virus: an environmental meme

David McFadzean (david@lucifer.com)
Tue, 11 Mar 1997 11:40:45 -0700

>Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 09:30:40 +0000
>From: "Michael J. Cohen" <nature@pacificrim.net>
>Organization: Project NatureConnect
>To: david@lucifer.com
>Subject: Viral Medication?
>
>Great pages and ideas, thought the following might be helpful, have you seen
>it?
>
>Mike
>
>
>"Holy Mother Earth, the trees and all nature are witnesses
> of your thoughts and deeds"
>
>-Winnebago Tribe
>
>
>A Remarkable Reconnecting With Nature Activity Restores Personal and
>Global Balance
>
>Many dedicated activists for environmental and social causes say they are
>motivated by a profound love of life, nature and Earth. "Every person, and
>every form of life, is born with that love," according to Dr. Michael J. Cohen,
>author of the new Ecopress book "Reconnecting With Nature: Finding
>Wellness Through Restoring Your Bond With The Earth"
>
>Dr. Cohen says that most people's innate love of Earth has been squelched by
>the "civilizing" process that teaches us to excesssively separate from, exploit
>and conquer nature, including our sensory inner nature, our "inner child."
>This year, activities from his Reconnecting With Nature book are being used
>on Earth Day to reverse the squelching process and its adverse effects.
>
>"Significantly, most adults sense a degree of shame when they say that they
>love the Earth," notes Dr. Cohen. "That shame translates into our runaway
>fears, apathy and problems." He says, that we can not simply ask people to
>love the Earth and, out of that love, act in behalf of sustaining life and
>balanced relationships. "The plea seldom produces action because people are
>no longer significantly conscious of that love and its global ethic," Cohen
>observes.
>
>Dr. Cohen directs Project NatureConnect, the Applied Ecopsychology program
>of the Institute of Global Education, a United Nations Non-Governmental
>Organization.
>
>To help reestablish a responsible relationship with nature Cohen has
>contributed a potent ecopsychology exercise from Reconnecting With Nature.
>Via the internet, it is being shared globally as an International Earth Day and
>Ecopsychology Activity. The activity enables people to rationally and
>emotionally reconnect with Earth. Cohen finds that his sensory reconnection
>nurtures and rejuvenates our innate love of life. "That love and its ethic once
>again registers in our consciousness. It becomes a guiding light for our psyche
>and relationships," he said.
>
>Cohen insists that Earth connectedness overcomes apathy. He says, "It is a
>common ground. a love that unifies people. It motivates the participation
>needed to sustain personal, environmental and social relationships in balance.
>If we want to achieve such relationships, it is wise to restore our love for
>them. "
>
>The free Earth Day Activity is located at
>http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/earthday97.html or by requesting it from
>activity@infofree.com. Hard copy is available by sending a self addressed
>stamped envelope to Earth Day, P.O. Box 1605, Friday Harbor, Washington
>U.S.A.
>
>The International Earth Day Activity is one of 23 ecopsychology activities
>presented in Reconnecting With Nature. Results from doing these activities
>are eye-opening. Larry Davies, an alternative school counselor in Vancouver,
>Washington reports: "During Dr. Cohen's Reconnecting With Nature
>workshop with one of our recovery groups, we visited a trashed natural area
>next to the student's proposed new school. The area was slated to be paved as
>a parking lot, and we did the nature reconnecting Earth Day permission
>activity there. As a result, the student's felt that the area, like themselves,
>wanted to recover from the abuse it received from society. They sensed that,
>like them, it had been, in their words: 'hurt, molested, invaded, raped and
>trespassed,' 'It wanted to become healthy or die,' 'It felt trashed and
>overwhelmed, 'It had no power, it needed a fix or help to recover.' Since then,
>the area and their inner nature has given them permission to enlist the
>support of social and environmental agencies to save the area from becoming
>a parking lot. Instead, the garbage will be removed and it will recover as an
>indigenous natural area. It will be nurtured and nurturing, support wildlife,
>be an educational and therapeutic nature sanctuary for the school and a host
>for doing more applied ecopsychology activities.
>
>The students recently wrote and received a grant to help make this vision of
>theirs a reality. Here's what they said in the grant's vision statement:
>
>'We are a recovery group based on reconnecting with nature. In our recovery
>efforts, nature plays a major role. We have choosen a small piece of wilderness
>that reflects us as a community. This wilderness community is being choked
>by alien plants and stressed by pollution, abandonment and major loss. We,
>too, are being choked by drugs and stories that pollute our natural self. We feel
>abandoned by our society and cut off from nature which fills us with grief. As
>we remove the foreign garbage, blackberries and ivy from the area, we work on
>removing the toxins from our lives. As we plant healthy trees we also learn
>new healthy ways to survive. By protecting this ecosystem we find the strength
>to open our minds, hearts, and souls for the survival of our Mother Earth and
>ourselves.'
>
>The students in this nature reconnecting program have quit using drugs.
>Their test scores show significant improvement in the areas of self-esteem,
>depression, stress and sleeplesness. Every student's attendance and academic
>progress has improved. "Reconnecting With Nature has proven to be a
>valueable preventative tool for the recovery of people and Earth." said Mr.
>Davies. "Many other people also report increased wellness from doing the
>activities." Cohen believes their widespread use can radically reduce our
>runaway expenditures for social programs.
>
>The March 1997 issue of Prevention Magazine contains an article that further
>substantiates the use and value of Reconnecting With Nature. Descriptions,
>samples and reviews of the book are located at
>http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/newbook.html In addition to being in
>bookstores ($14.95), Reconnecting With Nature is also available by postal,
>e-mail or telephone orders ($17.95) to nature@pacificrim.net, 360-378-6313, or
>write Book Department, P.O. Box 1605, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
>
>
>Project NatureConnect
>Institute of Global Education
>A United Nations Non-Governmental Organization
>Department of Integrated Ecology,
>Box 1605 Friday Harbor, Washington 98250
>(360) 378-6313
>Dr. Michael J. Cohen, Chair
>E-mail nature@pacificrim.net
>http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/
>For information and updates: program@infofree.com
>
>* Earth Day is celebrated on March 21 in some places and April 22 in others.
>"Earth Day is the first holy day ... and is devoted to the harmony of
>nature... The celebration offends no historical calendar, yet it transcends
>them all."
>- Margaret Mead
>
>NOTE: Immediate updates and outcomes of the subjects covered in this release
>are available by sending a blank email to our hotline bulletin at
>infonews@infofree.com
>
>
--
David McFadzean                 david@lucifer.com
Memetic Engineer                http://www.lucifer.com/~david/
Church of Virus                 http://www.lucifer.com/virus/