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"The day is coming when a
single carrot freshly observed will set off a revolution."
- Paul Cezanne
 The
poet and scientist Goethe
developed a new approach to science involving a way
of seeing that weds artistic sensibility with exact thinking
and observation. The Nature Institute is inspired by Goethe's
approach, and in its weeklong intensive summer courses aims
to open up this new way of seeing to course participants.
We often view science as a discipline that deals with the
world in cool and distant objectivity, gaining understanding
of the world through experiments and instruments that overcome
human limitations. Goethe wrote provocatively that the human
being is the "best and most exact scientific instrument,"
and he believed that science involves human development:
"If we want to achieve a living
understanding of nature, we must become as flexible and
mobile as nature herself." He saw that we can
transform ourselves to ever better fathom the wisdom and
depths of the world.
 Much
today stands in the way of this transformation. We form
abstract concepts about the world that we take to be more
real than the things themselves. Filled with our own predilections,
we don't perceive carefully how the world actually appears
and how we are interacting with it. And our experience is
increasingly mediated by all sorts of instruments and gadgets,
so we lose faith in our senses and in our ability to judge.
 To
counteract these habits of mind, The Nature Institute's
weeklong intensive summer courses emphasize immediate experience
and practice. Participants practice observation: observation
of natural phenomena, observation of thought processes,
and observation of how we form judgments about the world.
And this observing always involves doing-getting out into
nature and observing and drawing plants; painting elements
of a landscape; drawing geometric forms that "track"
a progression of thought. By weaving together reflection
and observation, taking in and actively creating, science
and art, we bring ourselves into inner movement, and transformation
begins. Our own process of knowing becomes more transparent
and nature shows herself from new sides.
As one participant in the 2003 course stated, "It
is such a gentle Aha! experience for me-a peeling away of
a veil or film that has covered my eyes for years. It again
gives me context and tools for seeing the familiar in a
deeper and more penetrating way."
To read other comments
from summer course participants, click here.
2012 Summer Course at The Nature Institute
Coming Alive to Nature - The World of Color and Light
June 17 to 23
Our public summer course is for people from all walks of life and will provide a practical introduction to Goethean phenomenology in which we explore phenomena from the natural world and work to develop a living thinking modeled after the dynamism of the natural world.
We live in a light-filled and colorful world: the colors in the plants, the whiteness of the snow and the blueness of the sky, the sparkling waves in the sun, the mirrored mountains in the still lake, the rainbow, and the glistening dewdrops on the grass. Some colors are fleeting, and all vary in relation to the illumined and colored surroundings.
In this course we want to practice Goethe’s way of knowing in all its aspects and gain greater insight into human experience and the nature of light and color. We will engage in nature observation, experiments and painting, as well as in conversation about Goethe’s method of research. We will train capacities that we can engage in other fields of life.
Morning seminars:
- Phenomena of light, color and darkness -- Practicing Goethe’s way of knowing
Afternoon activities:
Please bring your own sketch book and colored pencils for taking notes. Materials for painting will be provided.
Daily schedule:
Morning seminars from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lunch break from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Afternoon activities from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The course begins on Sunday, June 17, at 7:00 p.m. and ends on Saturday, June 23, at 12:30 p.m.
Registration form coming soon!
Tuition:$560 (less $30 if you register by May 1)
Tuition includes materials, as well as morning and afternoon snacks.
Please download and complete a registration form by June 1.
We are pleased to be able to offer a limited number of partial tuition reduction scholarships. To apply for a scholarship, contact us at info@natureinstitute.org or call 518-672-0116.
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Course
Staff:
Craig
Holdrege is a biologist, educator, and the director
of The Nature Institute. About
Craig Holdrege.
Henrike
Holdrege is a mathematician, biologist, and educator and works at The Nature Institute. About
Henrike Holdrege.
Nathaniel Williams is an artist and teacher.
Course
Location:
The Nature Institute is located near the hamlet of Harlemville (town of Ghent), New York, and is nestled at the foot of the Taconic Hills. Our neighbors include the 400-acre biodynamic Hawthorne Valley Farm, the Hawthorne Valley School (a K-12 Waldorf school) and the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store. Walking trails wind through forests, wetland areas, and creeksides. Click
here for directions.
Lodging and Meals:
We can refer participants to local families who rent rooms ($25 to $50 per night). Camping at nearby state parks is approximately $15 per night (see below). For a list of motels and bed & breakfasts, click here.
We provide morning and afternoon snacks. Course participants will be responsible for all other meals. The Hawthorne Valley Farm Store has extensive organic food and deli selections and Banjo Mountain Cafe offers drinks, snacks, breakfast and lunch options. Both are within walking distance of The Nature Institute.
Camping:
For reservations and site information go to: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/ or call the New York State Camping Reservation Service: Reserve America (800) 456-2267.
Lake Taghkanic State Park (off the Taconic State Parkway) is the closest and most accessible campground to The Nature Institute. The Taconic State Park, Copake Falls Area is also nearby if the other one is full. Information for both campgrounds can be found on the above website.
To view 2011 Summer Course, click here.
To view 2010 Summer Course, click here.
To view 2009 Summer Course, click here.
To view 2008 Summer Course, click here.
To view 2007 Summer Course, click here.
To view 2006 Summer Course, click here.
To view 2005 Summer Course, click here.
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