"What wilderness does is present us with a blueprint, as it were, of what creation was about in the beginning, when all the plants and trees and animals were magnetic, fresh from the hands of whatever created them. This blueprint is still there, and those of us who see it find an incredible nostalgia rising in us, an impulse to return and discover it again. It is as if we are obeying that one great voice which resounds and resounds through the Upanishads of India: 'Oh man, remember.' Through wilderness we remember, and are brought home again." Sir Laurens van der Post, 1906 -1996, author, explorer and soldier. Feather Fall - An Anthology, Chatto &
Windus, London 1994 pp88-89.
Across Australia, and indeed many parts of the world, the human race is searching for that 'nostalgia', a longing to reconnect with that blueprint of what creation was about in the beginning. Wilderness, indeed all of the natural world, is a bearer of great truths, and by living lives more in tune with the natural world we bring a deep and abiding consciousness to the troubled face of humanity.
Journeying into the wilderness is a rich vein of human experience. Two thousand years ago Jesus of Nazareth dwelt in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry. Perhaps it was only the mighty container of the natural world that was capable of witnessing and holding Jesus through his struggle with his demons and growth to wholeness.
Have there been times when you have turned to the natural world for healing and at times of crisis?.
Thankfully we are beginning to grasp the importance of preserving such places. Around Australia individuals and communities are acting now to redress past and present abuse of our natural world. Some initiatives include plans to curb the millions of plastic bags in circulation, modifying perceptions about water use and scarcity in response to the devastating drought and the ongoing programs aimed at revegetating our waterways with Indigenous flora.
June 5th is World Environment Day. Each year it stands in a calendar dominated by themes relating explicitly to the human race, its triumphs and shortcomings. Like the natural world this day heralds we could use June 5th to call us back to right relationship with all of creation, to reconnect with the 'blueprint'.
Encounters with the natural world are essentially a matter of the heart. We must continue to study and learn from the intricacies of creation and our impacts upon it, but the natural world speaks to and fills our souls in ways that knowledge and ideas cannot. "You and the land are one," is the secret of the grail. It must be drunk, felt, immersed into.
Accordingly, activities for schools, parish and community groups are focused around World Environment Day for this issue of OzSpirit.
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
· www.earthcharter.org/education/ is a great site for teachers to access. By clicking on the green box in the right column entitled: 'Curriculum Stimulus Materials' you will see themes and activities listed under; The Creative Arts, English and
LOTE, Mathematics, Science and Technology, all related to the promotion of the earth charter principles.
· In the International Year of Fresh Water, forceten has produced a free kit about water for Simply Sharing Week. The kit includes activities across the curriculum (including English, Maths, Science, Religion, Geography, Studies of Society and Environment, Human Society and its Environment). It can be downloaded from their website: www.forceten.org.au Select: 'Simply Sharing Week'.
· www.catholicearthcareoz.net is an excellent site [temporarily offline, but bookmark it for a return visit]. Catholic Earthcare Australia have just released a free CD ROM of activities for Primary and Secondary students across a wide range of Key Learning Areas entitled:
'Earthcare Day: Freshwater is Sacred Water'. This is accompanied with a poster. Catholic Earthcare Australia also released a video last year entitled: 'The Garden Planet', which can be obtained for $20 if your school or parish would like a copy. For a copy of either of these resources, please contact Sascha Tel: (02) 9956 5800 or email admin@bcjdep.org For further information or inquiries, please contact Jacqui on a Wednesday Tel: (02) 9956 5800.
School, parish and community groups:
· www.landcareaustralia.com.au has a grants program, particularly for school and youth groups. This site has a lot of information about how to get your hands dirty by joining a local Landcare group.
