Poetry offers a medium for expressing mindful connections with nature, while experiencing the mental health benefits nature provides. Dr. Maria Sanders, a philosopher, poet, and researcher of eudaimonia, the Greek concept for living full and flourishing lives; will facilitate a discussion on the effect nature has on emotions, mood, and sense of well-being. Utilizing poetry from Sanders’ Sunrise Sunset collection, participants will explore various ways poetry can serve as a conduit between nature and positive mental health.
Register for this free webinar through Zoom.
This webinar is part of the year-long Exploring Connections to and Stewardship of the Natural World talks. This series is supported by a grant through the NH Humanities Council and aims to provide a public and personal space for the examination of environmental ethics, fostering a deeper understanding of, appreciation for, and care of, our natural world. Programs are free to the public, and streamed via Zoom, YouTube, and Facebook Live.
For more information and to see the entire slate of talks, visit our series webpage.
Speaker Bio:
Maria Sanders, a Philosophy professor at Plymouth State University and licensed attorney, has dedicated three decades to researching scientific variables for living full and flourishing lives, including the development of resilience and the exploration of how spaces become meaningful places. During the Fall of 2019, Dr. Sanders traveled for five months to all fifty states in the United States filming interviews that documented people’s experiences with place. As a public philosopher, she has written blogs, curated art exhibitions, hosted radio and television shows, and taught philosophy at the college level for over 30 years. Dr. Sanders’ philosophy holds that intentionally selecting, creating, and protecting the physical environments within which we feel a natural affinity is essential for living a full and flourishing life. The places where we live, work, and spend our leisure must be a good fit for our health and well-being if we are to thrive in our existence. Just as the farmer cares about the soil, water, and air around their crops in order to maximize excellent growth of those crops; caring about our natural environments provides an essential place for our physical, mental, and spiritual growth and well-being.
