What would be necessary for us to create lives in which: 

•  We felt relaxed, refreshed and fulfilled?
• We felt healthy, mindful, and energized?
• We felt connected to our home place and a part of the local ecology?
• We felt moved to be of service from a feeling of abundance and gratitude?
  

We believe the answers lie in establishing two dialogues:  one between ourselves and the outer environment (‘the natural world’); and the other with our inner ‘Selves’ that comprise the four quadrants of our ‘inner environment.’  The outer dialogue can be simply represented as follows: 

When our outer dialogue is active and healthy we want to give and receive:  we open ourselves to the many nurturing gifts that flow from Nature and we serve and support Nature by our actions in a spirit of gratitude, reverence, and joyful witness.  However, a focused, caring outer dialogue like this will only be achieved if we first attend to our inner dialogue.  When we take the time to care for ourselves, we find we want to care for the world around us. 

When we seek our happiness and fulfillment outside ourselves or from the material ‘things’ of the world at the expense of our inner dialogue, we overlook the seeds of wholeness we hold within.  But if we attend to our inner environment with an active inner dialogue, these seeds bloom!  Our inner world becomes healthier, happier and more balanced – it’s ‘ecology’ has been restored – and feeling this balance,  we want to make choices and take actions in the outer world that act to preserve, protect, and support Nature and its ecological balance.  We move from being ‘ego-centric’ to ‘eco-centric’ and model what we call ‘EcoStewardship.’  

The following is our map to the four quadrants of our ‘inner environment’: 

The Intellectual quadrant: home of our thirst for learning, knowledge and understanding.  Facts, figures, concepts, ideas, and knowledge of place all dwell here. 

The Physical quadrant:   home of our sense of how to properly care for and use our physical bodies and our sense of being able to do physical things in the outer world.  Also the seat of sensory experience of nature.  

The Emotional quadrant:  home to feelings about ourselves, others and the natural world, but often shut down.  When we look inward and awaken to feelings of love, gratitude, appreciation, and such, we find ourselves energized and motivated  to have caring relationships with others and the outer environment. 

The Spiritual quadrant:  home to feelings of ‘Aaaaaaah’ and ‘Wow,’ of feeling blessed and of being part of something larger than ourselves.  This is the place from whence we soared as kids when we let our imaginations loose and the place as adults where we feel ourselves uplifted and humbled in a grove of ancient trees.  Often neglected in a society that gives primacy to our intellectual and physical attributes, this is the quadrant where ESA creates opportunities to reawaken feelings of wonder, reverence and joy. 

And observe:  when we draw upon all four quadrants in our daily lives, they overlap and create what we call ‘Our Inner Star’ by which we navigate through the currents of life and maintain our sustainable equilibrium.

How would your life look if guided by your own inner star? So come explore your inner and outer environments with ESA.  

• Discover what you can do for the ‘environment’ and what it can do for you.
• Awaken the joyful connections to Nature that you had as a child. 
• Reclaim what Mary Oliver calls your place in the ‘Family of Things.’
• Experience the sweetness of giving back from feelings of abundance, gratitude, and wonder.