Exploring the Nature of Heart

Come forth into the light of things. Let nature be your teacher.

—William Wordsworth

About this Site

Sharing is the name of the game at Nature of Heart. Here you will find:

  • A tested process for mining the gold of your experiences in nature and applying them to your own life.
  • Books that will support you in using the process until it becomes second nature.
  • Free resources that provide a deeper understanding of the process.
  • The Nature of HeART gallery that has artworks of special significance to the process.
  • Access to the Nature of Heart blog where sharing of insights and mutual development of new life metaphors takes place.

Purpose

  • To encourage a deep connection to nature as a resource for personal transformation and healing.
  • To provide resources for people who choose to develop new life metaphors based on nature, as a way to sustain themselves during difficult times.

At Nature of Heart we move ecopsychology from principles to practice.

Background

Nature of Heart springs from my personal experience over many years—from watching the cycle of seasons along the C&O Canal outside of Washington, D.C., and personally experiencing the Canal's healing power in my life. As a result of walking, looking, listening, and learning along the Canal, an evolution in my thinking gradually occurred. I observed happenings along the Canal and received insights that took the form of simple stories. These natural encounters brought calm to the chaos of life. I wondered: "How did this happen? Might this be useful to others?"

About this time I became involved with the Technology of Participation (ToP) methods developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA). That's when my book, Invisible Currents—Nature's Lessons for the Mind and Heart, really began to take shape. Using ICA's Focused Conversation Method as a general format added value to the stories. As a result of thinking through how to present the process at conferences of the International Association of Facilitators, enough lights turned on to finalize the process. I decided to write a book about my experiences as a way to share. —Wanda McGee

Invitation: We'd like to hear from you. Feel free to offer your comments. Also, check out the Nature of Heart blog.

  Growth Stages
  Cindy Mueller