-being seemed to embrace me and the whole area. It was as if everything relaxed into a single being. I felt as one with the cool rock I sat upon and with the flowing waters at my feet. As images of the Mimbres design and flowing webstrings moved through my mind, I loved how nature's webstrings danced into it replacing the bird. This was very fun :-) I could feel nature as a living entity, and I felt touched by her connections with me in this activity and grateful for her creative presence in my life. I have worn the Mimbres lapel button for a few days now. It's interesting how easily it caught the eye of children as I waited in a bookstore checkout line... and so in that captive line, with captive parents in tow, we had a nice talk about their favorite things in nature, from frogs and toads and cool snakes ( these were little boys :-) to the little girl who loved making wishes as she blew on the dandelion fluff balls....she had her own little procedure for how to do it .... it was a lovely little exchange. While it was brief, I did feel that they would all think about even more things in nature that are special to them ~ ok, I gave them a little "assignment" :-) Their parents were excited and it wouldn't even cost them any money ! :-) On a personal note, I love to look at the button ! It's a beautiful reminder of the nature I love, and what is real and important amidst the busi-ness of the day. The colors in it and everything about it makes me happy. Act
now.
Master
Organic Psychology by doing it. http://www.ecopsych.comAchieve a Degree or Certificate to strengthen your professional interests, or your hobbies or pastimes, by connecting them with nature. Implement your strongest hopes as you increase personal and global well being.Topics, subjects or leisure pursuits can include those listed below or other areas of interest: |
|
