The Natural Learning Cycle

By Warren Moon, Executive Director, Wilderness Awareness School

 

Reprinted by permission from the Spring and Summer issues of Foxprint, Wilderness Awareness School's quarterly print newsletter. Article copyright Wilderness Awareness School and its author. For more information or reprint permission, visit www.WildernessAwareness.org.

 

The more you study and learn about the natural world, the more you realize there are natural cycles in every living system. And the more time you spend attuning to these natural cycles, the more you realize that aligning with them greatly enhances your ability to live in balance. The most obvious cycle is the seasons. As you become more connected to the natural world, you may realize that when winter settles you become more introspective, and when spring kicks in you have a hard time sitting still. What WAS has found is that all natural cycles tend to follow a consistent pattern. Knowing this, we have internalized this cycle into everything we do and use a model based on the [cardinal] directions to describe and understand it.

 

One of the most powerful ways that we utilize this understanding of natural cycles is in how we teach, which is based on an understanding of the cycle of learning. We call this approach The Natural Learning Cycle. Whenever we develop a lesson plan we make sure that we follow it. But before I can describe The Natural Learning Cycle, you will first need a basic understanding of how we interpret the cardinal directions and the corresponding energy [we associate] with them.

 

The four cardinal directions (E, S, W, N) are the most concrete, while the minor directions represent a transitions between them. All natural cycles begin and ultimately end in the North East (NE). Here are some words that help develop the energy or personality of the directions:

NE: Creativity, dreams, conception, spirit, intention, death, vision

E: Spring, sprout, birth, energetic, curiosity, sun rise, enthusiasm, inspiration

SE: Orientation, childhood, play, emotion

S: Summer, focus, heat, work, adolescence, attention to detail

SW: Siesta, body, earth, wandering, internalization, searching, relaxing

W: Fall, community, gathering, celebration, sun set, honoring, thanksgiving, leadership

NW: Transition, letting go, surrender, release of ego

N: Winter, reflection, introspection, storytelling, wisdom, stillness

 

Some examples of natural cycles:

 

Plant Life Cycle: NE: Germination, E: Sprout, SE: External Growth, S: Flower, SW: Internal Growth (wood), W: Fruit, NW: Decay or Digestion of Fruit, N: Seed, NE: Death

 

Human Life Cycle:

NE: Conception, E: Birth, SE: Childhood (external growth), S: Adolescent, SW: young adult, rite of passage, W: Adult/Leader (has found their gift in life and may have started a family), NW: Mentor/Apprentice: mentoring next line of leaders, apprenticing to be an elder, N: Elder, NE: Death

 

Learning a Skill Cycle: