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Program
Outcomes:
an online program participant, shares her results from a nature-connecting
activity.
DISCOVERING THE NATURAL
STRENGTH WE ALL SHARE
For this activity, I went out
to my backyard and thankfully gained its consent to do the activity
there. I then matched myself with our lilac bush.
It was a coldish, breezy day.
The new spring leaves were just emerging from the tips of the
bare stick branches. They appeared to shiver in the cold breeze,
and I found myself feeling both "worried for" and "amazed
at" them. Each gust of wind sent the baby leaves shuddering.
I didn't find it difficult to match their movements- as I felt
quite a bit like shivering in the cold Cache Valley wind as well.
I worried that the new leaves
wouldn't make it through such an onslaught. They seemed so fragile.
Yet, as I stood connecting with them, I began to recognize and
be amazed at an indescribible inner strength in them.
I sensed that I had experienced
the attributes of the leaf over and over again in my life. I
see myself as being somewhat fragile, even incapable at times.
A strong enough gust of wind could blow me away so-to-speak.
Yet, I know that at a deeper level, I am an incredibly strong
woman- able to deal with the most difficult of wind storms.
Perhaps this is a pretty good
description of nature, as well- it is the strength that supports
all of us- yet it is fragile.
So what is it that help us
each, nature and myself to remain strong, in the midst of the
onslaughts we face? As I stood connecting with the baby leaves-
I had a sense that it was our mutual willingness to "feeeeeeel"
our connection to each other. From out of our sense of connection-
strength rises.
I like the baby lilac leaves
because, they are life emerging. They are a witness to all things
renewing. They are gentle- but strong. They point ever upward.
They radiate new life. They know who they are and what they were
created to do. They bring joy.
They know me.
I am nature, too. I like myself
because, I am life emerging. I am a witness to all things renewing.
I am gentle but strong. I point ever upward. I radiate new life.
I know who I am and what I was created to do. I bring joy.
I know me.
I like my friend Julie, because
she is full of life and so enthusiastic. She trusted herself
to find her way out of weakness. Her strength floats joyously
above the winds of discouragement.
She radiates faith.
Julie and I share nature's
flow. I like myself, because I am full of life and so enthusiastic.
I trusted myself to find my way out of weakness. I float joyously
above the winds of discouragement.
I radiate faith.
I discovered that there is
an inner strength in all of us- though we may think we are fragile.
I would feel very sad to lose the baby leaves. I would lose myself.
This activity definitely enhanced my self-esteem & trustfulness
of nature.
This activity re-educated part
of me: My Strength and My Fragility. I see that I am an aspect
of nature, I thrive when I am cared for. What appears fragile
is in fact strong. What appears strong is in fact fragile. What
endures, is that which is treated as if it were fragile and respected
as if it were strong.
This morning I awoke more at
peace- aware of the strength in my own fragility. I felt like
baby Lilac leaves- wind tossed yet pointing upward
Act now.
Master Organic
Psychology by doing it.
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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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