Pathfinders at Tällberg

At Tällberg Forum 2008, some 20 Pathfinders trained by Peter Wiborn, Goran Gennvi and Lars-Erik Larsson lead around 450 delegates out in the woods for 2-hour exercise. We have done it every year since then. So also 2012. The scent of summer grass filled the air under the blue sky and we were all overwhelmed by the beauty of nature. Those two hours included a 15 minute sensing exercise and a 45-minute Solo in nature. Bringing the group to their spot in nature, deployed along a prepared loop, and back again, all in silence, was a way to still the senses and take in the sounds, smell and feel of a summer day in the woods. Nature itself was the great drama. We are all interdependent.

Watch this video on "Interdependence Day" by Jim Wine at the Tällberg Foundation. 

Release your potential

To take the initiative and LEAD a group out in nature requires determination, courage and conviction. In this as in many other things we do for the first time. An acclaimed book of personal development - "The Secret" - points to three steps to fulfilling your dreams. The first step is to decide what you want to do. The second step is to visualize the desired result and feel as it is already happening. The third step is to be open to the opportunities that come in your way. And to be happy and grateful all along. 

Charles Haanel (1866-1949), wrote a distance education course in 1910 which forms the basis for "The Secret". In this course - "The Master Key System" - Haanel introduces a natural law he calls "The Law of Attraction." The idea is life is what we think it will be. Equal attracts like. Good, noble, courageous and loving thoughts attracts this into our lives. Give room for fear, anxiety, doubt and malice, and that is what we get back. By controlling your conscious mind, which is about the only thing we can control, we may direct the subconscious. This in turn connects us with the Collective Mind, Universe, a Greater Spirit, or whatever you choose to call it; the creative principle that governs all live.

View the picture above of the cloud over the tourists. Do you believe its rolling in or rolling out? How do you look at life in general? Clouds or sunshine? Or both? Leave a comment below on what you think about the law of attraction. 

In order to control our thoughts, we need to slow down. First our body, then our thoughts, to provide room for scoping the ideal images we want to pursue. A precondition for this is silence and increase our awareness of how we think. An excellent way to achieve this peace of mind is to experience nature with all our senses. Here you, as a Pathfinder, can make an important contribution.

Sell your "Recipe for nature experiences"

To offer your recipe for nature experience for money involves selling. If you are not used to sell products or services, start by thinking that you are offering something your potential customers want. But then, you need to find out what they want. 

Good dealers focused on meeting the need of the customer and build long-term relationships. In order to understand the customer needs to ask leading questions, listen more than talk and think about whether your offer really solve your customer´s needs or not. Timing is important. Does your offer fit into what the customer wants to do right now?

As you know, it is easiest to sell to existing customers. They know you. You know how they think. You can help them. It feels good to offer them something new and exciting. If you get paid, you get a clear indication their engagement and more resources to educate yourself on the subject. You become a magnet for more assignments.

A useful model for all sales is the SPIN method, developed by Neil Rackham. SPIN stands for Situation-Problem-Implications-Need-pay off. Rackham mean that you first must understand the customer's situation, the problems they face and the consequences of the problem (Implications). When you are clear about this comes the question: "would it be interesting to address the implications of your problem with X (your offer)." 

In practice, it is about spending time to really understanding your customer's situation, problems and the consequences of their problems before you present your solution. Have you done your homework, you may find that a lot of people face the same kind of problem you have just identified.

What problems do you think your exercise in natural presence solve? Participate in the final Skype conversation for this e-course and share your thoughts.

Present your "Recipe for nature experiences"

When you have identified enough participants for your Nature experience exercise, spend some time to present it. Here follows an example of a 9-hour Solo for a couple of Master Students at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University. 

 

The title, naturally, focus on what the exercise is about, as does the introductory image I found on Flickr´s Creative Commons (make sure you mention the source). In the introduction, I mention the purpose and who developed the exercise from the beginning (John P. Milton).
The program runs over two days. First, a preparatory evening for two hours. It begins with a 30-minute lecture in which the exercise is inserted into a larger context of releasing your inner potential, see Haanel in the section above. Then the whole group is led to a nearby park for a sensing exercise and a moment silence for 30 minutes at a selected location. The evening ends with a check-out and experience sharing.

The day after, the group is transported a location near the sea, but it could have been to any nature spot. To get into the mood, the group is walked in silence for 30-minutes, followed by a blind walk exercise, another sensing exercise before being placed out on their spot for a day in nature all be themselves with a lunch pack. Water and warm clothes they brought themselves, but nothing more. No books, paper, pen or radio for distraction. Nine hours later, we pick them up for an experience sharing session by the camp fire before returning them to Lund again. Do not forget to write a few words about how is leading the exercise. 

Just as you thought it would

We are about to finish this e-course. Now it's up to you to deliver the workshop you have prepared during the past weeks, sell it, tailor it to suit your customer´s needs and present it in writing. Are you using Haanels method to unlock your internal potential, see above, you have already in your mind delivered your workshop for a paying customer. You have visualized the final result. If you feel joy in sticking to your mission, and act on the opportunities that arise before you, it will be as you have imagined, although it may take time. Others are searching for what you want to offer. Feel absolute certain about that. 

In the last comment on this e-course "Recipe for nature experiences," tell us about an example, large or small, when things turned out just as you thought it would. Add your comment below. Remember the power you have over your mind; the only thing you can control. 

"Whether you think you can or think you can not, either way you are right." Henry Ford (1863-1947)

Goodbye for now

Before we put the point of this time, we want to remind you:

In order to make e-course even better, please share your ideas with us. What was good? What could be better? What was interesting? 

Keep yourself updated on the latest news by visiting Allemansjorden and sign up for our newsletter. Do you want us to link to your blog on Allemansjorden? E-mail your link. Did you like this e-course? Find a similar e-course on ArenaNorden about the climate issue from a Nordic perspective (in Swedish). 

Good luck!

Yours sincerely
/ Peter Wiborn, Lars-Erik Larsson, Goran Gennvi and Carl Eneroth