World As Lover, World As Self: Macy, Joanna, Nhat Hanh, Thich: Amazon.com.au: Books

World As Lover, World As Self: Macy, Joanna, Nhat Hanh, Thich: Amazon.com.au: Books

World As Lover, World As Self Paperback – 1 June 1991

by Joanna Macy  (Author), Thich Nhat Hanh (Foreword)

4.9 out of 5 stars    31 ratings

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4.9 out of 5 stars

4.9 out of 5

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Roxanne

5.0 out of 5 stars ... writer with deep insight into human nature and our beautiful aching planet

Reviewed in Canada on 17 January 2016

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Joanna Macy is an inspiring writer with deep insight into human nature and our beautiful aching planet. She has captivated my heart.

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estelle

5.0 out of 5 stars Spirituality seeks Expression

Reviewed in the United States on 12 September 2018

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We, as a group of women, studied this book meeting every two weeks for a session and taking turns to lead. The richness of each one's contribution was profound as we struggled with the concepts the author proposes all the time being stretched in our thinking, in our day to day lives and in developing a deep sense of aching for the world and responding to Joanna's strong sense of hope for a healing of the World.

4 people found this helpful

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Paul Keogh Amripur Consulting P/L

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly mind-expanding read

Reviewed in the United States on 15 April 2020

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For everyone looking for meaning beyond self-interest and to expand awareness beyond time and space. A strong call to action in these troubled times.

3 people found this helpful

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Guttersnipe Das

5.0 out of 5 stars Because Eating Blueberries Is Not Enough.

Reviewed in the United States on 4 January 2009

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I read a lot of spiritual books. So many, in fact, I fear I am becoming immune. Most spiritual books seem awfully cheap and flimsy lately. Out of touch. Our world is gravely threatened and all most of these books can offer is a slimmed-down, buffed up self. Washboard abs for a gutted earth. The air is full of carcinogens -- but at least my teeth are white!

For real spirituality, for a view of the self and the world both exhilarating and useful -- see Joanna Macy. Put her picture in the dictionary next to the word 'visionary'. She is helping us re-imagine time, the world and the self. She's not skipping the pain and she's telling the truth.

We say "everything is interconnected" but what does that mean? We produce depleted uranium with a half-life of 4.5 billion years -- how do we even start to think about that kind of time? What if it's already too late? Am I just a drama queen when I cry thinking about the polar bears who drown because they can't find ice on which to rest? These are the questions I have -- and this is the book for them.

I read an earlier version of this book when I was nineteen, sitting in a college library. I remember writing "the forests are my lungs outside the body" and understanding a little bit and reeling. For a week, I staggered around like a man hit on the head with a plank.

If our species and civilization are going to survive, we have to take a humungous leap. Recycling cans and eating blueberries is not going to be enough. Al Gore, Thomas Friedman, Lester Brown are lined up with suggestions but where does the strength and vision necessary for transformation come? For that, Joanna Macy is the best guide I have found.

68 people found this helpful

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Harold J. Arns

5.0 out of 5 stars In our world of greed, corruption, disregard of ...

Reviewed in the United States on 26 February 2015

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In our world of greed, corruption, disregard of the environment, and a complete lack of respect for the species we share the planet with, Joanna Macy is a voice of hope, enlightenment, and caring. This book will help you cope with the despair a plutocracy creates and hopefully inspire you to become active in the movement to restore health to our communities, our environment, our planet.

6 people found this helpful

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World as Lover, World as Self

by Joanna Macy, Thich Nhat Hanh (Foreword)

 4.28  ·   Rating details ·  360 ratings  ·  28 reviews

This overview of Joanna Macy's innovative work combines deep ecology, general systems theory, and the Buddha's teachings on interdependent co-arising. A blueprint for social change, World as Lover, World as Self shows how we can reverse the destructive attitudes that threaten our world.

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Paperback, 252 pages

Published September 1st 1991 by Parallax Press (first published 1991)

Original TitleWorld as Lover, World as Self

ISBN0938077279 (ISBN13: 9780938077275)

Edition LanguageEnglish

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World as Lover, World as Self: Courage for Global Justice and Ecological Renewal 

World as Lover, World as Self: A Guide to Living Fully in Turbulent Times 

World as Lover, World as Self: A Guide to Living Fully in Turbulent Times 

Maailma rakastajana ja minuutena: Keinoja maailmanlaajuisen ympäristökatastrofin torjumiseksi 

World as Lover, World as Self

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LISTS WITH THIS BOOK

How Not to Die by Michael  GregerWhy the Mystics Matter Now by Frederick BauerschmidtThe Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Terence DickinsonThe Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian GreeneBrain Surgeon by Keith Black

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 Average rating4.28  ·  Rating details ·  360 ratings  ·  28 reviews

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Kate Savage

Mar 22, 2018Kate Savage rated it it was ok

I was taken by the first section of this book. It helped me think harder about forming my own spiritual practice around caring for the Earth.

