Wellness Education Club Presents:
February Ecopsychology Programs


Annie's World: February 1 is the launch of my personal blog, for my nature photos, humorous art, miracle stories, poems, nature observations, guided imagery, etc. If you need a little break during the day and you're stuck in front of a computer, visit Annie's World and get away. This site will be updated frequently. Here's the link: http://anniesworldannie.blogspot.com/ .

February 9, 2010: Join us for an after work outing to visit a rookery (bird nursery) on City Island. In years past, I've seen young pelican, great blue heron, egrets, green herons, cormorants, and black crowned night herons. Who will be there this time? It will be fun to find out. We will also explore a local tidal pond. Please email me at naturespirit123@gmail.com. When I know who's coming, we'll take a vote whether we'd like to bring our dinner and eat in the park, visit a local restaurant, or just head our separate ways. Time will depend on participants.

*The Wellness Education Club was founded by Tatiana Agafonova, D.C., a Network Spinal Analysis Chiropractor. Other Wellness Education Club activities include twice monthly “Oneness Blessings” and workshops in Somato Respiratory Integration. For future events, email naturespirit123@gmail.com.

January 2010 Ecopsychology Events

Wellness Education Club Presents:

January 2010 Eco-psychology Events

New Blog: Hey everyone! Check out the new blog for ecopsychology events. I call it Naturespirit, and it has photos, articles and places for your comments and stories.

January 9, 2010, 9 a.m.- 11 a.m. Vision Walk. Back by popular demand! This is a great time of year to discern what you'd like to create in the coming months. Come on a sacred vision walk, a mini vision quest, to facilitate hearing your own inner voice, how it is reflected in the natural world around you.

• Learn to receive answers to important questions offered by the natural world
• Deepen your ability to trust your inner voice
• Enjoy a meditative, reflective time in nature

Cost-$10
Location- TBA.
Please email me at naturespirit123@gmail.com for reservations and instructions. Some preparation necessary.

January 16, 2010, Manatee watching!Field trip to TECO power plant, Apollo Beach, Florida. This is a great manatee watching area. The manatees migrate into the rivers that are used to cool power plants. The plants use the water to cool their machines and then it is discharged back into the rivers, warm. Manatees like warm water! It is possible to see dozens of manatees at a time here. The viewing platform gives us a great perspective. Sharks, spotted eagle rays, tarpon, are also sometimes visible. Early a.m., when the temperatures are cool, is the best. We will meet at 8 a.m. and carpool. Email Annie at naturespirit123@gmail.com for reservations.

*The Wellness Education Club was founded by Tatiana Agafonova, D.C., a Network Spinal Analysis Chiropractor. Other Club activities include workshops on Somato Respiratory Integration and twice monthly “Oneness Blessings”. For announcements of future events, email naturespirit123@gmail.com.

Sarasota Almanac--January 2010

Many people think we don't have seasons in Florida. We do; they are just more subtle than they are in other parts of the country. We experience many changes throughout the year in temperature, humidity, rainfall, dew point, amount of light, weather patterns, tides, stars visible, bird and animal migrations, growing season, and activity of frogs and other animals.






In this new section, Sarasota Almanac, I will share some subtle seasonal changes. Please feel free to comment and add your own observations and together we will get more tuned in.






January:



New Moon: January 15



Full Moon: January 30



Meteor Showers: January 3-4 Quadrantids (very short and very few)







Other astronomical events:



January 15, Annular Solar Eclipse



January 23, Mars at opposition; closest approach to Earth, best time to see







Other observations in the world around us:







Light: After the winter solstice on December 21, the length of daylight gradually begins to increase and the energy feels a little more "outgoing".







Temperature: This time of year, we may have cold spells, even frosts.







Crops: Cool weather vegetables can be grown, like collards, chard, lettuces, Asian greens, etc.







Foliage: In mid to late January, the leaves of the red maple trees turn orange to red or even scarlet, before dropping. Almost immediately afterward, red flowers appear on the trees, followed by seeds and new leaves, which may come out reddish-bronze color and turn to green. It's like fall in January followed immediately by spring! Leaves of vines like wild grapes and Virginia Creeper may turn and fall as well.







Animals/Bird Activity: Hundreds of thousands of swallows may be seen in some areas.

Manatee Watching

Its so wonderful to see wildlife out in the wild. There's nothing more thrilling to me than being out on the bay and seeing dolphin and manatees. One of my favorite memories is of being on a boat on Sarasota Bay, being able to look down into the water and seeing a mother and young manatee swimming right beside us!

I do appreciate, however, getting to see manatees in less "wild" conditions, like near power plants in the winter. Once a year I try to go to Apollo Beach to the Teco Power Plant/Manatee Viewing Station. As you know, manatees used to migrate further south as the Gulf and Bay waters cooled. They can't survive in water below 67 degrees. But now they travel to nearby canals and rivers that have power plants on them. The plants use the waters to cool their machinery, discharging the now warm water back into the canals. This warm water is very attractive not only to manatees, but some species of fish (sharks, tarpon, creville jacks, snook) and rays. On a cold morning you can see dozens of manatees from the viewing platform.

