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這個九月份 約翰‧米爾頓(John Milton) 會引導兩場自然之道(Way of Nature)的研習在陽明山和花蓮山上。歡迎報名參加在：https://cp-yen.org/2012/09/14/自然之道 這次對話訊息解釋自然之道的覺察訓練將如何輔助我們個人與組織的層面擁有更升級的創意、領導技巧、團隊成效。

對許多的文化而言，願景探索、大自然的獨處探索時光、神聖歷程都是再度燃起創意的主要靈感泉源。比方說，以美洲原住民的方式所進行的願景探索工坊，由符合資格的薩滿老師或指導師帶領，首先進行深度準備時間，之後在大自然的一個神聖之地進行野地獨處靈修。通常獨處時光為四天三夜。在這期間，不得與任何人接觸，僅能停留於特定的圓形空間，通常也會搭配簡單的斷食過程。

為了因應現代社會的需求，願景探索的內容有了小幅度的修改。當今願景探索靈修課程中，知名度較高的課程是由自然之道組織(Way of Nature所規劃。自然之道提供三至八日的課程系列–「自然探索(NatureQuest)」，為期較長的九至十六日的課程則名為「神聖歷程(Sacred Passage)」。在這些課程中，會規劃一整個「覺察訓練」課程，搭配由引導師引導的野地獨處探索時光，創造出引發深度轉變的體驗。主辦單位會指定一位在附近進行獨處靈修、「不見面、不接觸」的夥伴，並在不遠之處的基地隨時觀察與追蹤狀態，確保所有參與者的安全。除此之外，也鼓勵學員準備小帳棚、睡袋、軟墊，維持自己的放鬆、安全、舒適、健康狀態。

結合符合現代需求的大自然獨處探索工坊，搭配整合性的覺察訓練課程，帶來的一項重大貢獻就是能更擁有深度的創意洞察。無論是組織或個人的層面，都能從這個過程中受益無窮。當我們在大自然中獨處片刻時光，並且搭配高效能的訓練工具，會讓整體的體驗更深層，也成為一個極為有效的方式，幫助我們開啟創意的思維。

最近於2004年出版的一本書《修練的軌跡–引動潛能的U型理論》（原文書名：Presence:Human Purpose and the Field of the Future，作者：彼得．聖吉(Peter Senge)、約瑟夫．賈渥斯基(Joseph Jaworski)、貝蒂蘇．佛勞爾斯(Betty Sue Flowers)、奧圖．夏默(C. Otto Scharmer)合著，天下文化出版）書內中，就形容了此靈修課程所帶來的體驗。這本書的四位作者都是促進正面組織與文化變革的領袖。他們在書中引用許多約翰．米爾頓(John P. Milton)的看法。米爾頓是一位知名的冥想引導師，也是引導體內能量的老師和野地探索的導師。多年前，約瑟夫．賈渥斯基和約翰參加了一場位於巴哈半島(Baja)、為期14日的神聖歷程覺知訓練課程。當時約瑟夫就問起，人類是否有能力逆轉地球面臨的生態災難。

在書中，約翰的答覆是：「他越來越相信政治、法律和經濟層面所採取的措施深度不夠，因為光是靠這些措施，並無法帶來人類文明中須要的深度變化，這種讓人們可以和諧相處、平衡共處的深度變革。他也告訴我，如果要創造出尊重生態的全球性觀點，著力點必須來自於內在。之後他又說：『我覺得接下來幾天(在神聖歷程獨處時光)的體驗，會讓你有更深的體會，知道我所說的涵義。』」獨處時光結束之後，約瑟夫寫道：「我感受到一種會改變我生命的東西，讓我知道我的人生以後的方向。這次的體驗對我而言有非常正面的激勵…我發現我們之所以無法有更深度的認知，是因為我們心裡有很大的分離感，在這次的探索體驗中，我卻感受到一些過去沒有注意到的界線就此瓦解。」

內心的我們尊重自然，尊重生命根源處的神秘，也尊重生命所帶來的禮物。最近約翰也為我們解釋了這內在旅程是如何開始的：「要專心，提高警覺」他建議：「敞開心扉，有時候看起來很微不足道的小事，其實卻很重要。相信自己，相信你的所見是有價值的，請不要被你習慣的絕對思考模式、理性的思維所影響。讓你的感官為你打開全新、直覺性的模式。」

在當代的時空背景下，這個建議相當受用，可以幫助我們打開那扇門，直接體驗到奧圖．夏默形容為U型理論可以進入的深度創意層次。奧圖最新有關於U型理論的著作，不斷強調進入內心最深層根源處的重要性，讓我們藉此打開全新的創意洞察。一些明確的冥想練習，和幫助我們觸及根源處的大自然的覺知訓練，的確是兩種證實有效、可以讓我們快速找到創意根源處的方法。自然之道的神聖歷程，幫助我們在個人與組織的層面中，整合了這兩種做法。