But then it became a long text on the nuances of different forms of Buddhism, and their superiority to Hinduism, and I'm not really here for that.

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Charles

Oct 28, 2008Charles rated it liked it

Shelves: religion, social-issues, buddhism, ecology, spirituality

The parts of this book that deal with Dependent (or Interdependent) Co-Arising, the history of Buddhism, and the parallels between Buddhism and Systems Theory are very good. Joanna Macy's approach to the problem of radioactive waste, however, suffers from her own admitted fear and despair of the issue. I'm not eager to be critical of that fear: radioactive waste is a scary-ass problem; however, in order to see the issue more clearly, I think it's important for readers to be willing to do widen ...more

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Christopher Heimarck

Apr 11, 2013Christopher Heimarck rated it it was amazing

it was this book that brought me back to a respect for, and belief in, buddhism that i had years ago, before i left it and went the direction of the Bible and Christianity. and though i am primarily a Christian, i am also a buddhist. this book might be considered to be "eco-buddhist" in the sense that it reflects an understanding of buddhism, but also a deep love for the world, the creatures and plants in the world, and a desire to help do whatever possible to help human beings survive ...more

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Julie

Mar 30, 2008Julie rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

My Thinkgirl.net review:

World as Lover, World as Self is a uniquely large scale meditation on social justice and ecology. This newly revised and entirely relevant book may inspire activists of all causes and backgrounds. Buddhist philosophies inform Macy's work, which realistically depicts the world's devastations. At the same time, it promotes philosophical approaches to despair, shares heartening poems, and guides readers through meditation exercises. For example, she does not shy away from discussing death; she situates us as ancestors who must act on behalf of future generations. Since I slowed down and immersed myself in this book, I have found my own thinking to be more holistic. I have been mulling over the intersections of feminist, anti-racist, anti-poverty, environmental, and holistic health movements. As she writes, "we can take on isolated causes and fight for them with courage and devotion...we tend to fall into the same short-term thinking that has entrapped our political economy...What a difference it makes to view our efforts as part of a vaster enterprise."

--Review by Julie Fiandt

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Gail

Feb 28, 2015Gail rated it it was amazing

This is an amazing book. So rich, so deep, so inspiring. Written by an eco-Buddhist, who uses her deep understanding of Dharma to mobilize our energies and compassion toward healing the earth. I will be reading this book again and intend to attend workshops that the author runs or others run based on her Work that Reconnects. I also was so taken with Joanna Macy that I am now reading her memoir. She has written other books as well; I will be reading them all! If you have any itch to do something ...more

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Mandy Haggith

Dec 20, 2015Mandy Haggith rated it really liked it

Rather crowded with Buddhist doctrine, but with some great insights about how to survive as an environmental campaigner. I tried a bit of 'despair work' with some colleagues and it was insightful.

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Websterdavid3

Oct 21, 2013Websterdavid3 rated it it was amazing

(i want to thank Goodreaders for their opinions-- you ARE this "review")

World as lover, world as self; readers’ responses to Joanna Macy’s words

This is a collation of Amazon and Goodreads readers’ responses to Joanna Macy’s book, “World as love, world as self. (up to Oct., ‘13). My voice, in italics, structures and adds comments. Joanna’s voice is mostly indirect, seen through the mirror of her readers; readers identified by initials. The average reader ratings of Joanna Macy’s book were sky-high for both Goodreaders (n=126) 4.35 of 5, and Amazon rankers (n=11) 5.0 of 5.

Joanna Macy’s work* brings my mind, spirit, and action home. She writes, 
“The one question threading through my life here on this beautiful Earth is about how to be fully present to my world—present enough to rejoice and be useful—while we as a species are progressively destroying it. This book is my attempt to answer this preoccupation, as well as insight into the relief and guidance I have found in the teachings of the Buddha.” Intro, p. 11

Her words invite us to learn our world anew, to notice, to feel deeply, to change, and to act.

