Elf-Strength of the Earth: Developed an EarthConnected Process for Virtual Settings
2021
Funded by the Conscious Community Initiative (CCI), run by Alef Trust, this project enabled Earthself to demonstrate how to create a connection to Earth in virtual settings. From the data analysis, we were able to demonstrate that our EarthConnected Process created a significant shift in the participant’s relationship with Earth.
Participants
Countries
Virtual Sessions
Alef Trust is a globally-conscious non-profit organisation offering online graduate education programmes, validated by UK universities, and open learning courses for academic, professional and personal development.
Between January 2020 and December 2021, with the help of charitable funding, Alef Trust delivered the first two years of the Conscious Community Project which has since grown into a multi-facetted initiative, exploring the intersections between inner integrative/transpersonal practice and social change. Elf-Strength of the Earth was one of these projects.
This project explored how to create a deeper sense of connection to Earth
through a combination of digital technology and facilitated experience and
understand whether participation in a virtual ‘Earth Connected Process’ could
create a change in an individual’s subjective sense of their relationship with the Earth.
Since the emergence of Covid-19, many people have been on lockdown
without access to the natural world and its benefits. However, this is not unique to Covid-19. In countries such as South America and UAE, the project lead discovered that many clients have difficulty immersing themselves in the
natural world. It is not safe to be in greenspaces or there may be none where
they live. In today’s world, it is a priviledge to live with safe access to nature,
instead of a human right.
In a changing climate, safe access to nature is at risk through extreme weather events. This has the potential to disrupt people’s connection to nature and Earth. This is of importance because the existing evidence base on nature and Earth connectedness shows that it is through the process of connection that individuals want to take better care of nature and Earth (Lumber et al, 2017; Jayne, 2020). Most importantly though, a connection to nature and Earth is essential for optimal human health and wellbeing (e.g. Sandifer et al, 2015).
With this evidence base and the project lead’s (Tabitha Jayne) research on
Earth connection, the core project team (Kelley, an immersive video producer
& facilitator) and Caleb, (Tabitha’s 13-year old nephew) met over two sessions
to create an initial process. Caleb’s role was to bring in the voice of the youth
and of those experiencing mental health issues and learning difficulties to help design a more inclusive process.
The statistical analysis shows that taking part in an Earth Connected Process created a shift the participants relationship with Earth. However, the mean of the before (4.57) and after (5.45) highlight that participants in this project were already experiencing a level of interconnectedness with the Earth. Further research would be needed to explore the impact on those who experience greater disconnect from Earth as well as following up on the long-term positive impact of the intentions created through participating in this process.
The project also identified a model of what's required to successfully work with nature and Earth online:
Participant Feedback
“I realised that I want to give back to Earth, not just take from it.”
“It inspires me to do more gardening, especially grow more of my own food.”
“I am now asking the question, what is possible connection with Earth without travelling?”
“My partner and I are planning a move…to a much more rural part. This session fueled me with even more passion and a hunger for this move. It’s also helping me realise that I am not going to miss the fast pace of life.”
“I’m still reflecting, reading, listening and raising my awareness, knowledge and experiences around nature, biodiversity and sustainability. All of this is supporting and deepening my relationship with humanity and the Earth.”
“My intention of connecting to the Earth is deepening slowly, slowly, slowly. It’s a cultivation of ‘just being’.”
“I am now more open to seeing/sensing how others may connect to the Earth in different, simple and unexpected ways.”
“To make it a priority, right? It’s not just a luxury to be able to spend time in nature or bring it into your home, but to really make it a priority.”
“I was lucky enough to have my cat sat on my lap purring as I was listening to the rain and I got this real sense of ‘to be more cat’. The cat is never guilty about going and having a snooze or going for a wander or being part of the Earth.”
“Just back from a few days in the Lake District. Walking in nature was so good. The trip coming so close to our session made me so much more aware of the sounds of the streams, the water rushing down the rocks and the birds and the many, many dogs. The colours were so beautiful, especially the ferns so bright and wonderfully formed. I engaged my walking buddies in appreciating their environment rather than just walking along chatting about other daily things. I know that even listening to or watching videos about our earth definitely helped me engage more with our earth.”
“My relationship with Earth is changing in as much as I am becoming more aware that there is so much more connection for me that is possible over and above my basic love of nature.”