Talk of the World
Be The Universe’s Means Of sSelf-expression.
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Nonhumans know their function and their place––things many humans never learn. Eco-centric elders will need to be prepared to help others grow to come closer to a psycho-spiritual totality that includes both savoring nature and saving nature. Advances in psycho-spiritual development rarely goes easily or smoothly, particularly if one attempts to mature without the assistance of an ecologically-minded, eco-centric elder or life coach.
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It is through humans that the universe is made capable of knowing knowing and admiring itself. This privilege of being the universe’s conscious means of self-knowledge, self-appreciation, and self-expression is not taken lightly by those who purposefully seek out attractions in nature.
Given the magnitude of the job of being the universe’s conscious knowers, appreciators, and expressers, elders will need to be prepared to help others mature more completely––that is, to grow to come closer to a psycho-spiritual totality that includes savoring nature, saving nature, and singing praises of nature. Whether one seeks to begin by savoring nature (appreciating its attractions), by singing praises of nature (casually in conversations with others or artistically through painting, photography, or writing), or by saving nature (showing gratitude toward nature by interceding on its behalf) the resulting advances in psycho-spiritual development rarely goes easily or smoothly, particularly if one attempts to mature without the assistance of an ecologically-minded, eco-centric elder or life coach.
That is precisely why we need so many of them. One per city would be a good minimum. At least one per loving couple would be better.
Nonhumans know their Soul, their function, and their place––things many humans never learn. To learn what non-humans know in this regard is a purpose of this course, a purpose fulfilled through Dr. Cohen’s (Natural Systems Thinking Process) methodology, which will become evident to you as you continue down the Heartwood Path.
I am speaking of the work it takes to find one’s complete conscious self, meaning the self-known aspects of one’s individual self and one’s Ecological Self. These aspects are Spirit, Ego, and Soul. The following activity, the first of many of our Touchstones Activities, will help one find that helpful interaction between humans and nature.
HumaNatureConnect Activity
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Generating Patterns Of Human-Nature Interaction # 1:
Sitting By Fire
For this activity, carefully build a fire near your attractive natural being. You could be sitting by a video screen showing a flickering image of a fireplace (a perverse interaction pattern) or sitting by a fireplace in a family room (a domestic interaction pattern). By choosing to build a fire in a natural setting (a wild interaction) you are doing something that will have a positive psychological affect on you. In your journal, write down what meaning you derived from this wild interaction pattern; what joy, if any, it produced; how, if at all, it built within you a bond between your mind and nature; and how, if at all, the wild version of this interaction pattern was better for you than the perverse or domestic instantiation of the same interaction pattern; and how not being allowed to participate in this sort of wild interaction pattern––building a fire in a natural setting––would make you feel? How does interacting in this way in the presence of your attractive natural being make you feel? How would it feel to have this interaction without the presence of your attractive natural being? In writing down these responses you will be adding to our collective nature language, so important to rekindling the bond between humans and nature. Look over your impressions and think about them as you fall asleep tonight before dreaming.
Nocturnal Pilgrimage
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Dreams may be images from repressed yearnings, mythical figures representing universal symbols, landscapes reaching out for our understanding, or living psychic beings seeking recognition and an audience for their intelligent messages. Tend to these Dream Images overtime and you will experience different worlds.
