Crafting Your Path in Nature

Creating Invitations with SOSI

Hello Planty People!

Welcome to another exciting exploration in our journey of deepening our relationship with the natural world! Today, we're delving into a powerful tool for enhancing your nature guided therapy practice: creating your own invitations using the SOSI method.

Understanding SOSI Invitations

Before we dive into the specifics, let's unpack what SOSI means:

• Simple: Keeping the invitation clear and easy to follow

• Open: Allowing for a wide range of experiences and interpretations

• Sensory: Engaging our senses to deepen our connection with nature

• Infinite: Providing endless possibilities for exploration and discovery

SOSI invitations are gentle suggestions that guide us into a more intimate relationship with nature. They're not rigid instructions, but rather open-ended prompts that allow each person to have their own unique experience.

The Art of Crafting SOSI Invitations

Creating your own SOSI invitations is a beautiful way to personalize your nature connection practice. Here's how you can craft invitations for each element of SOSI:

1. Simple Invitations:

   • Keep your invitations clear and concise.

   • Example: "Walk slowly for five minutes, noticing the different shades of green around you."

   • Tip: Use straightforward language and focus on one main action or observation.

2. Open Invitations:

   • Create prompts that allow for diverse interpretations and experiences.

   • Example: "Find something in nature that reflects how you're feeling today. Spend some time with it."

   • Tip: Avoid prescriptive language; use words that invite exploration.

3. Sensory Invitations:

   • Focus on one sense at a time or combine multiple senses.

   • Example: "Find a comfortable spot and close your eyes. What's the farthest sound you can hear? The closest?"

   • Tip: Encourage deep, mindful engagement with each sense.

4. Infinite Invitations:

   • Craft invitations that can be engaged with repeatedly, always offering new insights.

   • Example: "Find a small area (about 1 square foot) and become its explorer. What worlds can you discover there?"

   • Tip: Create invitations that can be revisited in different seasons, times, or locations.

Putting It All Together: Creating Your Own SOSI Invitations

Now that we understand each element, let's look at how to combine them into powerful SOSI invitations:

1. Start with simplicity: Frame your invitation in clear, straightforward language. This forms the first 'S' in SOSI.

2. Keep it open: Ensure your invitation allows for personal interpretation. This is the 'O'.

3. Engage the senses: Incorporate sensory engagement. This fulfills the second 'S'.

4. Ensure infinite potential: Consider how this invitation could be used repeatedly with new results. This is your 'I'.

Here's an example of putting this process into practice:

1. Simple: Focus on one simple action

2. Open: Allow for personal exploration

3. Sensory: Engage the sense of touch

4. Infinite: Can be done anywhere, anytime, always with new discoveries

Resulting SOSI Invitation: "As you walk, gently touch different natural surfaces. Notice how each feels unique. What textures surprise you? Revisit this practice in different locations or weather conditions to explore endless variations."

Practice Creating Your Own

Now it's your turn! Here are a few prompts to get you started:

1. Create a SOSI invitation focusing on the sense of smell.

2. Craft an invitation that explores the concept of change in nature.

3. Develop an invitation that encourages a connection with a specific natural element (like water, stones, or leaves).

Remember, there's no "right" or "wrong" way to create these invitations. The beauty of SOSI is in its flexibility and personal nature. Trust your intuition and let your own connection with nature guide you.

The Power of Personal Invitations

Creating your own SOSI invitations deepens your nature connection practice in several ways:

1. It encourages mindfulness and presence as you craft and engage with your invitations.

2. It allows you to tailor your practice to your own interests, needs, and local environment.

3. It cultivates creativity and a sense of co-creation with nature.

4. It empowers you to guide others in nature connection experiences.

As you develop your own invitations, you may find that your relationship with the natural world evolves in beautiful and unexpected ways. You're not just following a prescribed path, but actively co-creating your journey of connection.

Sharing and Exploring Together

I encourage you to share your SOSI invitations with friends, family, or your nature connection community. Experiencing each other's invitations can open up new perspectives and deepen our collective appreciation for the diversity of nature experiences.

Remember, the goal isn't to create "perfect" invitations, but to open doors to deeper connection and presence in nature. Be playful, be curious, and most importantly, be open to the magic that unfolds when we invite ourselves to connect more intimately with the natural world.

I'd love to hear about the SOSI invitations you create and the experiences they lead to. Feel free to share your stories, insights, or questions.

May your explorations be rich and your connections deep,

Emily

P.S. For more inspiration on creating nature invitations and deepening your connection with the natural world, I highly recommend the book "Wild Calm" by Joan Vorderbruggen. This insightful work offers a wealth of ideas and practices that align beautifully with the SOSI method we've explored today.