Householders Yoga
Deep Ecology
“Deep ecology looks at the spiritual disease that underlies the environmental crisis: the illusion of separation between humans and the rest of the natural world… In order to nourish our ecological identity, Naess called for the development of community therapies “which heal our relations with the widest community, that of all living beings.” — John Seed
Deep Ecology takes an Earth centred view rather that a human centred view. The term Deep Ecology was coined by Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess who stated, “We must find and develop therapies which heal our relations with the widest community, that of all living beings.”
The experiential deep ecology processes created by Joanna, Macy, John Seed and others are community therapies where humans sit in circle together, to honour their pain for the world and connect deeply with each other and all life.
I came across Deep Ecology through my activist work. After meeting John Seed and participating in one of his powerful immersive workshops, he invited me to facilitate one with him and has continued to be my mentor and friend since that first introduction in March 2023.
I continue to facilitate alongside John and other facilitators of Deep Ecology and consider it to be one of the most powerful medicine journeys I have ever experienced. It is a deep remembering that we are not separate from other beings, but equal.
The Deep Ecology immersion weekends follow the spiral from 'The Work That Reconnects' transforming despair and overwhelm into inspired, collaborative action. The spiral begins with gratitude followed by honouring our pain for the world. There are then two processes, 'The Council of All Beings' and 'The Cosmic Walk', that open us up to seeing through new and ancient eyes. On the last day we complete the spiral through a sharing circle followed by 'Going Forth' which is where we state what we each will contribute to 'The Great Turning'. The great turning is a concept that describes the transformation from an industrial growth society to a life sustaining civilisation, emphasizing that humans have the technology and resources to create a sustainable and equitable world.
