A Conceptual Inquiry into the Integration of Sacred Nature,Society,and Leadership in Outdoor Recreation and Experiential Education Programs

Abstract

Throughout time and across cultures, the relationship between Homo sapiens and the natural environment has played a central role in identifying and defining aspects of the realm of spirituality, wherein humans seek to make sense of the universe and find meaning in their own existence. Within outdoor recreation and experiential education (OREE) programs—implicitly or explicitly—the natural environment is a distinctive component of both leadership development and participation outcomes. Relationships among people, whether as individuals or within societies, exhibit myriad dichotomies, such as violent/peaceful or cruel/loving, that are more accurately arrayed as continuums ranging from predation through partnership and nullification through affirmation. Leadership philosophies mirror that arrangement. In similar fashion, the natural environment can be conceptualized in terms of its sacredness, ranging from primal (Nature, capitalized) through modern (nature, lower-case), while the realm of spirituality reflects cultural and personal attributes derived from the degree of sacredness. This paper integrates an existing model of societal/personal relationships and leadership philosophies within an overarching conception of Nature's sacredness and human spirituality, providing OREE professionals with a conceptually based but practical framework for self-assessing the level of congruence existing between the model's moral/ethical implications and the actual outcomes derived from their own organizations' philosophical positions and programmatic choices.

Keywords

Nature Spirituality Leadership Partnership Sacred

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