From Whole Systems Healing Module: Gental Action

Whole Systems Healing: Skills for Becoming an Agent of Social Healing and Environmental Restoration.

Balance Is Crucial in today’s fast paced world.  It often seems that, in its rush to create a better world through material development and technology, humanity is out of balance with nature. Whole Systems Healing course topics develop our inner capacities to learn from nature and partner with nature for a healthier world.

Nature Becomes A Teacher when a whole systems healing perspective uncovers links between inner and outer worlds; between intellect and emotion; between chaos and creativity; between nature and wisdom. For example, Professor Miller emphasizes the value of studying what nature does when it wants to make changes.  If you study water, its action is often slow, gentle, and constant, however, its results over time are enormous.  Nature provides a model for ‘gentle action’ to bring about changes.

Environmental Awareness allows us to partner with nature when we evaluate whether or not to begin new building projects, decide on what materials to use in a building project, or assess the impact of energy systems on the environment.  For example, if we make decisions relevant to the above choices through the lens of gentle action, we are likely to choose something harmonious with the environment over something that is destructive.  As Whole Systems Healing tells us, such decisions have wide-ranging consequences such as lower expense over time, the restoration of the environment, and even a possible positive impact on our self-esteem.  

Wanting All To Benefit from the wealth of Whole Systems Healing concepts, the Life Science Foundation and the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Center for Spirituality and Healing decided to offer various Whole Systems Healing topics on line as Reusable Learning Objects or Modules.  Modules teach information in quick and easy-to-access chunks or units. 

You Learn At Your Own Pace when you use a Module.  For example, suppose you are considering using gentle action techniques to bring about change in you, your family, organization, or community, but you don’t know enough about Gentle Action.  You’d visit to the Center for Spirituality and Healing website, open up Whole Systems Healing, and click on Gentle Action under Quick Links in the left sidebar. All of the modules, including the Gentle Action topic, guide you through a quick, interactive program which:

• Provides information on the relevant topic
• Helps you discover what you need to learn
• Allows you to learn at your own pace
• Gives good examples for understanding and application
• Corrects any misconceptions
• Offers you a chance to repeat the lessons as often as you would like.   
• Suggests resources for learning more about the topic

Topics To Be Covered in the Whole Systems Healing Modules are: • Gentle Action, • Sustainability and Stewardship, • Chaos Science and Complexity Theory • Eco-Healing, • Social Change and Social Networking, • Reflective and Contemplative Practices • Relational Practices.  Each of these topics and more are designed to enhance your life by bringing nature’s wisdom into you, your family, friends, and organizations.

In Educating Citizens for Global Awareness, Stanford University Professor Nel Noddings emphasizes that people need to be educated for (1) protection of the earth, (2) social and cultural diversity, (3) economic and social justice, and (4) peace.  The groundbreaking Whole Systems Healing student series along with its Modules for the public help in local, national, and global leadership that serves a life-affirming 21st century.

The Whole System Healing Course Series offered by the
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Center for Spirituality and Healing.