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Program
Outcomes:
Gerri D., an online program participant, shares her results
from a nature-connecting activity.
MOTHER'S DAY: I ESTABLISH
AND ENJOY A NATURAL FAMILY
The past few days I have interacted
with nature on numerous occasions, thanking it, and asking and
receiving permission of it. I knew that I received permission
mostly because I just seem to sense that it appreciated being
appreciated. And, as often as possible, I have created these
nature-connected statements to describe myself in those interactions:
My experience in nature shows me that I am a person who gets
good feelings when,
I rest in the hammock my family
got me for Mother's Day and look up at the blue sky above, through
the leafy branches of our crab apple tree.
I hike with my family through
the fields of palm sized blooms of arrow-leaf balsam root: an
ocean of yellow-gold. My husband comments, "There is your
Mother's Day bouquet!" And my teenage daughter suddenly
declares: "O.K. I just have to admit that I don't mind spending
eternity with you guys!" We got a joyful laugh out of that,
and I had to wonder would she have said such a thing with such
exuberance- if we had chosen to just hang around the house that
evening. I don't think so. The yellow petals bonded her heart
to ours.
I sing with my family, our
arms linked over each others shoulders at the top of the ridge
overlooking the balsam root and mountains at sunset. (Moments
like these provide good feelings that override even the fact
that- before Mother's Day was even over my kids had managed to
sit in and break the hammock they gave me. Ah! Mother,s Day-
What can I say.)
I am driving back from an errand
and notice the beauty of the trees that line the road. I am suddenly
aware of the brief span of time that I get to be here on this
earth to enjoy all this. It is all just so wonderous.
I step out on my front porch
in the middle of the night & look up at the Big Dipper and
North Star. I see my own light glistening in the vastness of
space & I know that I am being supported.
I feel the spirit in the sandstone
paving beneath my bare feet as I look up at the stars.
I do a magic trick with my
son. He is mystified and we laugh together at the wonder of it.
I eat salad that was grown
in our garden for breakfast- out on our deck in the morning light.
I listen to the birds singing
in my backyard. They sing and my heart sings.
I watch the baby leaves emerging
in the spring. New life emerges in me as well.
I would not be willing to give
up my ability to experience these connections because they are
indeed my life raft. As I experience and create nature-connected
awareness and statements I "feeeeeeel myself coming home.
My thinking is more wise, my resilience is strengthened, and
my confidence is restored.
I am so grateful to nature
for having invented my old brain,s ability to feel.
I believe I deserve to have
connective experiences in nature because I am a part of it.
I thank my natural senses for
helping me to hear, smell, touch, see, sing, be in community,
feel gratitude, see close up and from a distance, navigate, play,
and laugh.
When I say my nature-connected
statements out loud, they resonate even deeper. I haven't shared
my statements with anyone yet. I tried to get my 12 year old
son to listen, but he said it was too "deep" for him.
He suggested I talk to my husband about it.
I feel "great" relief
from this experience. As for what is being relieved- I believe
it is the notion that I am out here on my own with no support.
I now know that I am being loved and supported in every moment.
If this nature connected experience
was eliminated from my life, I am not sure that I would have
much of a life. My connections in nature breathe life into me.
I believe I better know and
trust my "sensory old brain" now. Many of these experiences
did arise out of contact with the inner nature of another person.
I am determining that to maintain
my natural relationships, I will need to think and speak nature
connecting statements as often as possible when I am in nature.
And, yes I am engaging in these activities now and am putting
a dime in a jar each night for each statement I can remember
creating throughout the day.
I discovered that nature created
and gives us the ability to know and feel the difference between
it and the abstract so that we can detect when we are in or out
of balance/harmony with nature. To make changes when we/society
are off balance, we must discard old, irresponsible stories and
honor the wisdom from the old brain's sensate connection with
nature. I like: "Imagine each statement to be a lifesaving
flotation pillow supporting a life raft in the sea of consciousness.
Once you have developed a portfolio of statements, you find that
the "life raft" improves your thinking, resilience,
and confidence. It and nature become your close friends."
I was able to get up in the
night and rather than stewing about being awake, I peacefully
went out and enjoyed the stars. I recognize that I am a person
who gets good feelings when I am connected to nature. I can tap
into well-being at any moment. Thank you nature! Thank you for
being there.
Act now.
Master Organic
Psychology by doing it.
Explore it from our homepage
Read
Additional Student Reports
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Contact us at 360-378-6313 mailto:nature@interisland.net,
http://www.ecopsych.com
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