Objective: The purpose of this project is to examine yourself as a sentient being and your connection to things natural. It calls into question the Aristotelian model of the "five Senses". This is accomplished through a simple introspective self-questionnaire.
Description: Equipped with warm clothes, a writing instrument and paper, follow these steps and provide answers where required:
1) Find some thing or place in nature that attracts you, biotic or abiotic. When there, write down how you initially feel.
2) Treat this attractor as an equal, as another sentient being. Ask it to reveal its consent for you to be there. Note what is revealed.
3) Spend ten minutes asking about what things are without using names or labels. Note your questions and the answers sensed.
4) Spend the next five minutes at the place exploring it silently with your eyes closed. Record your experiences as you disengage sight, language, and reason.
5) Take your dominant hand and put it in your sleeve. With your eyes closed, explore your place with both hands, one bare and one not. Repeat your actions with your eyes open. Record these four sets of senses, thoughts, and feelings associated with these actions.
6) Without using language, try to connect with your sensory, non-verbal nature by sensing all attractive sensations around you. Try not to classify. Simply “sensate” as you move through the area in search for attractors, saying "connection" as you experience them. Make note of all the strong attractors.
7) Consider the natural thing or place as an equal, as a sentient being and be appreciative for it allowing you to experience it and for being attracted to it. Be appreciative of yourself for being able to sense and experience it. Identify any new senses you experienced. Write down the three most significant things you learned from this exercise. Record any good feelings initiated by this experience and describe them. Record how you would feel if you were unable to feel them again. Record how these feelings affect your sense of self-worth. Finally, submit a typewritten account of these results.
Material: eco-friendly media.

Deadline: B15 Riley-Robb 10:10 February 21, 2002.

Grading: Effort: 4/10 Proficiency: 2/10 Content: 4/10