..INSTITUTE OF
..GLOBAL EDUCATION..A non-profit NGO special consultant to the
..United Nations Economic and Social Council
Project NatureConnect
Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Director,MESA continued from Page Three
The four paragraphs below represent the most important news since Earth Day 1970.
Because we are addicted to denying that our separation from nature produces our ruinous personal and global effects, the experiences described in the paragraphs below are significant . These and many others result from genuinely reconnecting with nature through the Natural Systems Thinking Process. They demonstrate that using a nature connected thinking tool enables any interested person to let Earth help them transform our destructive psychological bonds into peaceful, balanced, relationships with ourselves, others and the environment.
MESA invites you to learn, use and teach the Process, become a responsible leader in your community and reap the rewards. These paragraphs show we can peacefully unify in balance, locally and globally, if enough of us learn to use the Process and teach others to do the same.
1. Uncontrolled consumerism/environmental deterioration:
"As I continued the special forest activity, I found myself attracted to the various songs of the birds and then gradually to the various stones and nuts and shells in the path. I would stop in the path, pick up the stone, admire its beauty and then feel clearly called to return it to its appropriate place. So often other times I have felt I needed to put it in my pocket and carry it home. Now, through the activity, I had a real sense of appreciating each rock, each shell, each leaf in its place for the time I was there. I felt suddenly freed from the need to possess something. I had a growing sense of letting things be and to just be still and glory in the fullness of the moment. As I allowed myself to connect, appreciate, thank and move on with so much of what surrounded me, I felt a letting go into being present. In this transformation, I began to feel I was part of the scene more, not my other self that needed to possess. I learned that I do not need to possess something to have the joy of it."
2. Personal and Global Peace:
"I was never taught to ask permission to relate to people or the environment, I just take that for granted, as we all do. However, this activity required my senses to learn how to ask an attractive tree covered area for its consent for me to walk through it. The area continued to feel attractive, but something changed. It was the first time in my life that I totally felt safe. It felt like Earth's energies were in charge of my life, not me. It gave me a wonderful feeling of having more power to be myself. I felt in balance with nature and the people here because I could distinctly feel their energies consenting to support me. I never experienced nature and people that way before. It was like a powerful law that protected not only my life, but all of life. I felt very secure and nurtured as I walked under those trees and spoke to people. I learned that when I seek permission from the environment and people I psychologically gain energy and unity, I belong."
3. Destructive stress:
"This morning I was battling the remnants of some depression I had been feeling about my family and life "stuff". I was doing the attraction activity, looking around enjoying the day, the breeze, the sun, the beautiful trees and the sounds of birds chirping. In a flash of good feeling, I realized that these feelings are what is so good about living on earth at this time. It was enough, if for no other reason, to be here, to experience the beauty of this planet. This was a major breakthrough for me, because I battle the reason for being here quite a bit in my recovery work. This happened before noon, and it is now 6 pm, and I still feel great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to share this because I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take care, and thanks for listening to the great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
4. Wellness:
A reconnecting activity helped me become aware of my sensory attractions to the crescent moon as it hung over two hills near my home. Soon, its mellow glow, framed by peaks and trees, embraced me in a wordless, ancient primordial scene. Timeless power, peace and unity swept me up. I just wanted to stay in that state of awe, I felt in balance with all of reality. I was simply "BEING." No tension, no pressing goal, just truly belonging to the global community. This natural energy captured my stress laden pulse and seduced it to the rhythms of Earth. The sleeping disorder I have battled all my adult life dissolved in this power. For the first time in decades, I gently fell asleep after dark and arose shortly after dawn. I celebrated the breakthrough and I thanked nature and its sensory strings within and around me. I thanked the activity, too, for it enables me to reconnect whenever I choose ."
Hooray!
Learning to trust thoughtful, shared, sensory connections with attractions in nature improves our thinking, spirit and balance. Peaceful, responsible relationships result. (3, 4,)Let's do it.
A reaction:
"The experiences expressed in the above paragraphs may even be some of the most important since Earth Day 4 1/2 billion years ago. They are at least important for anyone in our possession-addicted, excessively destructive culture to contemplate. It is significant that the nature-connect activities help us make such breakthroughs."
Dr. Mark Brody, Psychologist
Pulitzer-Prize winning sociobiologist Dr. Edward O. Wilson, of Harvard, affirms that people have an inherent biological need to be in contact with nature. He says Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive, and even spiritual satisfaction.
MESA is not just another idealistic organizational scheme. No matter what others say or do, you may personally learn how to master, enjoy and teach the Natural Systems Thinking Process at http://www.ecopsych.com/ . You can economically help support yourself and Earth by teaching it to others. You may optionally incorporate it in you academic or professional training for credit, or achieve a Ph.D., M.S. or B.A degree in it through online home study. No matter how you contribute to resolving our disorders, the Process enables you to become more effective.
The best way to learn the Natural Systems Thinking Process is by doing it through a short, fun, online course entitled: The Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship. It is located at http://www.rockisland.com/~process/5grglobal.html . Once you complete it, you may intern in it, be payed for teaching it, and further your skills in facilitating the process.
BENEFITS OF MESA MEMBERSHIP
One time Membership in MESA is $40.00 (subject to change). Benefits include:
- Completing a required Orientation Course at no charge (value $35.00. ) (Transferable academic or professional credit optional for $40.00, value $250.00)
- Greater environmental and personal self-empowerment.
- A certificate of course completion suitable for framing.
- Eligibility to intern in the program.
- Eligibility for paid facilitator positions.
- An attractive pin denoting you are a member of MESA.
- A nature-psychology library with educational programs and articles.
- Determining a person's Globally Balance Thinking score.
- Eligibility to be an Ambassor for MESA.
- Participation in MESA support and professional groups online.
- Receiving a twice weekly newsletter online.
- Grant and funding opportunities. (6)
- Networking with other MESA members.
- Discounts for vacation and training use of our Resort/Marina facility on the San Juan Islands.
Select here
to obtain a MESA membership
application form
COORDENATOR:
Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D.
Faculty: Greenwich University
Faculty: Portland State University Extended Studies
P. O. Box 1605,
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
1-888-285-4694 (toll free)
www.ecopsych.com
nature@pacificrim.net
activities-courses-books
Ph.D., M.S and B.A. online degree programs.
PROJECT NATURECONNECT
The Natural Systems Thinking Process
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Enjoy sensory connections with nature's purity that recycle our polluted thinking.
The Natural Systems Thinking Process helps you think like nature works.NOTE:The best way to learn the Process is to engage in it through our short, online Orientation Course. You may then intern and later teach the course if you choose.
To benefit from more experience
with the topics on this page, read and do the activities in Reconnecting With Nature
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..........ALTERNATIVES
LINKS TO THE
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