One Saturday a month from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
September 27, 2008 to June 6, 2009

The natural world provides us with nourishment, both physical and spiritual. It is a world of beautiful forms and dynamic interactions, a world of irreplaceable beings. As human beings we have a special responsibility toward the rest of nature, since we have the ability to both destroy and to nurture. In our time of global ecological instability, the question of how we relate to nature becomes increasingly acute.

Do we continue to focus on our all too human needs and act as if we existed in splendid isolation from the world that sustains us? Or can we change at a fundamental level the way we view ourselves and act within the context of the world? We believe it is possible to enter into a dialogue with nature and to learn from her how to root our perceiving, thinking, and doing in the wisdom she embodies and reveals. This is a path that demands careful observation and open receptivity, wakeful thought and disciplined imagination. It can bring the joy of insight and a sense of true connectedness with the natural world.  This course aims to help participants tread this pathway.

The course will be held on ten Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm. Typical sessions will include indoor and outdoor activities. The emphasis is on practice:

• exercises to school and transform our thinking;
• practice of Goethean phenomenology as a method of entering into a dialogue with nature;
• exploration of specific topics:

  in the fall: the world of light and color;
  in the winter: animal and human form;
  in the spring: plant metamorphosis and local flora;

• regular field observations in The Nature Institute’s wetland preserve to gain a deeper sense of place and the seasons;
• conversations concerning sustainability.

Participants will be encouraged to carry out observation exercises between course sessions. Nature Institute staff members Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege will lead the course.

Course dates:

in 2008: Sept. 27, Oct. 18, Nov. 15, Dec. 13;
in 2009: Jan.17, Feb. 14, March 21, April 25, May 9, and June 6.

Please register by September 1.

For a printable registration form to fax or mail to us, click here.

Course fee is $850. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is due upon registration. The remaining course fee is due Sept. 1, or in two payments of $400 by Sept. 1 and $350 by Dec. 1.

Refund policy: Anyone needing to withdraw before the course begins will receive a full refund less the $100 non-refundable deposit. If withdrawal occurs once the course has begun, there will be no refund.

Housing: For those traveling from a distance and arriving the previous night we can recommend local motels and B&Bs, and we can make referrals for a room in a private home in the area.

Food: We will provide a mid-morning snack. Participants will bring or buy their own lunches. The Hawthorne Valley Farm Store is a short distance from The Nature Institute and has a deli section of prepared organic foods.

For further information, call The Nature Institute at 518-672-0116 or email info@natureinstitute.org