當這個流程運用在組織內一起工作的團隊裡，通常也會衍生出更多的良性效益。通常整個團隊的成效將會大幅度提升，自然形成的領導能力以會得到支持。除此之外，曾經參加野地獨處靈修和覺察訓練過程的學員，無論在團隊中或是個人層面上，面對壓力時也會更善於處理。總之，約翰和自然之道規劃出一套獨特且完整的覺察訓練課程，有助於以下的項目：

• 改善團隊合作成效
• 培養出自然的領導技巧
• 有效開啟創意的洞察力
• 學習強效的解壓、放鬆技巧，並且
• 強化技巧，構思出尊重生態、可永續經營的產、做法和組織流程

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Developing Organizational Creativity, Leadership Skills and Team Performance in Nature

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This September, John Milton will lead a two-day Way of Nature retreat in Taipei’s Yang Ming Mountains and Hulian national park. Event information available at: https://cp-yen.org/2012/09/14/自然之道, welcome to join!
Below is an explanation of how The Way of Nature’s awareness training in Nature gives rise to increased creativity, leadership skills, and team performance—for both individuals and organizations.

Vision Quests, solo retreats in Nature and Scared Passages have been the primary source of creative renewal for many human cultures. For example, Vision Quests conducted in the Native American Way involve a period of deep preparation with the help of a qualified shaman, teacher or guide, followed by a wilderness solo at a scared place in Nature. Normally, the solo time is for three nights and four days. During that time, there is no contact with other humans, one stays inside a specific circular area and often there is a simple fast from food.

In modern times, the vision quest has been modified slightly to meet contemporary needs. One of the better-known modern Quest programs is run by the organization The Way of Nature and offers a three to eight day program called NatureQuest, and a longer nine-day up to to 16-day retreat entitled Sacred Passage. In both of these programs, a comprehensive period of “Awareness Training" is combined with a guided solo retreat in the wild to produce a profoundly transformative experience. From the program guide’s careful monitoring from a nearby base camp, the safety of each participant is assured. Also, small tents, sleeping bags and sleeping mattresses are encouraged to insure participants are relaxed, safe, comfortable and stay healthy.

One of the most important contributions of this integrated Awarenedd Training combined with a contemporary Solo Quest in Nature, is the capacity to access deep levels of creative insight. Both organizations and individuals have experienced great benefit from this process. Spending some solo time in Nature, combined with effective training tools to vividly deepen the experience, has proven to be an exceptionally successful means for opening innovative views.

The life-transforming effect of doing a Sacred Passage was described in a recent 2004 book, “Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future, " by Peter Senge, Joseph Jaworski, Betty Sue Flowers and C. Otto Scharmer. Each of these authors is a major leader in developing means for positive organizational and cultural transformation. In their book, some of the impact of doing a Sacred Passage was summed up in several quotes from John P. Milton, a well-known meditation master, internal energy teacher and wilderness quest guide. Several years ago, as Joseph Jaworski was doing a powerful 14-Day Sacred Passage Awareness Training in Baja with John, he asked if humanity could avert the impending ecological catastrophes now facing the Earth.

John responded “I’ve become convinced that political, legal, and economic approaches don’t go deep enough. By themselves they won’t bring about the penetrating changes in human culture that we need for people to live in true harmony and balance with one another and the earth. He told me that he is convinced that great opening of an ecological worldview will have be an internal one, and then he said, “I believe the experience (the Sacred Passage Solo) you’ll have over the next few days will deepen) your understanding of what this means," After his solo, Joseph wrote: “I saw something there that changed my life and changed what I’m going to do with the rest of it, as far as I can see now. The experience was profoundly affirming… I discovered that what keeps this awareness from developing on a larger scale is our profound sense of separation. I experienced boundaries breaking down that I didn’t even know existed."

Internally, one honors all of Nature, the mystery of Source and the gift of Life. John recently described the start of the internal journey as follows: “Pay attention and stay alert," he said. “Be open to the importance of seemingly trivial occurrences. Trust the value of what you notice. Don’t be guided by your categorical, rational thinking processes. Let your perception open in new, intuitive ways."

In a modern context, this advice helps open the door to direct experience of what Otto Scharmer describes as the profound levels of creativity that can be accessed by the U-Theory process. Otto’s recent book on the U-Theory emphasizes the importance of touching into one’s deepest inner Source nature to truly open the doors to fresh, creative insight. Specific meditation practices and Awareness Trainings designed to access Source nature, as well as guided solo experience in Nature, have been found to be two of the most powerful, and rapid, ways to make contact with this creative Source.The Way of Nature’s Sacred Passage process integrates both of these approaches in its work with individual s and organizations.

When this process is utilized in a whole team of people working together within an organization, significant additional benefits often arise. Group teamwork skills are often dramatically enhanced and natural leadership capacities are supported. Also, those who have gone through the wilderness solo and Awareness Training process usually report major improvements in the ability of a team or individual to handle stress. In summary, John and the Way of Nature have designed a unique, comprehensive series of Awareness Training practices that support:

• Improving teamwork,
• Developing natural leadership skills,
• Significantly opening creative insight,
• Learning powerful stress reduction and relaxation skills, and
• Refining proficiency in developing ecologically sustainable products, practices and organizational processes.