HOOPAH is a NEW thought creation standing for Hues of Optimism and Hope, with the mission to reflect upon and spark positive environmental and climate action for Earth. The aim is to counteract the profuse negative news stories on social media that lead to eco-anxiety and – worst of all – apathy. When we witness people protecting the Earth, we can be inspired to take on eco-actions that together have a positive environmental impact, which can lead to informed optimism and a real sense of hope. HOOPAH for 2026!
Here is the new logo:
Connecting children to nature through the seasons is the theme of Eco-inquiry’s New Year newsletter and the first image generated with HOOPAH. The inspiration for HOOPAH’s first message of Optimism and Hope comes from Math on the Land by Jennifer Baron & Towana Brooks in ETFO Voice Fall 2020.
Juliet Robertson was one of the key sources of wisdom, guidance, and inspiration for the work educators did on their Math on the Land project at Lakeside P.S. in 2019. Juliet passed away this December, 2025, but her passion for outdoor learning lives on in her prolific contributions. Below you see Jennifer Baron’s Teacher Candidates Kayla and Hannah in her Environmental Education class holding Juliet’s books: Messy Math and Dirty Teaching, foundational books for the course. Juliet was incredibly generous is sharing her ideas for outdoor learning on her incredibly rich website: https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/
Juliet Robertson spoke about her journey as an outdoor and environmental educator with Eco-inquiry’s content creator, Jennifer Baron, on the Eco-Inquiry Podcast, which you can find HERE. Even in the most challenging of times, Juliet chose to create, as evidence by the name of her website: Creative Star Learning, her books that have inspired educators all over the world on outdoor learning, and, most recently, her book of poetry: Bloodlines. In his course on Eco-Literacy, Physicist and Author Fritjof Capra argues that humans have the power to create the future, thereby having it form in new directions, and he speaks and writes persuasively about the power of people to turn our collective direction towards a healthier future for the planet via systems thinking, interconnectedness, and actions for environmental sustainability. With their powerful messages of connecting children to nature, outdoor learning, ecosystems thinking, eco-action, and sustainability, Eco-inquiry dedicates 2026 to sharing evidence of ways we are moving forward with Hues of Optimism and Hope: HOOPAH!
One way we can support our own well-being and those of others in troubling times, is to practice techniques for maintaining a steady inner state. Miyamoto Musashi retreated to a cave to reflect and write The Book of Five Rings, far from noise and distraction. Most of us live in the opposite environment: constant information, social media, and daily exposure to troubling news. We don’t want to turn away from the world, but staying fully open can easily pull us into overwhelm. The challenge is learning how to remain aware without losing our center. Staying calm in any situation is not about suppressing emotion or forcing stillness; it is about cultivating an inner state that stays steady and focused, even as life moves around us. Musashi’s teachings offer quiet, practical guidance for this kind of calm: wisdom that becomes especially clear when reflected through simple images found in nature.
The first principle is to develop a mind unmoved by circumstances. Imagine a smooth rock resting in the middle of a flowing river. Water rushes past it endlessly, sometimes gently, sometimes violently, but the rock does not chase the water or resist it. It simply remains where it is. In the same way, calm comes from allowing thoughts, emotions, and events to pass without letting them carry you away. You do not need to stop the river of life; you only need to stop identifying with every current.
The second principle teaches us to accept what you can’t control and act on what you can. A tree bending in the wind captures this perfectly. The tree does not argue with the storm or pretend the wind isn’t there. Its roots hold firm in the ground while its branches move with the force above. Calm is born from this balance; being grounded in what is stable while remaining flexible where change is unavoidable. Resistance creates tension; intelligent adaptation preserves strength.
The third principle reminds us that calm under pressure is trained before pressure arrives. Picture a still lake at dawn. The surface is smooth and quiet, yet fully prepared to reflect whatever appears when the sun rises. Nothing about the lake is tense or rigid, but it is completely ready. This is the kind of preparedness Musashi valued: regular practice, reflection, and self-discipline that make steadiness automatic. When chaos appears, the calm response is already there.
The fourth principle is to eliminate wasted motion in thought and action. Visualize a single arrow striking the exact center of a target. There is no excess movement, no hesitation, no unnecessary correction. Overthinking, rumination, and emotional spirals are all forms of wasted motion that drain calmness. When your actions and thoughts are aligned and purposeful, the mind naturally quiets. Simplicity becomes a source of power.
The final principle is to hold your goals loosely while holding your principles firmly. A setting sun resting on the horizon illustrates this wisdom. The sun sinks regardless of desire or resistance, yet the horizon remains unchanged. Outcomes come and go, but values endure. When you stop clinging to specific results and instead commit to acting with integrity, calm becomes sustainable. You are no longer shaken by success or failure, only guided by your inner code.
Together, these principles reveal that calm is not passive or fragile. It is trained, grounded, efficient, and deeply rooted. Like rock, tree, lake, arrow, and horizon, true calm does not announce itself: it simply remains, steady and ready, no matter the conditions around it.
This piece of writing was inspired the article below by Steve Burns, published in New Trader U:
Burns, S. (2026, January 3). How to stay calm in any situation: 5 samurai principles from Miyamoto Musashi. New Trader U. https://www.newtraderu.com/2026/01/03/how-to-stay-calm-in-any-situation-5-samurai-principles-from-miyamoto-musashi/
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