The therapeutic benefit of nature that I found most interesting in chapter 5 of Adventure Therapy: Theory Research, and Practice, is the idea of soft fascination originally theorized by Kaplan and Kaplan (Gass, Gillis, and Russell, 2012). According to the text, "Soft fascination occurs when involuntary attention is engaged and demands on a depleted direct attention are diminished, thus making restoration possible" (p. 106). An example of this is watching a butterfly flutter from flower to flower. This does not necessitate a great deal of attention on the part of the onlooker, but its ability to fascinate the onlooker is ever-present nonetheless. The text explains how cognitive reflection can take place during such experiences because the onlooker is fascinated and stimulated.
In this entry of her Blog entitled, Threads of Awakening, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo discusses research on direct attention and soft fascination. She provides an interesting comparison between these two types of attention and two types of meditation. She links direct attention to breath work and visualization techniques. She links soft-fascination to sky gazing and simple resting meditation. She sums up her insight suggesting, "With directed-attention meditation methods, one pulls the attention back from its wanderings and places it on the object of meditation. In what I’m now viewing as soft-fascination methods, the task is to notice, to open, to include, and to rest – in fascination."
In relation to Adventure Therapy, I feel that mediation techniques similar to this idea of soft fascination could be extremely useful tools. I think AT practitioners could build on soft fascination to teach participants meditation methods which they can utilize once they leave the wilderness. It would be extremely beneficial for participants who are to return to homes where they will not experience significant time with nature to learn a mediation practice that utilizes soft fascination but does not necessarily require a remote natural setting.
In a Psychology Today article, Michael Formica discusses research on meditation and the brain. Results demonstrate long term meditators as having larger areas of the brain that deal with emotion regulation. "Meditators displayed a significantly larger volume of hippocampal tissue, as well as a similarly increased volume of tissue in the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus." Formica goes on to explain that while meditation has been long recognized to reduce stress and aid cognitive functioning, this research highlights significant evidence of such occurrences in brain structure.
As seen here, there are many different recognized forms and styles of meditation. Some of this could be considered "directed-attention" methods and some "soft-fascination methods," and they may all have the potential for positive effects on brain structure and cognitive functioning. Project Meditation even provides meditation techniques for specific mental illnesses and overall psychological issues.
All in all, there is a great deal to be learned about the benefits of meditation and soft fascination in the world of Adventure Therapy. I wonder what methods of meditation will provide the best results for participants. I also wonder in what ways soft fascination type practices will be beneficial and in what ways direct attention practices will be beneficial. Most importantly, how can AT professionals ensure that participants leave programs with such skills so that they can reap the benefits back home?
References:
Faregreen, C. Project-Meditation.Org. Meditation Psychology. Retrieved from: http://www.project-meditation.org/a_bom1/meditation_psychology.html
Formica, M. J. (June 10, 2010). Psychology Today. Enlightened Living: Mindfulness practice in everyday life. Research Suggests Meditation Increases Gray Matter. Retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/enlightened-living/201006/research-suggests-meditation-increases-gray-matter
Gass, M. A., Gillis, H. L., & Russell, K. C. (2012). Adventure therapy: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Rinchen-Wongmo, L. (2009). Threads of Awakening. Environment, Meditation, & Soft Fascination. Retrieved from: http://threadsofawakening.com/environment-meditation-soft-fascination
The Meditation Society of America presents Meditation Station. 108 Meditation Techniques. Retrieved from: http://www.meditationsociety.com/108meds.html
Hi Renee! Good example of the butterfly fluttering from flower to flower for soft fascination... I can completely relate. Everyone finds different things more fascinating than others and someone may find the size of the butterfly, the colors on the wings of the butterfly, or the fact that the butterfly can fly more fascinating than something else. Others may find a sunset more beautiful or fascinating than the butterfly, everyone is different. For everyone's uniqueness, there is a world of uniqueness as well. The world is filled with so many different stimuli and beautiful and engaging things that someone somewhere enjoys. Nature is everywhere, just go find something that you enjoy and do it or just be around it whether it be in a field of sunflowers, taking a hike in the woods, stargazing, going to a zoo, gardening, biking, fishing, etc. These things according to eco-psychology help reconnect us with nature and help close the separation between us and the world along with nature. Learning those mediation techniques you mentioned and the researcher Leslie mentioned as well are a great idea especially in the AT field. Once participants come home from a wilderness program, they are thrown back into their old lives and need coping skills or just skills in general to be able to work well and not relapse. I really enjoyed reading your blog, it was very informative and it really made me think. AT programs use meditation and reflection times and so I wonder what steps are being taken today to help encourage these mediation techniques you have mentioned...? In my own opinion, nature plays such an important role in adventure therapy or wilderness therapy, I just wonder what the heck is going on inside the brain...like what neurons and areas of the brain are being triggered.
ReplyDeleteI think AT professionals don't necessary need to provide the "skills" to reap the benefits of soft fascination. I think it is something that just happens, it is involuntary. What At professionals should do though is make their clients aware of soft fascination because it can occur anywhere, whether in nature or in a video clip on Youtube. I think I could have watched those nature pictures all day, the ones shown in the video we watched on Monday. And now that I am aware of soft fascination, when I am bogged down with thoughts, I know I can just go to Youtube and find super cool nature videos.
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