Learning from Joanna Macy’s words:

“I can’t even begin to put into words how important this book is. It focuses on our interconnectedness with the natural world, the psychology behind our apparent disconnect… and how to begin to change it, to come back to our rightful place in nature. If you want to heal your relationship with the planet, this is a must read. “ (MK)

” …uniquely large scale meditation on social justice and ecology…. At the same time, it promotes philosophical approaches to despair, shares heartening poems, and guides readers through meditation exercises.” (JU)

“Macy merges Deep Ecology, Buddhism and systems theory to address the many environmental crises we face.” (NM) “ The book’s title… suggests [that] people tend to view the world in one of at least four ways: as battlefield, as trap [‘in which the world is viewed as a tempter, ensnaring us in its web, and that our job is to transcend this existence to free ourselves from it’-TOD], as lover or as self.” (RG)

“Her foundation is firmly in Buddhist thinking and practice, and she spends the first half of the book giving us a compelling history of Buddhist thought and its place among other religious and spiritual traditions. “ (KC) “The parts of this book that deal with Dependent (or Interdependent) Co-Arising, the history of Buddhism, and the parallels between Buddhism and Systems Theory are very good….” (CHA).

She teaches a challenging philosophy–“There’s a lot of fairly technical stuff about early Buddhist doctrine, which I probably didn’t understand at all.” (SAR)

Mutual causality: “Part Two discusses the contemporary relevance of classic Buddhist teachings, especially the concept of ‘mutual causality’ (RG). Joanna speaks of “deceptively simple” dependent co-arising/mutual causality, “…things do not produce each other or make each other happen, as in linear causality. They help each other happen by providing occasion or locus or context, and in so doing, they in turn are affected.” [p. 33]

Gaia is a self-regulating world: “I loved her [quoting] Australian rainforest campaigner, John Seed: ‘I try to remember that it’s not me… trying to protect the rainforest. Rather , I am part of the rainforest protecting itself.’…This book connects ecological activism, psychology and Buddhism together in a wonderfully encouraging way. I particularly like the guided meditations that are found throughout the book, especially the ‘Meditations in Deep Time’ section where we reconnect with the beings of the past and the future and ultimnately with Gaia herself.” (JG)

*including Active Hope, Mutual Causality in Buddhism and General Systems Theory, Coming Back to Life, and Widening Circles: a Memoir. [move to bottom of page]

Noticing

Engaging mind through learning demands active noticing. “Macy writes about the Buddhist practice of “Sarvodaya” – which means ‘everybody wakes up.’” (RM) “We say “everything is interconnected” but what does that mean?… These are the questions I have — and this is the book for them.” (GD)

Time,a friend in peril

[This book is] “mostly about future looking. A new idea for me was ‘reinhabiting time’ to be responsible to future generations.” Joanna Macy asks us, through the voices of the Haudenosaunee (Iriquois Confederacy) to listen to the voices 7 generations back and the voices of those 7 generations forward. She contrasts this view with a pervasive “hurry sickness.” (AM)

Capitalism can reward acting at this reckless speed. Yet, we truly are about to become dust and ashes. Can we contribute to our world as we go? Joanna’s political engagement led her to say, “both the progressive destruction of our world, and our capacity to stop that destruction, can be understood as a function of our experience of time.” [p. 171] We are grounded richly by acting for the longer-run, rather than with a temporal horizon of the next micro-trade or even profit-loss goals three years down the road.

“The most powerful point Joanna Macy makes is that we DON’T have to feel sure of success, or certain of failure, to rise up and try to save the world for our grandchildren. There are no guarantees. She provides stories of Tibetan monks who have rebuilt destroyed monasteries even in the face of future destruction. In that same spirit, cheerfully, we need to rebuild our precious planet, with a smile on our face, no matter how unlikely the result. Any effort will do – there are a thousand ways to help. “ (KC)

We can act with ease if, only if, we trust ourselves. as teachers and trust our students, our offspring, as part of us. My passing is the passing of one water drop in a river.

KC found Macy broadening ‘Be Here Now.’ “This author challenges the holy grail of most meditative traditions: the ‘present moment.’ Joanna Macy is impatient with those of us who are content to feel good and be ‘in the now.’ The future, she argues, must be ever-present in our minds, meditations, and actions. Our minds must visualize future generations, who are depending on us to wake up in time to salvage and rejuvenate life on earth. “

Deep Feeling

Joanna has a “… deep love for the world, the creatures and plants in the world.” (CH). “Our job is to be both fully aware in fully in love! Thank you, Joanna Macy, for this wonderful gift to all humankind. “ (TOD).

