[Daniel Landes]

Summary Post-

I wrote a book once, a myth, about the very topic of how and when we as humans separated from nature. A birth of consciousness myth. I have been pondering the question of duality and nonduality since I was in fourth grade. I didn’t know I would be reading and studying others view of this topic in this course. I’m thrilled. I feel my initial post was confusing. There are a few first editions left. The second edition should be out by the new year. I love reading everyones thoughts. You are great group of people and I’m excited to continue to grow with you.

[Daniel Landes]

Initial post- totally on time…

While nature and humans may be created of the same energy, I imagine a thin, semi-porous membrane that separates nature from humanity. Nature exists on it’s side of the membrane in a potent state of pre-observation; it is unformed, undefined and untainted. As nature seeps through the membrane the human mind immediately begins to analyze it, categorize it, label it and its value is ascertained; thus reducing it’s potency. When a tree is called a tree it ceases to exist in it’s purest form, it is reduced to structure, form, words, so our minds can comprehend it. Does pure nature cease to exist once it is observed by the human mind? Can we truly experience Nature? Or, can we only interpret of our impressions of Nature? The separation between the observer and the observed is the fundamental duality in human existence and the basis for our suffering. For millennia seekers have set their mind to eliminating the separation and return to the one.

In TRANSPERSONAL DIMENSIONS OF ECOPSYCHOLOGY John Davis argues that Ecopsychology recognizes a nonduality between humans and nature. The acceptance of nonduality is the starting point to begin to work with the precepts of ecopsychology. The belief being; our human suffering is caused by the perceived separation of us, from nature, or in other words the eco vs. ego. It is the work of the Ecopychologist and the Nature-Centered Life Coach/Guide to direct people back to a nondualistic understanding of the universe. As the Zen Buddhist said to the hotdog vendor “make me one with everything”.

The nonduality that Davis refers to has caveats, “Nonduality refers to the locus, structure, and nature of self-identity and not to undifferentiated awareness.” I would argue that his definition is not nonduality (identifying self is at the crux of duality). If we truly understand nonduality would we even know it? What happens to the self in a nondualistic understanding of the universe? It is the tension between pure nature and our self-awareness that makes up the membrane between humans and nature. This membrane is essential to our existence and detrimental to our mental and spiritual health. Therefore, it is not the roll of the ecopsychologist nor the coach/guide to eliminate the membrane (as if we could) but to bring awareness to both sides of it. There is also an opportunity to guide toward pure nature, oneness, but to achieve oneness, is to risk that which makes us human; our sense of self. The goal of the guide, in my opinion, is to guide the client closer to the point of exchange between pure nature and our human understanding of it.

[Daniel Landes]

Foundation one.
I would not have guessed when this began that I would be learning a new language. The language that nature uses to communicate. Through the reading, the lessons and the reflections I have begun to understand how the language works. My neighborhood is next to park which fills with geese this time of year. The geese are so ubiquitous that they actually become commonplace and a bit annoying when trying to run; so much poop and waddling bodies on the path. Yesterday, while expanding my awarnesses in nature I watched the geese fly in, land and take off. These fat, awkward birds CAN FLY FOR MILES! They don’t have big, developed muscles, they don’t train, they just do. On my run that day I allowed my body to just do. Where is my flow? How can I move my awkward body with grace like the geese. This is just one example of how I am learning the language of nature and applying it to my life. Seeing more, hearing more, smelling more. The other big lesson from foundation one is reflective listening. In my day to day experience I am giving far less advice and problem solving and reflecting back instead. Through this exercise so much has come to light that would have stayed in the shadows.

[Daniel Landes]

Initial Post. Foundation One

Homo sapiens is the only species
to suffer psychological exile.
—E. O. Wilson

Good Morning Cohort.
Although the only verification I have that it is morning is the clock on the oven blinking it’s 5:15am. It is dark and cold outside yet I’m sitting under a ceiling light, in my warm dining room, at my kitchen table typing away. In an hour or so I will make coffee, toast and wake up my kids to get dressed and drive them to school where they’ll sit under ceiling lights, at desks and learn how to type away.

I am not connected to how the lights work in my house, or how the clock knows the time. I did not bake the bread, or harvest the coffee. I shudder to think of the conditions of the factories where the clothes my kids wear were produced. Yet here I am pondering nature-connection while I listen to the forced-air heater crank up to warm my house, pour fossil fuels into the tank to drive my kids to school and eat fruits that were grown 2000 miles away.

Will I even notice when the sun breaches the eastern horizon and pours it’s vital light on the façade of my home?

Yes. I will make a point of it. I have begun to prioritize paying attention to what is happening around me.

Yesterday I went for a 10 mile run in the city. I was listening to an audiobook on the alchemy of global economics at 1.25x the normal speed. I wanted to be distracted as I churned through the slush and ice over street corners and around the perimeters of parks. As I approached a stand of trees on a median between two streets I felt compelled to take off my headphones and attune to what was around me. The trees were filled with Robin Red-Breasts! The harbinger of spring! They must have just arrived. The birds were singing so beautifully. Darting from branch to branch. I leaned against the trunk of a large ponderosa pine and watched them.

This journey of connection to nature has become a priority to me. A daily practice. I am choosing to take off my headphones, open the windows, sit in my urban sit spot, take the seven breaths, and as the Coyote Guide suggests ask ‘What am I missing?’

How will developing my deeper connection to nature help support my coaching? I am not 100% concerned about that at this very moment. I am primarily concerned about my own ability to connect to nature. I have realized since beginning this course that I, like E.O. Wilson stated, have been in exile; exile from the natural world around me. I need to take the time to reintroduce myself to that, which surrounds me. From that place of connection I can only imagine I will be able to show up in a far more profound way for others.

The sun is coming up my friends. I am going to rejoice in it’s arrival.

[Daniel Landes]

MJ-

Your honesty and self-awareness are so refreshing. To define success on your own terms takes courage. Tonight I’m going to light a fire in my fire pit and imagine I’m in the forest. Thanks.

[Daniel Landes]

Ben,

Your post has stuck with me the last week or so as I contemplate the discipline/practice it takes to retrain the mind to be connected to nature. I kind of expected it to just be there without me doing anything extraordinary or make much of an effort. My body may inherently be connected to nature but my mind has become ‘out of shape’ in regards to extending my senses and awarnesses out into nature. My mind has become cluttered with the detritus of modern existence. Like conditioning my body for long distance running, conditioning the mind takes daily practice. I thank you for reminding me of this.

[Daniel Landes]

MJ-
The struggle is real. It’s as if during the intensive we were riding a bike with training wheels, thinking we were really kicking ass, only to come home to find our bike only has two wheels and is really hard to ride. Stay on the bike. Keep the vision.

[Daniel Landes]

Lisa! What profound insights. Your three levels of connection make so much sense to me. I see myself spending a lot of time IN nature. And USING it as an opportunity to get out, get excercise, but not really finding my connection. I am now trying to find time to be WITH nature; which generally means finding a quiet moment to take in all that is around me and let it inside of me. To feel a part of it not apart from it.