Full of Wonder -course

Discoveries of the Soul and Radical Agency in Nature

As the crickets' soft autumn hum
is to us
so are we to the trees
as are they
to the rocks and the hills.

Gary Snyder

Welcome to dive deeper into your soul, radical agency and surrounding living community of beings in the wild nature of Dartmoor near Ashburton.

The perception of human being as part of nature gets often reduced to a form of destroyer. Our aim is to shed light on new possibilities of dimensions and visions of humanity. We take a leap from destroyer to radical agency, the so-called unswayed protector archetype. Nature needs us and we are necessary for nature, cosmos and earth. We are interested in question of how to be for the service of the earth in most beautiful and eloquent ways that enrich the soul.

Throughout the course we will investigate our relationship with nature through shared activities, sharing and inquiry. We explore meaningful and soulful ways to arrive in relationship with ourselves and other living beings. This relationship will be touched from many angles that are necessary for our belonging: taking a refuge in nature, embracing the pain, sensing with empathy, re-enchanting of meaning in nature and connecting with our deepest desires and agency within the realm of ethical consideration. You will have an opportunity to meet yourself deeply: what's unique about me as a being of this universe? What gravitates me towards less separation and more love in the world? What nourishes beauty in my life?

This quest will open possibilities for embodied ways of intuitive and rational knowing, broader senses of self and the world around us imbedded in mystical and poetic sensibility, and awakened mind-heart full of potential.

Course dates:

Thu 25 & Tue 30 July 5-8pm

Mon 12 August 5-8pm

Sun 18 August 1-6pm

Location for the first meeting is in Hembury and Holne Woods. Place can be easily accessed for example by bike, bus number 88 or car (shared car rides are negotiable).

Maximum amount of participants is 10 people.

The course is offered free of charge. As a participant you are expected to take part into PhD research which means that the participant gives consent for data collection during the course. Thank you for your contribution to the study given by trees and bestowed on our shared home.

REGISTER HERE. (full - please join the waiting list).

Please contact Laura for any questions: toropainen.laura@tuni.fi

The course will be guided by PhD researcher Laura Toropainen from Finland. Laura's study focuses on so called deep ecological self around planetary social pedagogics in Tampere University. Currently Laura serves as a coordinator in meditation center Gaia House in West Ogwell. She has practiced in insight meditation tradition with various teachers since 2018. Laura has experience of guiding nature workshops for teachers and students. Laura's wish is to bring a breeze of the Nordic human-nature connection and discover Dartmoor's nature myths experientially together with the local community.