Joanna Macy teaches, in World as Lover and in Active Hope that the road to hope and connection is through despair for the world. “The cause of our apathy… is not indifference. It stems from a fear of the despair that lurks beneath the tenor of life-as-usual…. The refusal to feel takes a heavy toll. It not only impoverishes our emotional and sensory life– flowers are dimmer and less fragrant, our loves less ecstatic– but also impedes our capacity to process and respond to information. The energy expended in pushing down despair is diverted from more creative uses, depleting the resilience and imagination needed for fresh visions and strategies.” [Joanna Macy, pp. 92-93]

Despair to hope is not easy for CHA to swallow: “Joanna Macy’s approach to the problem of radioactive waste, however, suffers from her own admitted fear and despair of the issue. I’m not eager to be critical of that fear: radioactive waste is a scary-ass problem; however, in order to see the issue more clearly, I think it’s important for readers to be willing to do widen their perspective beyond Macy’s. “

World as Lover… is a catalyst; we are changed by it

“I read an earlier version of this book when I was nineteen, sitting in a college library. I remember writing ‘the forests are my lungs outside the body’ and understanding a little bit and reeling. For a week, I staggered around like a man hit on the head with a plank.” [GD]

“This book will change the way you think.” (MK)

“I can work against depression on an individual self level (AM)…but that there was something else…. bigger.” “Since I slowed down and immersed myself in this book, I have found my own thinking to be more holistic. I have been mulling over the intersections of feminist, anti-racist, anti-poverty, environmental, and holistic health movements.” (JU)

What you see teaches you, can brace you, and determines how you act…

“Macy provides a road map for the rest of us so that we can see the infinite extent of our relations and develop the compassion to act wisely and not get lost in despair.” (NM) “For real spirituality, for a view of the self and the world both exhilarating and useful — see Joanna Macy…. She is helping us re-imagine time, the world and the self.” (GD) “Buddhist, Environmentalist, Philosopher, translator of Rilke all wrapped into a book that helps you when you feel so discouraged by the state of the world.” (AM)

[Joanna Macy promotes the] “desire to help do whatever possible to help human beings survive indefinitely into the future. At one time i believed salvation was my responsibility for myself, to go to heaven. Now I believe, as the bodhisattva believes, that one’s task is to save everyone…. What are you doing for the human race? Do you understand human survival itself is in question?” (CH)

Four readers spoke of action implications:

“If our species and civilization are going to survive, we have to take a humungous leap. Recycling cans and eating blueberries is not going to be enough. Al Gore, Thomas Friedman, Lester Brown are lined up with suggestions but where does the strength and vision necessary for transformation come? For that, Joanna Macy is the best guide I have found.” (GD)

“[Macy’s] careful understanding of Buddhism leads beyond the self and the moment, and requires a focus on the well-being of the world. Come down from your ashrams; rise up off your meditation cushions! Well-being of the world requires political awareness and courageous activism. “ (KC)

“I appreciate Joanna’s efforts to emphasize the necessity of having a spiritual practice if one wishes to engage successfully and mindfully in social activism,” (AL)

“The environmental problems we’re witnessing today will require as much spiritual transformation as economic change.” (RM)

Part 2: “World as Lover…” is crafted….”is a personal and beautifully written book.” (NM)

“The most interesting part for the non-Buddhist were the essays on her experiences studying and doing community work in Tibet and Sri Lanka.” (SAR)

“Not an autobiography, it nevertheless conveys most clearly the author’s personal concerns in the fields of Buddhism, deep ecology and systems philosophy. Joanna says this book contains ‘so many pieces of my life that reflect the pursuits of my heart and mind.” (RG)

Two readers felt some disconnect: “Her writing in World As Lover, World As Self was a little dry and mechanical for me.“ (AL) “This book may be a bit slow going for those who are not particularly interested in Buddhist thinking, but the second half is astounding, motivating, comforting, fresh, and even exhilarating.“ (KC)

World as Lover….. embraces life changes that readers had already made. “I feel grateful when my experience is outlined by…[World as Lover….]. It makes me feel like I am on track.[AM]“ “this book … was like finding gold. I’ve been practicing meditation for years and my experience brought me to the same life-affirming conclusion that Joanna Macy expresses in this book.” (TOD)

Like food, the best compliment is hunger for more.

