Cheri & others,
I agree and think the potential of fantasy is incredibly underutilised in
outdoor and other programs. We are all constantly engaged in fantasy,
visualisation, etc. - to our benefit or detriment. If we could learn to
assist people to harness that power, then we would really be moving into
the realms that perhaps indigenous ritual-type changes processes work in -
deep, religious, identity-forming stuff.
For this reason, I am particularly fascinated by the journey Chris has
taken with Threshold and really do wish him every success and hope we can
continue to hear about what he finds through practice and research.
One source for us could be to consult with people who have used these
processes in connection with the outdoors for many generations - indigenous
people. I participated in a "Rediscovering Your Indigenous Heart" workshop
with a (caucasian) guy named Graham Ellis-Smith. He's been quite an
influence on some of the outdoor ed researchers and practitioners here in
Australia. Among Graham's messages are for us to REdiscover our indigenous
psyches and perceptions, etc. His methods were very much to do with
meditation, visualisation and sensing ourselves in connection with plants,
places, types of rock, etc. - allowing us to re-experience what we have
lost and for must of us never taught.
Of course another way could be to tap into the fascinating psychological
research on the effects of fantasy and visualization - a dialogue I'd also
welcome.
I think a 'new age' of outdoor education programs will be when we are able
to uniquely combine the physicality of adventure with the psych-ality of
therapy and the spirituality of religion. So incredibly divorced from our
cultural and genetic heritage....and yet we may be able to invent a way
back to where we were?
J
At 10:38 21/03/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Roger,
>
>What role do you think imagery plays in the whole arena of thinking and
>flexibility? If we go from the research supporting positive image-->positive
>action, then might we want to explore the language used by the facilitator,
>the boldness of the metaphors and the ability of the participants to embody
>the image (whether visually or cognitively or kinesthetically).
>Cheri
>* * *
>Cheri Torres
>Mobile Team Challenge
>www.mobileteamchallenge.com
>888-681-0146
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|