Our recent cold spell killed 77 manatees, I was told. However, according to this year's census, there was still the highest number of manatees in ten years.

photo: The nose knows! A manatee lifts its head out of the water for a breath of air (and perhaps a little people watching?)

(photo copyright Anne Cederberg 2010)

Tail of a Tale

I learn a lot watching the manatees at the viewing area. I see things that will help me recognize their presence in the wild, like looking for dark spots in the water, the edge of a flipper barely breaking the surface, or the ripples caused by a submerged manatee. Sometimes in the wild, these clues are all you get--you never get to see the whole manatee. Here's a good shot of a manatee tail as its owner dives deeper.

(photo copyright Anne Cederberg 2010)

Ooops!

As much as I love watching manatees, I love seeing the other creatures in the canal as well. The highlight of this visit was watching the rays (spotted eagle, cow-nosed, and southern sting rays) hurling themselves into the air and then hitting the water with a big splash! Someone told me that it may be mating season and that's why they are jumping so much, or they could be jumping because their re-entry stuns fish. I'll have to do some research. Perhaps they are just jumping for joy!

You should have seen me, camera in hand, head swiveling from side to side as I spotted one jumping...aimed...in mili-seconds, no less...and pressed the shutter. I had quite a collection of big splashes (which was pretty great to catch anyway) and a lot of blurry photos of scenery across the bank that had nothing to do with rays! But I persisted. It was great fun....

(photo copyright Anne Cederberg 2010)

Not too bad!

Got one! It's amazing how large they are. They were jumping every few minutes, much to the delight of the crowds.

(photo copyright Anne Cederberg 2010)

Ah, Finally!

Ah, finally! A little out of focus, but an impressive look at a ray in "flight" all the same!

(photo copyright Anne Cederberg 2010)

Spiral Dancer

As an added bonus, I saw something jumping out of the corner of my eye, swiveled, pressed the shutter, and caught this image of a fish jumping! It came out of the water, spiraled like a football, and dove back in. Looks like maybe a shark, although I didn't know they jumped.

All in all, a very satisfying end to my trip to Apollo Beach.

(photo copyright Anne Cederberg 2010)

To visit Teco Power Plant/Manatee Viewing Station, take 1-75 North from Sarasota to exit 246. Turn left on Big Bend Road. Head towards the smoke stacks. The viewing station is right there at the power station. if you go to their website, you can activate a camera from your home computer and view the manatees from there!

Winter Solstice Sailing Photos

Coming Soon:
The link to some photos from the winter solstice sailing trip, provided by Shells!

Ecopsychology Overview

What is Eco-psychology?

Eco-psychology is the study of how we effect nature and nature effects us. In essence, its about how we are nature, and how we can get back in harmony with who and how we really are. Sound complicated? It’s really easy to practice.

Eco-psychology Activities include:

Eco-psychology walks , gentle strolls through nature to help us reconnect to our senses, to connect with our inner guidance system and intuition. Sometimes the simplest activity can provide profound results.

Vision Walks, (a concept developed by Brandt Morgan), allow us to get real time answers to personal questions while in the natural world. Think “Vision Quest” on a smaller, more immediate, more accessible level.

Sailing Trips are done in connection with Aquarian Quest, a local environmental education organization. We do basic nature sails and special holiday/theme sails, such as Halloween and Winter Solstice sails. On some of these trips we practice our meditative nature techniques to enhance our experience. Mostly, we just have a lot of fun!

Kayak Trips through the local rivers and Sarasota Bay are relaxing and give us great views of manatees, dolphin, birds, crabs and fish of many kinds!

Bonfire Programs are old fashioned fun with food, story telling songs and appreciation of the night wildlife and night sky.

Animal Encounters include horseback riding and horse encounters; field trips to see manatees; early morning turtle walks; and more

Foundation

The foundation of all our programs is a series of ecopsychology activities, meditative and sensory awareness exercises that help us align with who we really are and how we are wired to be part of nature.

Alignment

We are nature. And we are biologically wired to be in harmony with the rest of nature. When we get back to who we really are, we feel better. Our lives are enriched, and we feel whole.

In our ecopsychology activities we gently, and sometimes playfully, re-align.

Discovery

My desire is to create the program structures within which each person can make their OWN discoveries and enhance THEIR relationship to nature. Then, we teach each other from what we've learned.

Communion

When we get back in sync with ourselves, we open ourselves to all kinds of new possibilities. We may experience synchronicites, receive messages from plants and animals, and develop relationships with other species.

Wellbeing

Eco-psychology and ‘Wellness”?
Living as we were designed to live, as part of (not apart from) nature is very healing. Studies show that the regular use of eco-psychology activities can help people sleep better, relax more, and blood pressure normalized. Besides, it's fun! And fun is very, very good for us!