(CHA) This is the second time I’ve read this book.” (ED) I’m eager to read it again.” “I first read at the beginning of this decade and have reread several times since.” (CH) ”…there is great wisdom in this book and i highly recommend it.” (RM) “I would recommend this book as a primer for those serious activists and nascent Buddhists, as well as a resource of insight for those exploring the connection of social activism and spirituality.(AL) “If Eckhart Tolle… provide first-class “undergraduate work” in human psychology and meditation practice, Joanna Macy takes us to graduate school.” (KC)

“If you want to heal your relationship with the planet, this is a must read.“ (MK) (less)

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Krystal Baculinao

Sep 23, 2020Krystal Baculinao rated it liked it

A spiritual take on the impact the industrial revolution has had, and how we must expand our sense of self to include the world around us. Macy guides the reader to envision centuries from now, whether there will be an Earth left that is livable, and probes for an action plan cultivated out of compassion and empathy for future generations. Her writing is vivid and lyrical in tying her academic knowledge of Buddhism, social science, and ecology while she recaps anecdotes of her various community projects on sustainability from rebuilding temples in Tibet to nuclear prevention in New Mexico. Much of the book is written in prose, including several meditations to follow and poem excerpts from other authors, which makes it less straightforward than a purely environmental science-based text. I enjoyed her fusion of eco-philosophy nonetheless. Would say this is a good book for inward reflection on how we can shift our individualistic culture, consumer habits, relationship to time, and awareness of our universal connection to all life forms on Earth, in order to make an effort in slowing down the damage of climate change. (less)

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Kaitlyn

Oct 29, 2018Kaitlyn rated it liked it

The first part of this book is very strong and ahead of its time, which is to say, Macy speaks in terms that I’ve only recently heard in common conversation. She jumps right into a view of ecology and environmental awareness that is definitely happening now, but wasn’t nearly so talked about when the book was written.

Unfortunately though, as the book progresses, I found her concepts falling a bit short. She differentiates emptiness from systems theory, instead of viewing them as different packaging for the same thing. And some of the essays in the second half are quite dated.

It was an interesting read, but I can think of many stronger books on this subject matter. (less)

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Sara Gray

Mar 04, 2019Sara Gray rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Three and a half stars. While a lot of the assertions about dharma weren't new to me, I loved her incorporation of systems theory and deep ecology with dharma. She wrote about very complex issues in a simple, easy-to-understand way that I really appreciated. This is also a great read for anyone suffering from burnout from confronting, again and again, just how dour a state the world is in right now. Learning to accept one's despair and feel compassion for the world (and the self) as it is, is a ...more

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Amie Whittemore

Jun 12, 2019Amie Whittemore rated it really liked it

Honestly, I got 2/3 through and realized I was never going to finish it, at least not by the time it should go back to the library. Macy's thoughts are brilliant, and she does a fine job of highlighting climate crisis as a spiritual crisis, and providing ways for us to enter our despair without having to pretend hopefulness. I learned a lot from this book. A bit sad to have to let it go, but it was time to move on.

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Emma

Jul 04, 2020Emma rated it it was ok

Shelves: e-book, ch7

I couldn't take anything seriously after she blamed destructive worldviews on violent video games. Smh.

Greening of the Self Joanna Macy

Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: Greening of the Self

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Greening of the Self
byJoanna Macy

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From Australia

Linda
5.0 out of 5 stars I read this in one sitting and absolutely loved itReviewed in Australia on 10 September 2019
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Very relevant in the current zeitgeist.


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From other countries

Rikki
5.0 out of 5 stars So much sense in so few wordsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 August 2017
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This essay synthesizes the science and the philosophies that point to how we are symbiotically linked across time and space to all life and only our fears get in the way of understanding that. When we do, caring for the planet is not a moral duty but as clear and obvious as nurturing our bodies.

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exhumn
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful!Reviewed in Canada on 22 January 2016
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A quick read jam packed with wisdom and inspiration. Joanna's passion shines through each word like the beacon of light that she is...like we all are should we choose to remember.

As the earth changes at an accelerated rate, we are collectively being called upon to remember that we are not separate. We are being called upon to step into a more authentic mode of consciousness known as the greening of the self. This book is a beautifully written wake up call in times of great transformation.

