Amos Clifford is one of a small group of nature connection experts who are exploring how alchemical principles may provide a framework for understanding why so many people report that their experiences in nature are transformational.
Alchemy is a tradition of personal and spiritual growth. The techniques of forest therapy, combined with alchemical insights and methods, provide a promising pathway for supporting individual and cultural transformation. It can produce changes deep within the psyche that can help repair our relationships between humanity and the world of nature.
The Forest is the Alchemist
This course explores ways in which the forest itself can be an alchemical laboratory, through specific invitations within the evolving set of practices called Forest Therapy. It is suitable for everyone from beginners to experienced Forest Therapy Guides.
You will learn and experience:
- What is Forest Therapy
- What is alchemy: A working definition and framework for practice
- The “Standard Sequence” of Forest Therapy practice, with specific invitations for five alchemical forest walks.
- What is meant by “imaginal capacity,” it's importance in alchemical approaches to forest therapy.
- Using the imaginal capacity to weave and make stronger your web of interbeing
- Techniques for embodied exploration of the Houses of the Heart mandala, an equivalent of the alchemist’s alembic.
- Develop a plan for ongoing personal practice of alchemy of the forest and other natural settings.
- Much more.
Course Overview:
- Begins: March 1, 2021, 9:00 am Pacific Standard Time
- Ends: April 19, 2021, 8 weeks total course duration
- Platform: Zoom. Link will be sent after you have registered, at least 24 hours before the course begins. Registration, videos, reading and overall course hosted on Thinkific.
- Requirements: Because this course includes outdoor activities participants will be required to sign a legal document agreeing that you are responsible for your own safety and for any injuries you may sustain while on course activities. You must be 18 years old (or older) to sign this on your own behalf.
You must also locate a forest where you can reliably receive a cell phone signal so you can participate in the guided forest therapy walks. You will need a reliable internet connection to participate in Zoom meetings between walks. - Structure: After an initial orientation we will do a series of seven forest therapy walks. The first three walks will be guided by M. Amos Clifford, the next four will be self-guided using an outline of suggested invitations. Each walk will explore one of seven traditional stages of alchemical transformations. During and between walks participants will work with the land to discover and enhance a symbolic alchemical crucible. Experienced ANFT guides will recognize this as an extension, with additional features, of the "Web of Interbeing." The final week will include a live webinar aimed at supporting a synthesis and incorporation of the overall course experience.
Schedule Details:
- March 1 (Monday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 90 minutes: "The Forest is the Alchemist." Live Zoom webinar presented by M. Amos Clifford. A recording of this webinar will be available to all course participants. This webinar will be an orientation to the course, an overview of alchemical principles and how they apply to the practice of Forest therapy. A brief overview of Forest Therapy will be included for those who are not familiar with the practice (you will become familiar with it during this course). Guidelines for selecting the forest area that will serve as your alchemical laboratory for the course. Reading recommendations, Q & A. Approximately 90 minutes. If you miss this introductory webinar you may send questions to the instructor after you have watched the entire recording of the session.
- March 6 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Remotely guided forest therapy walk via Zoom. This walk will explore the theme of "Calcination." Think of mineral-bearing ore being pulverized and heated. How does this process show up in our lives? In this walk Amos will also be introducing the Standard Sequence to those who are unfamiliar with the ANFT way of Forest Therapy.
- March 13 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Remotely guided forest therapy walk via Zoom. The focus of this walk will be on the second alchemical process, "dissolution." How have you experienced having parts of your self, your relationships, your life dissolve? How does the forest mirror this process?
- March 20 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Remotely guided forest therapy walk via Zoom. The focus of this walk will be on the third alchemical process, "separation." When things fall apart, what becomes clear? What parts of ego and of self are exposed anew? Where does the forest mirror this process?
- March 22 (Monday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 90 minutes. What are you noticing? Circle sharing and Group discussion.
- March 27 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Self-Guided forest therapy walk. The focus of this walk will be on the fourth alchemical process, "conjuction." After things fall apart and separate it is possible for them to come back together in new ways.
- March 29 (Monday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 90 minutes. What are you noticing? Circle sharing and Group discussion.
- April 3 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Self-Guided forest therapy walk. The focus of this walk will be on the fifth alchemical process, "fermentation." The new configuration cooks us in a process of fermentation, producing new and likely unexpected results.
- April 5 (Monday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 90 minutes. What are you noticing? Circle sharing and Group discussion.
- April 10 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Self-Guided forest therapy walk. The focus of this walk will be on the sixth alchemical process, "distillation." The essence of the journey begins to become clear. What is the forest showing you? What has it been pointing toward the entire time?
- April 12 (Monday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 90 minutes. What are you noticing? Circle sharing and Group discussion.
- April 17 (Saturday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 3 hours: Self-Guided forest therapy walk. The focus of this walk will be on the seventh and final alchemical process, "synthesis" (traditionally called coagulation). What has come together for you during this course?
- April 19 (Monday) 9:00 AM Pacific Time, 2 hours: Reflections on the course, sharing what we created on the course, and course evaluation.
