E huri tō aroaro ki te rā, tukuna tō ataarangi ki muri i a koe.
Turn and face the sun, and let your shadow fall behind you.

The post “Turn and face the sun” appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

Our late founder, Lyndsay Simpkin, mentioned the above quote in one of his regular newsletters … 14 years ago! For better or worse, it is still true. Lynsday continued:

“This reminds me that our work is important on many different levels. In his book, Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv coined the term ‘nature-deficit disorder’ to describe the consequences of separating children from the natural world.

“At Adventure Specialties Trust, we have long believed in the importance of reconnecting our sometimes-nature-deficient young people with the outdoors and providing them with the time, place and space to explore deeper feelings and issues.”

The post How to deal with too much screen time appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

“Waking early I get out of bed knowing that the day will be busy. I’m on autopilot as I begin my morning routine. Sitting in my quiet place, I realise that I am tired and more than a little bewildered by the things of life. I have many things on my mind, yet not one certain thing that rises to the forefront. I’m in a state of semi-consciousness.

I hear the birdsong and am reminded of the beauty of this early morning. I give thanks for this home I live in. I give thanks for its location on the park. I am thankful for the trees and the birds. I give thanks because, when I am still enough to notice where I am and what is happening around about me, giving thanks is what makes sense. Giving thanks connects me to the world. It reminds me that no matter how I am feeling there is always something to give thanks for. Including being thankful for the anxiety that reminds me of the need to be aware of how I might respond to the people I will meet today.

Giving thanks puts me into a different mindset. Giving thanks creates the mindset I need for the day ahead. I am thankful for the re-setting of my mind that provides some direction. I can get going now knowing that I am beginning from a good place. In all things we ought to give thanks.”

The post A thankful mindset appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

“Ki te kotahi te kākaho ka whati. Ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati.”
When we stand alone, we are vulnerable. But together, we are unbreakable.

(Thank you, Purapura Whetu Trust, for sharing these wonderful whakataukī / proverbs!)

The post When we stand alone … appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

This is the “Circle of Courage”, a model which shows the four core needs of all children as they journey towards adulthood: Belonging, Mastery, Independence, and Generosity.

Belonging: “I am Loved”
Mastery: “I can succeed”
Independence: “I can make decisions”
Generosity: “I have purpose in my life”

This philosophy uses the wisdom of traditional Native American/First Nations philosophies of raising children, combined with Western practices of Positive Youth Development (PYD). The Circle of Courage emerged from the collaboration of Martin Brokenleg, a professor of Native American Studies, and Larry Brendtro, a professor in children’s behaviour disorders.

The Aotearoa New Zealand version is called “The Circle of Mana,” adapted from the Circle of Courage (with permission) by Praxis, a youth development education provider. It places a person’s mana at the centre of the model. So, anyone working with young people should ask “what does a young person need from their connections with people in their world, in order to grow into their potential?”

The post Circle of Courage appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

Is an outdoor activity still fun, even if you don’t enjoy it the whole time?

This diagram helps explain the different types of fun and how rewarding each type feels at the end of the adventure!

Below is the explanation, by Jono from https://sketchplanations.com/the-fun-scale

“I assumed fun is all the same. Fun is fun. But then, when I first heard about Type 1 and Type 2 Fun, I had to admit there was some validity in there being different types of fun.

Type 1 Fun is like eating ice cream, or skiing with ski lifts to whisk you back up to the top — you love it while you’re doing it, and when you think back on it you remember how good it was. Straightforward— sounds like fun.

Type 2 Fun, on the other hand, is the sort of enjoyment you get from something like running a marathon or climbing a mountain. You often have to admit that it wasn’t necessarily all fun at the time. In fact, it could have been quite hard and might have hurt a bit (like the swim/run event I did last weekend). But when you look back on it, you think of it as often more fun and fulfilling than the Type 1 Fun.

Type 3 Fun is usually Type 1 or 2 Fun that went wrong. Though it was supposed to be fun, things actually got a little hairy – like you got lost, or it got dark, and it got cold, or you had to be rescued. But…it sure makes a great story when you make it back.”

The post The Fun Scale appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.”

– G. M. Trevelyan

The post After a day’s walk appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

“I do not always get to set the agenda.

“I had a plan for the way this day would begin. I had thought about my agenda for this morning. Yet within ten minutes of my alarm waking me, that agenda was compromised. Early in the new day, I was faced with having to make choices as I responded to that which was presented to me.

“My choice is to accept the change to the agenda because I cannot ignore what is now in front of me. Life is like this. A constant change of plans in order to respond to the new situation. I do not set the agenda for the life I am living. I also choose not to be tossed about like a leaf in the wind. I can still outwork the plans I have made and reset the agenda as I respond to what is now presented.

“It seems to me that we all live lives based on our response to what is presented. All peoples are connected and so the choices of one impact the plans of many. Unless we could disconnect from all we will be constantly impacted by the choices of others. I do not choose to disconnect, if this was even possible. Rather I choose to connect and, in choosing, I need to accept the inevitable consequence that is the need to realign the agenda.

“I will stick to the plan today, but I will get there in a different way.

“Now I can still be a part of the lives of those I choose to be connected to.

“This is life. I give thanks.”

Thank you for sharing that wonderful reflection, Brian.

The post Brian’s reflection appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

Whāiate iti Kahurangi ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei

Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain

Purapura Whetu Trust

We partner with Purapura Whetu Trust on a regular basis. They are a Māori health and social services provider based in Canterbury. Together, we run our Te Māhuri adventure therapy programme for rangatahi youth in Canterbury.

Here is what Purapura Whetu wrote in the social media post that accompanied the above whakataukī:

“Make sure you’re following along as we start posting whakataukī! Let’s learn together!

What are whakataukī?

“Whakataukī are Māori proverbs. They have an important place in Te Ao Māori.

Whakataukī are commonly used as inspirations in speeches and also as gentle reminders spoken to each other in everyday life. They are poetic expressions of wise sayings which allude to symbols native to Aotearoa!

“What are your favourite whakataukī? Let us know below and we could feature these next!”

Find Purapura Whetu on social!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purapurawhetutrust/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Purapura-Whetu-342769425901224

The post Seek the treasure you value most dearly appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.

The post Outdoors we are confronted everywhere with wonders – Wendell Berry appeared first on Adventure Specialties Trust.