When I was a little girl, I used to love to lie on the ground and stare up at the clouds and just think. I would think things like, what would happen if the earth all of a sudden flipped over and the grass became the sky? Would I fall into the sky, would gravity force me to actually fall “up”? If I did fall “up”, would I fall into space or would my fall actually be more like an orbit and I would land somewhere in China?
Yes, I was an odd child.
However, what I was doing, in a very child-like way, was trying to figure out my place on the Earth, both physically and figuratively. Lying down in the grass, physically connecting with nature, pondering the sky and gravity, all gave me a sense of place. I guess you could say I was Eco-Curious before it was cool.
Anyway.
If you or any of the children in your life also have an interest in where you “fit” on the Earth, then the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center might be worth a look.
On the third Sunday of each month, from 12:30-4:30, the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center holds a course in their Earth Literacy Program, “Discovering a Sense of Place.”
A 12-session course, “Discovering a Sense of Place” was developed to help both adults and children restore a connection to the land. In this case, the land referred to is our very own Ohio Valley Bio-region.
The course uses both lectures and experiential learning events to help re-establish a sense of belonging to the Earth.
It is split into two tracks, one for adults and one for children aged 9-14. The lectures are held in separate age groups and then the experiential learning events are shared by both groups.
This Sunday, October 21, the session entitled, “Our Geology and Geography: Deep Time and the Formation of our Bioregion” is being offered.
The cost of a single session is $45 for an adult and $25 per child (aged 9-14). There are some scholarships available upon request, as the Center refuses no one due to lack of funds. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information on Sunday’s session and the other sessions in the Earth Literacy Program, contact the Earth & Spirit Center at 502-452-2749 or e-mail info@earthandspiritcenter.org.
Their website is http://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ .
“The Passionist Earth & Spirit Center is a JPIC (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation) organization initiated by the Passionist Community of Holy Cross Province. Our mission is to inspire, educate and mobilize religious institutions and people of faith to assume an active role in caring for God’s creation, embracing Gospel justice and nurturing spiritual wisdom”
Photo courtesy of Passionist Earth & Spirit Center
