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NATURAL JOURNEYS SOCIETY
Natural Mentoring
Mentoring and Learning
By the time they were twelve years old, children in Native cultures around the world could -- and many still can -- track animals across hard ground and tell you what the animal was, how fast it was moving, when it had passed, whether it was on its way home after feeding or going in search of food; they could identify dozens of plants, tell you their uses, and prepare them as food, medicine or tools; they could look at the sky and tell you what tomorrow's weather will be; make fire without matches in seconds, and play, laugh, and enjoy life fully. They were fully competent, contributing members of their society. But they never went to school.
How did they learn so much so quickly?
The secrets and techniques of the way these children learn are called Coyote Mentoring, and these ideas are the foundation of the Natural Journeys Society.
Natural Journeys is a not-for-profit Society located in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island on Canada's West Coast. The primary purpose of Natural Journeys is "to organize, promote, conduct, and maintain continuing year-round nature-based programs of personal development and awareness, and programs of environmental education and awareness, for people and organizations."
Natural Journeys applies Coyote Mentoring concepts and techniques, including the Peace Principles and Eight Directions models as taught by Wilderness Awareness School, to its programs, teaching methods, governance, and as far as possible in every aspect of the Society's activities.
Coyote Mentoring for Naturalists, Teachers, Interpreters, Guides, and Parents.
This weekend course is offered from time to time for people who wish to learn or expand their skills as mentors.
Course Description
Coyote Mentoring draws on the wisdom of earth-based cultures around the world. Learn how Coyote, the Teacher-Trickster, inspires a compelling need to know and then fills that vacuum almost full. Gain valuable attitudes and tools for your students and clients.
This new/old way draws out the natural desire to learn and empowers both mentor and student. Nature is the teacher; the mentor is the guide.
As in the world where this type of learning happens, humour and open exchange between instructors and participants is important in this course.
Recent Participant Comments
"Great! I loved the storytelling!"
"I have come away with some real ideas and how to use them."
"I'd love to keep learning. That's the success of coyote mentoring -- it grabs you!"
The Nature of Mentoring
Here is six days of fully experiential learning of the powerful techniques of Mentoring and the way of life that these techniques support and are drawn from.
The ideas and concepts of good mentoring are vitally effective, natural ways developing awareness of their universe and their community.
Course Description
The Nature of Mentoring is a six-day immersion into a culture of awareness gained through experience of the natural world. Adult participants come together for this time of lectures, storytelling, ceremony, group activities, adventures, celebrations, solitude and growth.
This model of community and mentoring is thousands of years old, practiced all over the world in ways suited to the people and their place. As such, it has infinite lessons, layers and levels.
Experience and study the Core Routines of Coyote Learning, the Six Shields, the Learning Journey, Brain Patterning, the Human Journey, Profiling the Learner, and more.
In this six days you will gain an appreciation of the depth of the teaching and the way of life and teaching it represents. You will gain valuable attitudes and tools for working with others in ways that empower both mentor and student. Nature is the teacher; the mentor is the guide.
Participant Comment
"Now I know what we have to do to change the world."
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