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KiJoseph Fernando
4.0 out of 5 stars Be in touch with the ecologyReviewed in India on 25 August 2018
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Awareness about being ecological.
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Aydin Ayten
1.0 out of 5 stars NO E MAI APPARSO NEL MIO KINDLEReviewed in Italy on 27 May 2015
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Non posso dare nessun opinione che il mio dispiacere che non l'ho mai recevuto nel mio Kindle. Ho fatto ordine di aquista ieri sera
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GE Mitchell
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2014
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Brilliant!
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ktbug58
5.0 out of 5 stars This book describes things, as I have always felt, connected to everything.Reviewed in the United States on 20 November 2019
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I chose this book as the title was a bit different,
I was curious to see an ideal that might take me a step further into my understanding of light, energy, life connections.
I wish children were taught to think about life connections like this, we are the world song is similar in these thoughts.
But in every religion I've heard about connections with all that is life and living. About loving unconditionally and taking care of every being , every critter, every tree etc.
I thought for a long time I'm the only one who sees life in this way, the only one who is willing to cry for a burning forest, or life effected by ignorance or carelessness.
It's a good read and I'd recomend anyone with an open mind to read this and give it some thought.

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Cheryl
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and urgentReviewed in the United States on 25 April 2019
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I just finished it. It’s short but very impactful. It’s so short and full of so much amazing wisdom I honestly wish everyone would read it. It’s what we need to know about ourselves now if we have any hope of “saving” our planetary home. And it’s put in the framework of systems and self, with scientific explanations.

As a practicing Buddhist I have heard and read many dharma talks about non-self and for me, this author’s portrayal about how we’re actually limiting ourselves by hanging on to something so small and destructive to ourselves and others. Read it! It took me about a half hour to finish.
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Carole B
5.0 out of 5 stars All There IsReviewed in the United States on 27 March 2013
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Please read this book. There is nothing derogatory about "being green" and loving creation. It is a short text which wraps a ribbon around ourselves as human, created, spiritual, and most importantly, as just one cog in the works of Creation. Joanna Macy is never preachy - she's a Buddhist! - she is sincere, loving, wise and whole. We are "greening ourselves" all over the world! The earth is asking us to speak up, not to hide behind chainsaws and investment portfolios, fracking and driving our energy on the blood of the earth. The legs we cut down are our own, the water we poison is the 99% of which our human body is constituted, the money in our bank is paper. The earth has given us everything we need, and the West just sees the earth as something separate - not as the All There Is it is. Read this.

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Suzanne Beaumont
5.0 out of 5 stars Protecting the World is Protecting OurselvesReviewed in the United States on 26 September 2020
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Joanna expands our limited definition of a self enclosed in a body to a vastly expanded self which encompasses our interrelationships with all the natural world. This perspective changes our environmental conflicts from protecting a limited confined self to seeing and delighting in preserving the diversity of beings. For in caring for all we are caring for ourselves.
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Greening of the Self
by Joanna Macy
4.69 · Rating details · 75 ratings · 3 reviews
The premise of "Greening of the Self" is that we are not individuals separate from the world. Instead we are always co-arising or co-creating the world, and we cannot escape the consequence of what we do to the environment. Joanna Macy's innovative writing beautifully demonstrates that by broadening our view of what constitutes self we can cut through our dualistic views and bring about the emergence of the ecological self, that realizes that every object, feeling, emotion, and action is influenced by a huge, all-inclusive web of factors. Any change in the condition of any one thing in this web affects everything else by virtue of interconnectedness. "Greening of the Self" is visionary and future-oriented, making it essential reading for anyone who wants to discover the knowledge authority and courage to respond creatively to the crises of our time. Based on a chapter in Joanna Macy's bestselling "World as Lover, World as Self." (less)
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ebook, 27 pages
Published May 14th 2014 by Not Avail (first published March 18th 2013)
ISBN1937006425 (ISBN13: 9781937006426)
Edition LanguageEnglish
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Greening of the Self
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Suzanne Beaumont
Sep 26, 2020Suzanne Beaumont rated it it was amazing
Protecting the World is Protecting Ourselves
Joanna expands our limited definition of a self enclosed in a body to a vastly expanded self which encompasses our interrelationships with all the natural world. This perspective changes our environmental conflicts from protecting a limited confined self to seeing and delighting in preserving the diversity of beings. For in caring for all we are caring for ourselves.
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Deshanta
Jun 01, 2016Deshanta rated it it was amazing
This paper was a taste test for me as I have two of Joanna Macy's other books on their way. I watched a video a few months back on "The Great Turning" and was blown away by the insight and knowledge that Macy brings to the table. The concept of eco Buddhism and living systems theory piqued my interest. 'Greening of the Self' makes me want to explore more knowledge in the quest to be a better citizen of Mother Earth, and in how I can further harness my contributions to the planet.

===

The valley spirit never dies;

It is the woman, primal mother.

Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.

It is like a veil barely seen.

