[susanfronckowiak]

When I reflect back on our learning experience thus far, I find myself deeply inspired, connected, wanting to go even deeper/learn more, and also feeling whole. Time spent together at StarHouse with all of you was powerful, educational, magical, and healing. Each time I am on the land, I am reminded of the intense power of nature and its ability to heal. I am also reminded that when life’s storms and winds come, if I lean in and trust- I will not be pushed down but that I will often be lifted up and will fly! Surrender and trust are key.

I returned home after our time together, knowing that nature-connection is a way of life that I can live each moment. It is accessible to me at absolutely anytime – and I find peace and excitement in knowing that I can take my coaching literally anywhere… because nature is everywhere & we are nature!

The awareness exercises and coaching skills we studied and practiced have helped me feel even more grounded and centered in my life. Also, having practice coaching sessions, and practicing reflecting what is said in sessions, is helping me to feel more comfortable in stepping fully into my life’s work and calling. People in the world want to be seen and heard.

As I sat on the chairlift, listening to a friend share about their life, I sat in silence and practiced pausing. I watched for baseline shifts and also listened deeply to his words. The silence in our space was profound at times, and honestly almost a little bit uncomfortable, but I remembered that often in those silent moments, that is when the deep inner-knowing comes. My friend shared about his life and what he envisions for his future. It was magical and I was filled with gratitude for having had our recent training and ability to show up and let nature take over. I surrendered to the moment and let the sacred space, trees, and snowflakes do the rest. It was beyond powerful!

Also, as I look back at the reflections everyone has written, I see a common thread of community and connection. Think of what we accomplished together in just 9 days on the land, and all that lies ahead for us both professionally and personally! What a gift it is to have met you all and to call you not only colleagues- but also chosen family.

A friend who works in the field of rite of passage work once said to me, “Susan. As guides, we are trying to help people find what is ‘good, healthy, and strong’. We help others see their gifts and then they go out and share their gifts with the world.” This makes me think of our role as coach, to help others feel empowered to live their best life- in good, healthy, and strong ways. As coaches we have the privilege of witnessing life transforming moments on the land that undoubtedly will impact us as well.

In summary… I am filled with gratitude, and deep respect and admiration for all of you. You are nature and also are some of my greatest teachers too!

[susanfronckowiak]

Hi Gina!

Love the last line of your post, “Most importantly for me, is to not be in a hurry to get to any destination. The client will discover their direction, I just get to guide, and witness them discover themself.”

Your writing makes me think of the intentional “pause”/slowing down that we talked about during our time in Colorado. By slowing down in our coaching process and by being in the present moment with clients (AND by creating space for silence!), we as coaches are able to better listen to, show up and witness, and also reflect back to our clients what they are experiencing. We get to connect to nature and embody our clients’ deeper needs. Also, our practice of listening attentively and of creating space for awareness- helps clients to explore their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and ultimately their connection to nature (self as nature and nature all around). I also love how you wrote about the client discovering their own direction. This makes me think to the deep inner knowing that I find myself in-tune with when truly connected. Thanks for the reminder to “drop into heart”! When we are connected, and when we help our clients to be connected to self, it makes all of us connected on such deeper levels.

And… hi to the rest of the group!

I put this thought out to everyone to think about…

As a parent of young kiddos (ages 8 and 10), I find myself reflecting on how much of a need there is to help not only adults, but also children find their connection to nature and selves so they can realize that they have gifts to share- and that they are connected to/are nature as well. In the world of ipads, phones, messenger, etc, I often find myself struggling with finding the balance of accepting the way society is ‘connected’ via technology today and with the way I grew up as a child (riding bikes, playing outside, and having to turn the knob on the television by hand to change the channel when my scheduled tv show came on). With so many ways to be literally plugged in today, I think about our society’s deep need to help all ages of people feel connected to nature, selves, and each other. I think about how my relationship with nature supports not only my coaching, but also how my relationship with nature supports my parenting too.

[susanfronckowiak]

Leslie, I loved reading your post. “… we must first get in touch with and trust our own connection with nature. This requires daily, intentional connection in intimate, meaningful ways which can help stretch our creativity in how we guide and understand the experiences of our clients.”

This is what I personally like to refer to as ‘we have to live what we are asking our clients to step in to’. Being in touch and aware, and having trust in self and nature is key for coaching. When we are connected, grounded, and in-tune, we can trust that we are leading our clients into an intentional space that will support their growth. I’ve been a part of nature-led activities before where the heart and connection is not there and my experiences have been drastically different from those experiences where guides were truly connected to themselves, participants, and the land. This makes me think of the “I value you, I value me” and ultimately “I value all of us being connected as nature”.

[susanfronckowiak]

Hello Maria!

You wrote, “Through Nature Connection, we invite our clients to develop their own relationship with Nature (the Outer Wilderness and their Inner Wilderness), and to trust their growing awareness, intuition, and insight.”

