November 2–23, 2026
Mondays 10 - 11:30 am PT
Deep Reconnection With Our Human Nature
Live Online Course with Andrew Howley
REGISTER NOWWhat if reconnecting with nature isn’t about going somewhere else, but about remembering what you already are?
In this four-week course, anthropologist and science communicator Andrew Howley invites us to step back and see ourselves as living organisms shaped by the same forces as every other species. Through evolutionary insight, sensory awareness, and practical observation, we’ll explore how deepening our understanding of our own biology can transform how we relate to the more-than-human world.
Dates
November 2–23,
2026
Meeting Times
Mondays
10 - 11:30 AM PT
Duration
4 Weeks
90 minutes/week
Format
Live Online with Interactive Sessions
Cost
$349
Reconnecting with nature is often framed as something external — something we step into when we leave our daily lives behind. But what if it begins with recognizing that we are not separate from it?
In this course, we’ll explore what it means to understand ourselves as organisms within the living world. Drawing on evolutionary biology and anthropology, we’ll trace how human traits and adaptations have been shaped over time, deepening awareness of the biological systems that sustain us, most of which operate beyond conscious attention.
We’ll expand how we perceive and engage with the world around us, moving beyond a reliance on sight and sound to reawaken a fuller sensory awareness. Through observation and inquiry, we’ll develop new ways of noticing landscapes, orienting to place, and understanding the lives of plants, fungi, and animals.
Grounded in this expanded awareness, we’ll begin to reconsider how we relate to other species and the broader community of life, opening up more intentional and reciprocal ways of being in the world.
This course runs from November 2–23, 2026, with live classes held on Mondays from 10–11:30 AM (PT) via Zoom. Recordings will be available for registrants who miss a session.
Who is this course for?
This course is for anyone curious about deepening their relationship with the living world by better understanding their own place within it. It may be especially resonant for:
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Nature enthusiasts looking to move beyond appreciation into deeper awareness and connection
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Educators, communicators, and lifelong learners interested in evolution, biology, and human ecology
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People seeking to reconnect with their bodies and senses in a more grounded, experiential way
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Gardeners, homesteaders, and outdoor practitioners wanting to sharpen their observation skills
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Anyone feeling disconnected from nature and looking for a more integrated way of relating to the world
No prior background in science or anthropology is required — just a willingness to observe, reflect, and engage with curiosity.
Course Modules
This four-part course invites a deeper understanding of what it means to be human within the living world, building awareness from our evolutionary origins to our everyday interactions with other species and ecosystems.
MODULE 1
Understanding the Shape of Humans
Explore our deep evolutionary history and the development of the human body. From early multicellular life to modern human form, we’ll examine the traits and adaptations that connect us to the broader story of life on Earth.
MODULE 2
Becoming Aware of Our Unconscious Activity
Much of what keeps us alive happens beyond conscious awareness. In this session, we’ll bring attention to the internal processes and sensory experiences that shape our daily functioning, deepening appreciation for the complexity of our own biology.
MODULE 3
Using Observation to Understand Our Surroundings
Reawaken your full range of senses and expand how you perceive the world around you. We’ll develop skills for observing landscapes, orienting to place, and recognizing the lives and patterns of plants, fungi, and animals.
MODULE 4
Interacting with Other Species
Reconsider how we relate to other living beings, whether companion animals, cultivated plants, or wild species. Grounded in a deeper understanding of our own nature, we’ll explore more intentional and reciprocal ways of engaging with the broader community of life.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Andrew Howley is the Chief Editor of The Biomimicry Institute, including AskNature.org. He is trained as an anthropologist, has guided tours of prehistoric cave art sites in Europe, and covered the discovery in South Africa of the early hominid Homo naledi for NationalGeographic.com. His 20 years in science communication have been dedicated to making knowledge of science and nature accessible to all, and to revealing the story of how humans both shape and are shaped by the rest of the living world around us.
Deep Reconnection With Our Human Nature
With Andrew Howley