Use it; it will never fail.

LAO Tsu, Tao Te Ching

The Greening of the Self

JOANNA MACY

JOANNA MACY, eco-philosopher and spiritual activist, returns our notion of the self to a deep kinship with all of life. Combining Buddhism and general systems theory, she expands our story to an ecological self which recognizes that the world is its body. May we turn inwards and stumble upon our true roots

in the intertwining biology of this exquisite planet.

May nourishment and power pulse through these roots,

and fierce determination to continue the billion-year dance.

-JOHN SEED

SOMETHING IMPORTANT is happening in our world that you will not read about in the newspapers. I consider it the most fascinating and hopeful development of our time, and it is one of the reasons I am so glad to be alive today. It has to do with our notion of the self.

The self is the metaphoric construct of identity and agency, the hypothetical piece of turf on which we construct our strategies for survival, the notion around which we focus our instincts for self-preservation, our needs for self-approval, and the boundaries of our self-interest. Something is shifting here. The conventional notion of the self with which we have been raised and to which we have been conditioned by main­stream culture is being undermined. What Alan Watts called "the skin-encapsulated ego" and Gregory Bateson referred to as "the epistemological error of Occidental civilization" is being peeled off. It is being replaced by wider constructs of identity and self-interest—by what philosopher Arne Naess termed the ecological self, co-extensive with other beings and the life of our planet. It is what I like to call "the green­ing of the self."

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Spiritual Ecology Joanna Macy

BODHJSATTVAS IN RUBBER BOATS

In a lecture on a college campus some years back, I gave examples of activities being undertaken in defense of life on Earth—actions in which people risk their comfort and even their lives to protect other species. In the Chipko or tree-hugging movement in north India, for example, villagers protect their remaining woodlands from ax and bulldozer by interposing their bodies. On the open seas, Greenpeace activists intervene to protect marine mammals from slaugh­ter. After that talk, I received a letter from a student I'll call Michael. He wrote:

I think of the tree-huggers hugging my trunk, block­ing the chain saws with their bodies. I feel their fingers digging into my bark to stop the steel and let me breathe. I hear the bodhisattvas in their rubber boats as they put themselves between the harpoons and me, so I can escape to the depths of the sea. I give thanks for your life and mine, and for life itself. I give thanks for realizing that I too have the powers of the tree-huggers and the bodhiscittvas.

What is most striking about Michael's words is the shift in identification. Michael is able to extend his sense of self to encompass the self of the tree and of the whale. Tree and whale are no longer removed, separate, disposable objects pertaining to a world "out there"; they are intrinsic to his own vitality. Through the power of his caring, his experience of self is expanded far beyond that skin-encapsulated ego. I quote Michael's words not because they are unusual, but to the contrary, because they express a desire and a capacity that is being released from the prison-cell of old constructs of self. This desire and capacity are arising in more and more

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people today, out of deep concern for what is happening to our world, as they begin to speak and act on its behalf.

Among those who are shedding these old constructs of self, like old skin of a confining shell, is John Seed, director of the Rainforest Information Center in Australia. One day we were walking through the rain forest in New South Wales, where he has his office, and I asked him: "You talk about the struggle against the lumber companies and politicians to save the remaining rain forests. How do you deal with the despair?"

He replied, "I try to remember that it's not me, John Seed, trying to protect the rain forest. Rather, I am part of the rain forest protecting itself. I am that part of the rain for­est recently emerged into human thinking." This is what I mean by the greening of the self. It involves a combining of the mystical with the pragmatic, transcending separateness, alienation, and fragmentation. It is a shift that Seed himself calls "a spiritual change," generating a sense of profound interconnectedness with all life.

This is hardly new to our species. In the past, poets and mystics have been speaking and writing about these ideas, but not people on the barricades agitating for social change. Now the sense of an encompassing self, that deep identity with the wider reaches of life, is a motivation for action. It is a source of courage that helps us stand up to the powers that are still, through force of inertia, working for the destruction of our world. This expanded sense of self leads to sustained and resilient action on behalf of life.

When you look at what is happening to our world—and it is hard to look at what is happening to our water, our air, our trees, our fellow species—it becomes clear that unless you have some roots in a spiritual practice that holds life sacred and encourages joyful communion with all your fel­low beings, facing the enormous challenges ahead becomes nearly impossible.

