Nature School

Go out, go out I beg of you

And taste the beauty of the wild.

Behold the miracle of the earth

With all the wonder of a child.

—Edna Jacques

Sacred Wilds Nature School is a Nature Study program for children and youth offered throughout the school year in Colorado Springs, CO. Students experience a holistic approach to Nature Study through a beautifully crafted curriculum based on three spiraling components: direct experience with the natural world, inspiration from Nature and living books, and communion through contemplative practices on the land. Program details including scheduling and cost can be found below.

Experience

Understanding is the kind of knowing that can only be gained through direct experience in nature.

Experience through observation of the natural world is the gateway to understanding the Truth of Nature. Therefore, students of Sacred Wilds Nature School participate in regularly scheduled nature walks at our local trails and parks in and around Colorado Springs. Each session involves a short lesson which focuses on a specific aspect of Nature. Students then progress into a time of intentional walking on the land bringing them into direct contact with the particular elements we are studying and whatever wonderments Nature may wish to reveal on a particular walk. In this space, all senses are engaged in careful observation of the natural world. Children are learning about nature by drawing conclusions proper to what they experience. At the conclusion of our walks, students are invited into a time of self-reflection and introspection as they enter their observations in their respective Nature Journals. This highly personal expression captures their experience alone, and can be recorded in a variety of ways including poetry, prose, drawing, painting, etc. All this is designed so that those with eyes to see and ears to hear will receive a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Inspiration

The desire to know more comes from Nature herself.

Sacred Wilds Nature Study curriculum is designed to inspire an intimate curiosity and respect of Nature primarily through the simple, truthful observation of the natural world. However, many of the subjects for nature lessons can be studied only in part due to its availability. The need to round out the student’s knowledge may become necessary. This can be accomplished through the telling of a story or through the reading of living books about the nature study subject.  Living books are those books penned by authors with a passion and expertise on a particular topic, who use rich language, and have the ability to write with an engaging, literary style while communicating great ideas rather than mere facts.  Living books in our program—beautifully written by expert naturalists and others—are read both to assist in the answering of questions and wonders gained from direct observation and interaction with Nature and as a source of inspiration for learning more about the natural world.  

Communion

We are called to participate in the divine mystery of our sacred lands.

To commune with the natural world is to spiritually connect with the divine through Creation at the deepest soul level. For this experience, students are guided through an intentional time of contemplation during our Nature Walk.  In broad terms, this involves a time of stillness on the land with focused attention on a particular aspect of Nature to which one feels drawn. This is followed with a time of quiet contemplation opening one’s heart and mind to connect this outward offering with one’s inward being. This is a personal time of engagement involving quiet focus, meditation, reflection, and prayer. It is a time to wonder, respond, and listen intently to the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness being revealed through Nature in an ineffable way. At the conclusion of the practice, students are invited to record their personal reflections in their Nature Journals. Through the experience of communion with the sacred natural world we open ourselves up to receive divine wisdom at the soul level.

Program Details

Sacred Wilds Nature School has been integrated into the Rose Cottage School homeschool program for the 2021-2022 school year. Please check back soon for details about our program for the 2022-2023 school year.

When: Sacred Wilds Nature School is held on Thursday mornings as part of Rose Cottage School for the 2021-2022 school year. Our program begins in September and runs through the end of May. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit the Rose Cottage School website.

Where: Currently, our weekly home base is in Monument, CO. Visits to additional trails and parks in the Colorado Springs area are planned throughout the school year.

Cost: For the 2021-2022 school year, see information regarding fees for Rose Cottage School.

Details for the upcoming school year are coming soon! Be the first to find out about our 2022-2023 program via email by filling out the form below.

Sacred Wilds Nature School

If you have additional questions regarding our program, please contact us below. We’re happy to help!