“There is a constant and intimate contact among the things that coexist and co-evolve in the universe – a sharing of bonds and messages that makes reality into a stupendous network of interaction and communication. It is this ’sharing of messages’ in Nature that keeps it in balance.” ~ Ervin Laslo
As I mentioned in a previous post, I am currently taking classes in ecopsychology and organic psychology through The Institute of Global Education, Project NatureConnect. One aspect of the class, Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship, reminds us our learning from the activities will increase up to 75% by teaching it to another person. So, naturally I am sharing this activity with you. As you read through the activity and my responses, I hope that you would consider doing the activity as well and posting your outcomes as a comment. Not only will it be an enjoyable experience for you but your response will also enhance my future skills to teach this important subject. If you do the activity, please remember that it is your personal experience, do not let yourself be influenced by what I have written as my experience.
“We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers our actions run as causes and return to us as results.” ~Herman Melville
This is a piece of the activity. The full activity requires the book: The Web of Life Imperative: Regenerative Ecopsychology Techniques That Help People Think in Balance With Natural Systems
- Think about a prior good experience you had in nature. Think about where you were, how you felt, what you sensed. Write your response.
- What was feelingly enjoyable or rewarding about the experience?
- What did you experience from completing this activity (not the past experience itself)?
———————————————————————————- Here are my responses:
- Last summer a time came where I felt a strong need to sit in nature and connect with myself again. I was guided to wake early enough to watch the sunrise at a monastery we have here in Mystic, out on a sacred piece of property on the ocean. I found myself sitting on a huge, flat ledge-type rock that ends somewhere under the water. This rock lines up perfectly with the rising sun. The sun rose a majestic salmon/pink color, reflecting over the still ocean. Gulls greeting the morning with their cries. As the sun burned off the morning haze, I could feel its warmth radiating on my skin. The large rock gave me the grounding I was looking for. Relaxing in the stillness I could feel the pulse of the earth through the gentle motion of the ocean. I was at total peace. I noticed details of the life around me vividly and clearly, as though I had a new set of eyes. A white egret, unafraid of my stillness, hunted for its breakfast, standing perfectly still, waiting. Seaweeds attached to the rocks swayed with the gentle motion of the water. Water lapped and flowed against and through the rocks. I asked the Universe for these qualities I saw in nature. The patience and trust of the egret, the flexibility of the seaweeds, the lightness and warmth of the sun, the strength of the rock, and the energy and balance of the ocean. I felt a part of the rhythm of nature. I was really aware of my senses, they seemed heightened. I felt that I had given myself back to me. I watched a white feather fall from the sky, resting next to me on the rock.
- What I found enjoyable or rewarding about the experience was the connection to all of life that I felt, the deep peace and insight I achieved, and I could feel Divine love flowing to me and through me.
- I found this first activity very interesting. I was amazed how vivid all the details came back to me, it felt as though I was actually sitting on the rock again. I realized how deeply the experience was ingrained in my memory. As I was typing, I also noticed how the words were just flowing, almost poetically.
“Nothing is more indisputable than our senses.” ~ Jean Le Rond d’Alembert
“The laws of the universe are not indifferent, but are forever on the side of the most sensitive.” ~Henry David Thoreau
What are your responses from the activity?
on Apr 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Dear Tania,
I dont even know if i could call it an activity, simply coz , it is Divine grace , i feel that bestows such moments …
Yes, physical activity withdrawn and just moving within with nature, probably has more opportunity for such moments.. had such experiences while on a retreat, at himalayas etc.
The interconnectedness could easily be understood while connecting with nature, may be, it is due to the absence of yet another mind to deal with. slowly, this enables the connectivity all over…
enjoyed your posting with recollecting precious blessed moments…thankyou
on Apr 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am
@mergingpoint Thank you for your comment! You brought up a good point about “physical activity withdrawn and just moving within with nature…” Being still with nature does allow us to be aware of the connections we share with nature. Hiking, cycling, etc… although are nature-based activities, do not allow for contemplation.
I referred to it as an activity because it came from my textbook.
Blessings,
Tania
on Apr 15th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Every human being is a teacher and a student. Helping others is a way to help oneself. Meaningful opportunities exist to share knowledge. Every person has a role to play in transforming the physical world. You set a wonderfully uplifting example to inspire.
on Apr 20th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
1. In college, my singing group had the opportunity to go to Japan and Hawaii. Lying on the beach in Hawaii was the second-most peaceful time I can remember (the first being when I held my daughter for the first time.) The sun felt really good, like it wouldn’t burn, and the wind was perfect.
2. The unusual sense of peace and safety was particularly memorable. I was away from the crowd but not alone.
3. Remembering such deep peace continued to give me a deeper sense of peace and calm even after I had shifted my attention to other things.
Great exercise, thank you!
on Apr 21st, 2009 at 9:38 am
@DrDeb Thank you for completing the exercise!
Blessings,
~Tania
on Apr 28th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
1. Last summer I took a bicycle trip down the oregon coast, biking all day and then camping out at night. There were no mirrors, no electricity, one change of clothes for three weeks. After the third or fourth day I found a different rhythm to life. I was able to start noticing everything around me. My sense of self and body dropped away since it didn’t provide anything useful. I was purely in the action of ‘acting’ without thinking.
2. What was enjoyable was returning to a simpler state of being that involved me being completely responsible for myself and yet not at all self conscious.
3. I went home and was overwhelmed by the amount of choices, objects, clothing, and confusion around me. It made me simplify and change my life, made me realize that we are surrounded by so many illusions, many of our own making, and that really, underneath all of that, we are all completely okay.
jen.
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