A Journey in Reconnection is an exploration of what it actually means to be a human being on this planet in this time; to acknowledge and live with the anxiety, confusion and uncertainties we may face, to (re-)connect with the beauty, excitement and wild wisdom that lie in our belonging to this world, and to find a path of shared passion and meaning in life and work.
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Kalapa offers programs about living and working with the challenges of this time, and training and workshops in sustainable leadership and nature connection. Kalapa works with students, professionals, or as part of conferences or events. Every program is custom-made, see events or get in touch for the possibilities.
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Inner Sustainability and Regenerative Culture
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Sustainability is not only a technical concern, it requires fundamental cultural and personal worldview transformation. More and more voices acknowldge that current global issues are deeply rooted in the cultural idea that we are separate from nature (see resources at page bottom). Kalapa creates spaces for reflection and transformation of our way of being and acting in the world, offering an experience of connectedness to self, the other and nature that can serve as a reference for a new culture. When we reconnect with life and nature, we re-find the vitality and passion to care for our environment and to lead a meaningful life.
Methods
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The Work that Reconnects by Joanna Macy
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“This is a dark time, filled with suffering and uncertainty. Like living cells in a larger body, it is
natural that we feel the trauma of our world. So don’t be afraid of the anguish you feel, or the
anger or fear, because these responses arise from the depth of your caring and the truth of your
interconnectedness with all beings”.
- Joanna Macy
Joanna Macy is an American climate activist, systems thinker and Buddhist scholar that has been contributing to the mental health of people engaged in activism or humanitarian pursuits for decades. The Work that Reconnects consists of a collection of exercises for groups in which fear, sadness, anger and despair are acknowldeged as natural human responses to circumstances, and are honoured as signposts for the underlying love and care for the subject. In this way participants (re-) discover their engagement and passion, and gain clarity in what they wish to contibrute too, in order to engage in activities from a place of deep personal motivation, inspiration and empowerment. To get an insight into Joanna Macy and her work, I recommend this documentary this documentary.
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Art of Mentoring, Coyote Learning en Cultural Regeneration
Methodes developed by Jon Young with many others, based on inspiration from several traditional nature-connected peoples (a.o. Lakota, San Bushman). Jon Young names principles of nature-connected learning from these traditions like play, curiosity and questions, stroytelling and music. His work os very integral: it encompasses consciousness and nature-awareness like sitting still in nature listening and watching, 'hard skills' like tracking and tool-making, but also attributes of nature-connected culture like rites of passage, celebration of the seasons, rituals for loss and grief and the creation of safe spaces for dealing with trauma.
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Other Methods:
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Other methods used are basic i.e. exercises from life- and career coaching like enneagram, voice dialogue and shadow work, but also exercises in nature inspired by the art of mentoring/cultural emergence (Jon Young). For living with climate change, I gratefully adapt the Deep Adaptation model of Jem Bendell.
Resources
Matthijs Schouten, ontdek de binnenkant van duurzaamheid
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Joanna Macy, the work that reconnects, documentary on vimeo
Jon Young, the art of mentoring, cultural emergence, 8-shields
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Jem Bendell, Deep Adaptation
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Interview met Lian voor Aardse Helden
Interview door Liesbeth Sluiter voor de special van Bewust Bodemgebruik - een open en informeel netwerk voor volhoudbaar bodem- en landgebruik.
Praatplaat en Startnotitie Natuurinclusief Onderwijs
door Merel Collenteur, Lian Kasper en Louise van der Stok in opdracht van het Collectief Natuurinclusief
“We zijn de basis van ons bestaan, de natuur, kwijtgeraakt en daarmee een deel van onszelf. Als we dat deel weer terugvinden, denk ik dat dat de mens weer heel zou maken.”
De startnotitie biedt een verkenning voor natuurinclusief onderwijs, uitgevoerd in het kader van de Agenda Natuurinclusief, domein onderwijs. Deze hebben we afgelopen herfst geschreven op basis van literatuuronderzoek, enquêtes en interviews. Zowel theorie als praktijk, verleden als heden worden belicht. Wat valt er wel of niet onder ‘natuurinclusief’ onderwijs? Welke praktijken en perspectieven zijn zinvol om verder te verkennen? En waar liggen de discussiepunten en spanningsvelden? Hiermee is getracht overzicht te geven van wat natuurinclusief onderwijs kan of zou kunnen betekenen, en welke aspecten er op dit moment al worden gepraktiseerd.
More Nature Deeper Education with st. NatuurCollege
Meeting with 12 inspiring individuals at NatuurCollege event, More Nature Deeper Education. An organization dedicated to integrating nature into education. In ‘12 Voices on NATURE EDUCATION,’ they share powerful insights on bridging the gap between education and the natural world.
Opname BioKennisweek gesprek over Klimaaturgentie
De klimaatcrisis is een crisis van ongekende omvang en moet behandeld worden als een noodtoestand. Het is hoog tijd dat de biologische landbouw haar rol als leider op zich neemt. Maar hoe doen we dat? Bekijk hier het gesprek terug tussen Ronald van Marlen en Lian Kasper tijdens de BioKennisweek 2022