Winter outdoor trekking: spiritual aspects of environmental education

Abstract

This text deals with the potential spiritual aspects of being outdoors within the framework of non-formal and informal education. The course being examined was organized by the Vacation School of Lipnice -Outward Bound Czech Republic, and the participants in this course made up the research sample. While the research was not directly focused on the spiritual dimension of the human way of being, our analysis of the interviews (n = 12) and the results of the Prague Spirituality Questionnaire (n = 10) indicate a connection between the fortnight spent trekking through the winter landscape and spirituality in terms of the educational potential it has for personal development. The data obtained in the interviews may be structured into the following main semantic fields connected with nature: naturalness, the element of fire, senses, aesthetic perceptions, bad weather, and spiritual dimension. In the questionnaire respondents were inclined to include factors such as ethical enthusiasm, sense of belonging, and deep ecology. The results may be interpreted as suggesting that due to the immediacy of direct experience the two-week-long trekking journey in the winter landscape (snowshoeing and camping in tents) reinforces a dimension of environmental education that surpasses any rational verification and enters the spiritual realms.

“General Frost”: A Nature-Based Solution and Adventure Tourism: A Case Study of Snowshoeing in Siberia

“…In relation to AT, outdoor education and naturebased recreation, existing research on snowshoeing and winter camping experiences applies qualitative methods such as an interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews (Jirásek & Svoboda, 2015, 2016, mental mapping , and a unique research method of systemic constellations (Jirásek, Jirásková, et al, 2017). As far as the theme of spirituality is concerned, quantitative methods have been used in a very limited scope (Jirásek, Veselský, et al, 2017); the same applies to the mixed design of discussing group cohesion .…”

The utility of activity tracker Garmin Vívofit for monitoring of physical activity during snowshoeing in the mountain environment

“…interpretativní fenomenologickou analýzou zpracované rozhovory (Jirásek & Svoboda, 2015), mentálním mapováním (Jirásek, Plevová, Jirásková, & Dvořáčková, 2016), nebo prostřednictvím systemických konstelací (Jirásek, Jirásková, Majewská, & Bolcková, 2017). Ve velmi limitované podobě se využil i smíšený design, konkrétně v kombinaci s Pražským dotazníkem spirituality (Jirásek, Veselský, & Poslt, 2017), příp. ve vazbě na skupinovou kohezi .…”

Indigenous land-based interventions and nature-oriented wellness programs: Commonalities and important differences.

“…Studies have shown that these programs help individuals connect with others, improve family communication, and raise confidence and self-esteem (Goldenberg & Soule, 2015;Hattie et al, 1997;Liermann & Norton, 2016;Norton, 2008;Norton & Watt, 2013). Furthermore, Jirasek, Veselsky, and Poslt (2017) found that Outward Bound programs can inspire adult participants to form a spiritual connection with the environment. As a result, participation in these programs has led to decreases in school absenteeism, substance abuse, and depression (Ang, Farihah, & Lau, 2014;Cason & Gillis, 1994;Norton, 2008).…”