Ecological Homecoming: Nature connection practices for belonging

Join experienced nature connection guides Sky-Maria Buitenhuis and Peter Cow for this evening event as they support a sense of coming home to the natural world and belonging within the intricate web of life. 
 

Do you long for a deeper connection to nature?  Would you like to awaken your ecological self?

In this evening event we will be exploring the experience and concept of 'ecological homecoming' - the felt sense of our local ecology and our planetary biosphere being our home.

The separation of humans from the rest of nature is foundational to our Western Society which relies on infinite growth based on the continuous 'resource extraction' from nature. 

What would happen if we re-awakened our felt sense of connection with the rest of nature, creating a nourishing emotional bond 'over and over announcing your place in the family of things'?*

We will collectively be sharing stories of ecological homecoming, as moments in our lives and how these moments over time transition us from an 'ego-centric' to an 'eco-centric' worldview and identity.

We will also be introducing the core nature connection routines of: senses meditation, sitspots and timeless wandering. Giving guidance for practices that can build a strong experience of home in your local ecosystem and support you to create deep relationships to individual plants, trees, birds, insects and animals.

Expect:
Storytelling
Heart-felt sharings
Nature connection practice teachings

We believe these practices support a returning home to wholeness, the ecological homecoming, that is needed as the foundation from which healing and regenerative culture will re-emerge. We imagine a culture of loving kinship with our beautiful world, that leads to courageous acts of caring for all of life.

*from the Mary Oliver poem 'Wild Geese'

Facilitators
 

Sky-Maria Buitenhuis 

As well as co-founding GIFT (Global Institute of Forest Therapy) and the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, Sky has over a decade of experience guiding and training people in deep nature connection journeys. As a nature connection and cultural repair guide, she draws on many modalities, indigenous teachings shared directly by wisdom-keepers of their traditions as well as her own on-going personal journey of remembering and embodying her most enlivened natural state of being. Her passion is to offer people the experience of ‘coming home’, being deeply moved and nourished by supporting and witnessing others having an embodied, innately human, experience of returning home to wholeness through deep nature connection practices. Currently she runs VillageNature, offering year-long immersions in the 8 Shields model of deep nature connection and repairing our culture.

What makes her feel most vital is communing with the Earth in various ways! Such as wild-crafting with her hands, tracking animals, wild swimming and sitting quietly and listening out on the land. She also loves to dance, to sing and catch songs, teach body literacy to women, and reading and writing poetry.

‘Skys ability to teach, conveying all the pertinent information, while modelling what is possible to grow into, is phenomenal’ - Womens Wilderness Skills participant

Peter Cow

A heartfelt facilitator and culture designer, Peter has been involved with 8 Shields programs and events since 2011, and also teaches Permaculture courses, specialising in ‘People Permaculture’ (social and personal regenerative design). He co-creates immersive and empowering learning experiences that connect people more deeply to nature, themselves and their community. Currently he runs VillageNature, offering year-long immersions in the 8 Shields model of deep nature connection and repairing our culture.

Peter lives on a farm in South Dartmoor, where he enjoys wild running, cold swimming, chopping up wood, listening to birdsong and singing to himself.