Experiences from Past Students
Nature’s Mystery has mentioned hundreds of dedicated students of all ages over the last decade, from outdoor education for small children, to rites of passage journeys for youth, to the most recent Holistic Sustainability immersion for young adults. Here’s what they have to say about their experiences!
Sose, Holistic Sustainability Semester 2024
“This experience has been life-changing…
“[The Holistic Sustainability semester] has been so beautiful for so many reasons, for what I’m learning about myself and the world, about people and how to connect in both human and non-human worlds. My experience has been empowering in the sense of uncovering the gifts that I hold and that want to be in full expression of every day, as well as learning to receive and be in reciprocity with the gifts of others and the natural world around me.”
“I am learning this falling in love with life…learning to fall in love with the fact that I have this body, these hands that can do so much and create so much beauty. I am learning what it feels like to really be alive. And through that aliveness, being of service — however that might look each day. I am learning how to really be with the connections I am making — to be here, truly present with my loved ones rather than running away…”
Mariam, Holistic Sustainability Semester 2024
“The Land has been my primary teacher…
“I’ve found myself being more patient and steady here. Before, I was very consumed by, lost in my work. I would have to schedule in nature excursions to get a break from the city, but it always felt rushed — there was no intention or space to dream. Since getting here, I feel like I’m dreaming all the time, getting lost in the water, sitting and letting it talk to me rather than rushing through. I feel like I am only now really experiencing what deep ecological connection feels like thanks to the slowness this place [Lost Valley Education Center] offers. I’m realizing that when you become a person of place, you’re able to hear the natural world in a different way and build a sense of real commitment. That’s when these practices and concepts like the ‘honorable harvest’ and ‘being a kin’ really become alive…
“The land has been my primary teacher. We should never exist in silos; our survival is correlated to the survival and labor of a community of other beings. The land teaches us that we are a part of that network and need each other to live, regardless of how we may acknowledge it in our lives. The land has also taught me patience, love, how to really feel my feelings and embrace seasons of change. I am learning who I am in the different seasons and how to lean into that rather than fighting my own cyclical nature. I’ve learned to befriend myself and my capacity in a new way, to be present with myself and really listen.
“Learning is supported in a safe, truthful container, with the understanding that we are all students and teachers for each other. I’m grateful to slow down and be in a community that cares about the world in a different way.”
— Elika, Holistic Sustainability Semester 2024
“This is a container that opens you up for deeper connection, to be with nature and support nature as she supports all living beings...mending the ways we have been trained to think, learning to be humble and respectful as part of life. There are opportunities for fun and play, imagination, learning skills, weaving baskets, and meeting folks of different cultures. Immersed into a longstanding community, we also learn principles of governance and conflict resolutions and eat delicious healthy meals from the land!”
— Cynthia, Holistic Sustainability Semester 2024
“I really loved sitting around the fire and singing songs. I used to be afraid to sing in front of people and this Summer changed that for me!”
— Frankie, Holistic Sustainability Semester 2024
