Core Routines: Mind’s Eye Imagining, Cultural Wisdom, Storytelling
Skills Practiced: Visualization, memory, sensory imagination
Ecological Indicators: N/A (internal and symbolic work)
Qualities Fostered: Inner Vision, Creativity, Connection to Place
Directions (Shields): Northeast (Reflection), North (Inner Tracking), East (Inspire)
Suggested Age Range: 9+ (teens benefit deeply; younger kids enjoy simpler versions)
Timing & Energy Level: Great after Sit Spot or before a deep story (North/Northeast)
Set-Up & Materials:
- A comfortable, quiet place to sit or lie down
- Soft voice and invitation from mentor
- No props needed, but silence helps
Description:
This practice guides participants to “see” with their inner eye. The mentor invites the group to close their eyes and imagine a place in nature—a favorite Sit Spot, a memory, or a new place. Then, through guided prompts, they explore that place using imagined senses: smell the air, feel the bark, notice the birds. This practice strengthens memory, deepens connection, and can even support skill-building through visualization (e.g., tracking, bird language).
Coyote Mentoring Tips:
- Speak slowly and with pauses
- Use gentle questions rather than direct commands
- Debrief in a quiet circle or let the experience linger unspoken
Variations:
- Lead a story-based vision quest: “Imagine you’re a deer waking at dawn…”
- Pair with journaling or drawing afterward
- Use to revisit a known place after a break or season
Debrief Prompts:
- “Where did you go in your imagination?”
- “What did you see that surprised you?”
- “Did it feel real in your body?”
Story Seeds:
- Stories of dream journeys or vision-seeking
- Mythic animals that appear in dreams
- Memories of sensing something before it happened