I love how you used the word ‘invite’. By inviting clients into a safe and sacred container of coaching, and into a relationship with nature, we invite clients to discover themselves. We as coaches surrender to the process of being a teacher and instead are deep listeners, reflectors, and a bridge. We are not telling clients what is, but instead are giving them opportunities to choose to step in to the wildness/their wildness and to ‘notice, make meaning, and draw their own conclusions’ from what nature has taught them. I also love how you wrote of inviting clients to be curious and to notice baseline shifts in themselves. Self-awareness! I feel that when we have self-awareness that is when we are able to make some of the biggest changes in our lives.

[susanfronckowiak]

David, I love what you wrote…
“As coaches, our personal connection to nature will allow us to collaborate with it and gain deeper understanding of a client issue. It opens up the possibility for nature to reflect back to us and our client.”

The word collaboration rings true. Nature as our co-guide (our lead-guide actually!) does open itself up to holding all that we, and our clients, bring to it. As we reflect back our client’s words, and they gain that deeper self-awareness and knowing through sharing those reflections, nature will also reflect back what the client knows deep inside themselves. Such powerful work! Can you imagine what would happen if each person was in tune and had nature connection? The world would surely be transformed.

[susanfronckowiak]

To me, being connected to Nature means being in a state of relationship with, and having a sacred connection with, all that is around and within me. It means being able to tap into Source and to be able to listen to, honor, and feel what comes up- within myself and within my clients. I know that nature is inseparable from me, and I am inseparable from it. I am nature. We are nature. We are whole as individuals, and connected, and ultimately a greater whole altogether.

In Coyote’s Guide, it is mentioned how humans have “evolved with original instructions designed for dynamic awareness of nature.” I reflect on my times spent out in the wilderness and how many life changing “ah-ha” moments I have had from just sitting by a lake, paddling down a raging river, rock climbing, and just being ‘one with nature’. That awareness deep within is profound and divine. By stepping away from all that distracts us and by tapping in to the sacred that lies within us and around us, we are able to get to a place of deep inner knowing and truth. Our sacred ancestors, as well as vision council, can help guide us to those deeper places of connection too.

As a coach who is connected deeply to nature, I can help my clients develop core routines of nature connection that will naturally help them to remember their own “instructions”. This is the beauty of nature as teacher. Nature is so ancient, wise, ever-present, and available to those who seek it. We too, are ancient, wise, and have the ability to be ever-present and available. In our readings (Coyote’s Guide to Connecting Nature. 2016) I loved being reminded to take opportunities to stretch the awareness of not only our clients, but also ourselves. We are on this journey of life together. My client is nature and I am nature. When we are out on the land- I want to be in connection with myself, with nature, with my clients, and have a goal to see the bigger picture and hear, see, and feel all that is around us. We are an ecosystem. This makes me think of our discussions and work with concentric rings, baselines and baseline shifts, and also the outer and inner edges. As a coach, my deep awareness and connection to all that is (nature) will undoubtedly help ground and align me as I work with others. I also know that when I’m truly “connected”, that is when I am able to share my gifts. I am thinking of the quote by John Muir, “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I was found, was really going in.” Our work is really about us showing up fully and doing our 10% and then surrendering to the process and letting nature do its work.

In the Coyote’s Guide, we read about how unstructured time outdoors gives us the ability to hear and follow the voice inside us. I refer to the voice inside me as my “absolute truth”. When working with clients, it is my goal to help them realize their deep inner needs and absolute truths and then to encourage them take them out into the world to share with others. According to Rogers (2014), “The core purpose of coaching is to increase self-awareness, to make choices explicit, and to close the gap between potential and how things are currently (p.9).” As a coach, I strive to be self-aware myself AND to help my client achieve their goals and make change in their life, so they can live their best life. Empowerment!

As I work on my core routines in nature and live the practices I am wanting to share with my clients, I will grow as a coach and will be able to show up even more fully for my clients. According to Young Haas, and McGown (2010), “Growing into and remaining as healthy and fully functional human animals requires ample time interacting with wild nature, time to play, be curious, be open-eyed and live, and discover how we fit in, how we are connected with our biological world (p.7).” I love knowing that the process of “discovering” is ongoing… and there will never be an arrival, but many opportunities to continue to grow. Life is a journey, not a destination.

[susanfronckowiak]

Good morning everyone,
I loved sitting at the fire with you all last night. Community and connection is key! Feeling so blessed to be on this path with you all.
Wishing you all a day of feeling grounded and connected.
Smiles,
Susan

[susanfronckowiak]

Greetings everyone!

My name is Susan and I am thrilled to be joining you all on this journey. I currently live in the Washougal River Valley in Washington State (about 30 minutes NE of Portland, Oregon). Sending you all smiles and wishing you all peaceful planning and prepping for our time together!