<p>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Contemplative.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 167px; float: right; " />One activity I often use when trying to convey the importance of the work we do is a guided meditation.&nbsp; I will ask the audience to close their eyes and imagine themselves someplace peaceful, a calming restful place.&nbsp; I ask them to visualize this their surroundings.&nbsp; What does it smell like?&nbsp; What sounds are present? Etc.&nbsp; As we work our way through this exercise I try not to lead the group towards any particular place, because each person is unique and will find their peace in unique ways.&nbsp; As the meditation ends I calmly ask the group to open their eyes and to raise their hands if they found themselves in natural surroundings.&nbsp; As the group looks around at their peers, they are amazed.</p>
<p>
	In my experience the vast majority of people (almost entirely) find themselves reverting to nature in their meditation. What does this mean?&nbsp; It means that aside from viewing nature as a commodity, people feel drawn to nature, not for any natural resource that it offers, but for deeper emotional connections we draw from it.&nbsp; Which brings me to the point of this blog.&nbsp; At the most basic level, the goal of Environmental Education is to connect people with the natural world.&nbsp; However, often with older students and adults the goal becomes one of reconnecting with the natural world.&nbsp; So why is this the case?&nbsp; And what does this say about the nature of our meditation as we age?</p>
