PROJECT NATURECONNECT Greenwich University Applied Ecopsycology/Integrated Ecology ORIENTATION COURSE ©Copyright 1996 Michael J. Cohen

Elements of Global Citizenship: The Science of Connecting With the Web of Life The Art of Thinking With Nature     Part One: (Two segments, takes two posting days)   EXPERIENCES ARE FACTS

.. ............................A STARTING POINT This course engages you in a the Natural Systems Thinking Process, a nature-connected, psychological science with a distinct rationale and methodology. For best results, I suggest you open up a new, empty room in you mentality. Into that uncontaminated space carefully place the attractive experiences, thoughts and feelings the course helps you discover. There, they can remain intact and strong for your use at will. When you need them, simply open the door to the room and avail yourself of the attractive integrity it will contain because you protected it. Otherwise, like the environment, that integrity becomes polluted by the nature-disconnected way of life and thinking that fuels our destructive ways. In time you will begin to notice that words are written on the door to the room. They say: The Natural Systems Thinking Process: in Nature attractiveness is real, intelligent, and conscious of itself.. ..         Part One: (Two segments, takes two posting days)    DAY 1A Segment A: Part One First Day (below) NOTE upon completion of this segment, even before posting it on the appointed day, you may proceed to Segment B and start doing it. This way you may enjoy having extra time to do the fascinating activities in Section B. DAY 1B Segment B: Part One Second Day of Posting INSTRUCTIONS Proceed below only after you have completed and posted to your interact group, your B, C, and F paragraphs from the prerequsite material.   DAY 1A Segment A: The Experience   1.Thoughtful Contemplation Think about a good prior experience you have had in nature, where you were, how you felt, if you would want to repeat it. 2. Ask yourself these questions: What was feelingly enjoyable or rewarding about the experience? What sensory attractions were involved in the experience? Were you taught to have this good experience in a class? from a book? a person? or was it your natural sensory attraction connections to the natural area that provided the rewards? Do you recognize from this experience that there are intact, inborn parts of you that inherently have the ability to register and retain attractive sensory contacts with nature?   SUMMARY Q: Because I am a sensory being, in Segment A (above) sensory contact with the attractions in the natural area provided most of the rewards I obtained from my good experience in nature. OPTIONAL: On a piece of paper, record the SUMMARY letter above (Q) along with the number (below) that indicates your agreement with the summary statement. 1.........2..........3........4.........5.........6.........7.........8..........9.........10. disagree..........................so partially agree...........................fffully agree   Supportive Reading: 1. Carefully read the Insight Article and consider the questions it raises. 2. Please determine what name/label you feel most comfortable with for the sensory webstring attractions and submit that name to your interact group. See if the group wishes to decide upon a name you all agree upon for the "strings" and use it for the remainder of the course. "Webstrings" is fine and most commonly used, "webloves" recently won a contest for the best synonym for the webstrings. 3. BOOK OPTION: If you have the book Reconnecting With Nature, read Chapter 3 for a stronger understanding about the Reconnecting With Nature process.   4. Thoughtful verbalization: Start your post to the group with the Subject (GROUP NAME OR NUMBER)_________: PART 1, YOUR NAME, so that other course members and readers can identify it, read it, and share their thoughts and feelings about your experiences with this page and vice versa. Submit your experiences, thoughts and feelings from the material on this page to the group along with the following Seven Interact Catalysts: 1) a 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. 2) the three most important things you learned from the chapter and webstring connections; 3) how would you feel about having the webstring attractions you experienced in the activity taken away from you? 4) whether or not the activity enhanced your sense of self-worth and your trustfulness of nature; 5) the part of you, if any, the activity identified or re-educated inside or outside of you; 6) your reactions to what you found attractive in the postings you read from the other group members. Be sure to save the interact postings of yourself and others that are attractive to you so that you can refer to them and quote them in the final paper for this course. 7) What value, if any, was there to doing the Summary Option (If you did it.) The use of the Seven Interact Catalysts will enhance your learning experience and that of the others in the course as well.   Optional Strengthening: Learn from others what using a process that strengthens connections with nature can do. To see and study what others have accomplished select here: and here Dreamtime: Get a night's sleep before doing the next activity. Note, upon awakening, whether any changes have occurred with respect to your outlook or the way you feel.   NOTE upon completion of DAY 1A Segment A, even before posting it on the appointed day, you may proceed to Segment B and start doing it. This way you may enjoy having extra time to do the fascinating activities in Section B. NEXT STEP: Take me to the Orientation Course Segment B, (Day 1B)   Link out of order? Use the Index or the link sequence below. Course Sequence Links: INDEX | PROJECT | DESCRIPTION | GROUP PROCESS | PREREQUISITES | PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR | SUMMARY | EVALUATION | ACTIVITIES | POST COURSE | RESOURCES |