To fully know who we truly are as human beings, we must own our own inner wilderness.
So often, we fear the untamed parts of ourselves, or simply avoid peering around in the darkness of as yet unrecognized or rejected aspects of ourselves…Myths and fairy tales reveal this side of ourselves in the person of the “wild man” or the “Wolf woman,” the furred criatura.” Yet, to be a full human being requires that we embrace all of our humanness, including that which is not “civilized,” and heal the split personality to include all of who we are in essence. As much a part of nature as trees, and birds and all Gaia, herself. Ahhh Nature.
In Circle we cultivate and encourage the development of an expanded perception of who we are. We embrace the idea of interconnectedness with all living beings, and each other. We practice taking radical responsibility for our experience, our perceptions and the way our lives unfold. We look for the gifts in all experiences. We reach deep within and expose the raw wilderness of inside ourselves, that which we might otherwise hide from. We bring it to the light and accept it with love – that is the only way people can change what they want to change in themselves. With love.
In this post, in support of our upcoming dinner on November 18th with presentations from 7 of our youth serving partners, we highlight the Wilderness Awareness School, which is one of our favorite organizations.
The Wilderness Awareness School offers young people opportunities to feel the natural world that is so quickly disappearing; the world where our senses are freed to experience life, together with others, in communion with nature. The core values of WAS are peacemaking, vitality, nature mentoring, and community. In a time when more and more young people feel their only connection to others through screens, this is a balm for the soul and a chance to knit together both sides of their humanity, the wild and the disciplined, and be the full human beings they were born to be.
Come learn more about Wilderness Awareness School at the hottest party of the season; go to www.teentalkingcircles.org/awaken and sign up to come.
Teen Talking Circles 