For release at will
Reconnecting With Webstrings A Thousand Words for the Next Thousand Years Michael J. Cohen ©1999
The unbalanced way we learn to think in our nature conquering culture produces personal, social and environmental abusiveness along with war. Although we despise these evils, they don't readily change for, subconsciously, we have psychologically bonded to the ideas and values that produce them. Without appropriately addressing these destructive bonds we and Earth remain dangerously unhealthy and unbalanced. Biologically and psychologically we are part of nature and vice versa. However, we learn, on average, to live over 99.9% of our lives in physical and mental disconnection from nature and its equilibrium. This severance from our inherent fulfillments in nature produces a void in our collective and personal psyche. It triggers cravings that we must gratify artificially, no matter their ruinous effects. Artificial fulfillments often color and distort our thinking yet they provide rewards and fuel our economy. Unthoughtful development, consumerism and disorders result. Despite excellent evidence to the contrary, very few of us think that we can satisfy our cravings by thoughtfully reconnecting to nature. Such denial is typical of addiction. We have become so bewildered (wilderness separated) that we try to resolve our problems using the same nature disconnected thinking that produces them. The good news is that a social invention has been researched that breaks this psychological vicious circle. Experts accurately portray nature and the web of life by gathering a group of people in a circle. Each person is asked to represent some part of nature, a bird, soil, water, etc. A large ball of string then demonstrates the interconnecting relationships between things in nature. For example the bird eats insects so the string is passed from the "bird person" to the "insect person." That is their connection. The insect lives in a flower, so the string is further unrolled across the circle to the "flower person." Soon a web of string is formed interconnecting all members of the group, including somebody representing a person. Every part of the global life community, from sub-atomic particles to weather systems, is part of this lifeweb. Their webstring interconnectedness produces nature's balanced integrity and prevents runaway disorders. Dramatically, people pull back, sense, and enjoy how the string peacefully unites, supports and interconnects them and all of life. Then one strand of the web is cut signifying the loss of a species, habitat or relationship. Sadly, the weakening effect on all is noted. Another and another string is cut. Soon the web's integrity, support and power disintegrates along with its spirit. Because this reflects the reality of our lives, it triggers feelings of hurt, despair and sadness in many activity participants. Earth and its people increasingly suffer from "cut string" disintegration, yet we continue to cut the strings. Natural beings relate while in contact with the whole of the web through webstrings. As part of nature, we are born with this ability. Pulitzer-Prize winning sociobiologist Dr. Edward O. Wilson, of Harvard, affirms that people have an inherent biological need to be in contact with nature. He says Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive, and even spiritual satisfaction. Recently, I asked some web of life activity participants if they ever
went into a natural area and actually saw strings interconnecting things
there. They said no, that would be crazy. I responded, "If there are
no strings there, what then are the actual strands that hold the natural
community together in balance and diversity?" As part of nature we are born with the natural ability to know webstrings but we learn to neither recognize nor exercise this ability (1). Without seeing, sensing or respecting the strings in nature and our inner nature, we break, injure and ignore them (13). Their disappearance produces a void, an uncomfortable psychological emptiness in our lives that we constantly try to fill. We want, and when we want there is never enough. We become greedy, stressed and reckless while trying to artificially regain webstring fulfillment. We place ourselves, others and Earth at risk for with respect to the web of life there is no substitute for the real thing (2). With the exception of humanity, no member of the lifeweb relates, interacts or thinks through the webstring sense of verbal language. Nature's web is a non-verbal, preliterate experience consisting of webstring loves, not words (4). A bird's love for food (hunger) is a webstring. So is the tree's attraction to grow away from gravity and its roots attraction toward it. The fawn's desire for its mother and vice-versa are webstrings. Every atom and its nucleus consists of, expresses and relates through webstring attractions. All of nature, including us, consists of these attraction bonds. People inherently experience those needed for our survival as 53 or more natural senses. As we learn to ignore them, our webstrings end up frustrated in our subconscious mind (11). Today, newly researched nature reconnecting activities enable people to sensuously bring webstrings back into our lives (3). Their presence helps reinstate balanced personal and environmental relationships (10). Genuine webstring contacts in natural areas help us sentiently reattach the strings within us to their origins, the strings in the web of life (6). We feel, enjoy and trust this thoughtful connection. Webstring connection activities also help people translate webstring attraction feelings into verbal language and share them (9). In this unifying way, our sensory connections with the web feelingly express and validate themselves in conscious thoughts and words that help us guide our reasoning and relationships (14). They enable us to think like nature works. We enjoy nature's balanced wisdom as it enters our relationships. Webstring support replaces destructive exploitation, competition and greed, recovery occurs (7). The natural world, backyard or backcountry, becomes a remarkable classroom, library and therapist that we treasure (8,). It helps us peacefully co-create a future in balance with ourselves, each other and the global life community (12). Webstrings help us genuinely, safely, replace our destructive bonds with constructive passions and responsible outlooks. A sorely needed global consciousness results. * * * * * The most effecient way to learn to use and teach the webstring process is by taking a short, online Orientation Course: The Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship
References: links to books, articles, courses and degree programs 1. Cohen, 1998, Basics of Webstring Psychology 2. Cohen, 1997, Reconnecting With Nature: Finding Wellness through restoring your bond with the Earth, Ecopress, Corvallis, Oregon. http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/newbook.html 3. Cohen, 1994, The Natural Systems Thinking Process 4. Cohen 1995, Counseling and Educating With Nature http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/counseling.html 5. Cohen 1993, Well Mind, Well Earth, Roche Harbor, WA, World Peace University
Press 6. Kofalk, 1994 The Distinguished World Citizen Award 7. Cohen, 1996, Study and Survey of Participants http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/survey.html 8. Cohen, 1996 Nature Psychology Courses and Degrees http://www.rockisland.com/~process/ 9. Cohen, 1996 Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship http://www.rockisland.com/~process/5grglobal.html 10. Cohen, 1997, Journalized Findings of Participants http://www.ecopsych.com/millecopstrand.html 11. Beyond Addicted Thinking: do this activity. http://www.webstrings.org/webstzbutton.html 12. Cohen, 1995, The Global Wellness and Unity Activity http://www.pacificrim.net/~nature/amental.html 13. Cohen, 1999, Webstring Activities for Earthday2000 http://www.ecopsych.com/earthday2000.html 14. Germine, 1996, Reconnecting To Subconscious Origins
About the Author: Applied Ecopsychologist Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D. founded and coordinates Project NatureConnect and the Natural Systems Thinking Process. They are continuing education workshops, distance learning courses and degree programs of Greenwich University, Portland State University and the Institute of Global Education. Dr. Cohen chairs the Department of Applied Ecopsychology/Integrated Ecology on San Juan Island, Washington and initiated the 1995 National Audubon conference "Is the Earth A Living Organism?" For 40 years, he has founded and directed degree granting environmental outdoor education programs for the Trailside Country School, Lesley College, the National Audubon Society and the IGE Institute. His many books and articles include the award winning "Connecting With Nature: Creating Moments that let Earth Teach" which is included in his 1997 self-guiding book "Reconnecting With Nature" (Ecopress) and "Well Mind, Well Earth: 97 Environmentally Sensitive Activities for Stress Management, Spirit and Self-esteem." Dr. Cohen is the recipient of the Distinguished World Citizen Award.
Institute of Global Education
The most effecient way to learn to use and teach the webstring process is by taking a short, online Orientation Course: The Psychological Elements of Global Citizenship |