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Spiritual Ecology Joanna Macy

Robert Bellah's book Habits of the Heart is not a place where you are going to read about the greening of the self. But it is where you will read why there has to be a greening of the self, because it describes the cramp that our society has gotten itself into. Bellah points out that the individualism embodied in and inflamed by the industrial growth society is accelerating. It not only causes alienation and fragmentation in our century but also is endangering our survival. Bellah calls for a moral ecology. "We must have to treat others as part of who we are," he says, "rather than as a 'them' with whom we are in constant competition."

To Robert Bellah, I respond, "It is happening." It is hap­pening because of three converging developments. First, the conventional small self, or ego-self, is being psycho­logically and spiritually challenged by confrontation with dangers of mass annihilation. The second force working to dismantle the ego-self is a way of seeing that has arisen out of science. From living systems theory and systems cyber­netics emerges a process view of the self as inseparable from the web of relationships that sustain it. The third force is the resurgence in our time of non-dualistic spiritualities. Here I write from my own experience with Buddhism, but I also see it happening in other faith traditions, such as the Jewish Renewal Movement, Creation Spirituality in Christi­anity, and Sufism in Islam, as well as in the appreciation being given to the message of indigenous cultures. These developments are impinging on the self in ways that are helping it to break out of its old boundaries and definition.

CRACKED OPEN BY GRIEF

The move to a wider, ecological sense of self is in large part a function of the dangers that threaten to overwhelm us. Given news reports pointing to the progressive destruction of our biosphere, awareness grows that the world as we know it may come to an end. The loss of certainty that there will be a future is, I believe, the pivotal psychological reality of our time. Why do I claim that this erodes the old sense of self? Because once we stop denying the crises of our time and let ourselves experience the depth of our own responses to the pain of our world—whether it is the burning of the Amazon rain forest, the famines of Africa, or the homeless in our own cities—the grief or anger or fear we experience cannot be reduced to concerns for our own individual skin. When we mourn the destruction of our biosphere, it is categorically distinct from grief at the prospect of our own personal death.

Planetary anguish lifts us onto another systemic level where we open to collective experience. It enables us to recognize our profound interconnectedness with all beings. Don't apologize if you cry for the burning of the Amazon or the Appalachian mountains stripped open for coal. The sor­row, grief, and rage you feel are a measure of your humanity and your evolutionary maturity. As your heart breaks open there will be room for the world to heal. That is what is hap­pening as we see people honestly confronting the sorrows of our time. And it is an adaptive response.

The crisis that threatens our planet, whether seen in its military, ecological, or social aspects, derives from a dysfunc­tional and pathological notion of the self. It derives from a mistake about our place in the order of things. It is the delusion that the self is so separate and fragile that we must delineate and defend its boundaries; that it is so small and so needy that we must endlessly acquire and endlessly consume; and

Spiritual Ecology Joanna Macy

that as individuals, corporations, nation-states, or a species, we can be immune to what we do to other beings.

The urge to move beyond such a constricted view of self is not new, of course. Many have felt the imperative to extend their self-interest to embrace the whole. What is no­table in our situation is that this extension of identity comes not through a desire to be good Or altruistic, but simply to be present and own our pain. And that is why this shift in the sense of self is credible to people. As the poet Theodore Roethke said, "I believe my pain."

CYBERNETICS OF THE SELF

Twentieth-century science undermined the notion of a self that is distinct from the world it observes and acts upon. Einstein showed that the self's perceptions are determined by its position in relation to other phenomena. And Heisenberg, in his Uncertainty Principle, demonstrated that its perceptions are changed by the very act of observation.

Systems science goes further in challenging old assump­tions about a separate, continuous self, by showing that there is no logical or scientific basis for construing one part of the experienced world as "me" and the rest as "other." That is so because as open, self-organizing systems, our very breathing, acting, and thinking arise in interaction with our shared world through the currents of matter, energy, and information that move through us and sustain us. In the web of relationships that sustain these activities there is no line of demarcation.

As systems theorists say, there is no categorical "I" set over against a categorical "you" or "it." One of the clearest expositions of this is found in the writings of Gregory Bate-son, who says that the process that decides and acts cannot be neatly identified with the isolated subjectivity of the individual or located within the confines of the skin. He contends that "the total self-corrective unit that processes information is a system whose boundaries do not at all coincide with the boundaries either of the body or what is popularly called 'self' or 'consciousness." He goes on to say, "The self as ordinarily understood is only a small part of a much larger trial-and-error system which does the thinking, acting, and deciding."

Bateson offers two helpful examples. One is a woodcutter in the process of felling a tree. His hands grip the handle of the ax, there is the head of the ax, the trunk of the tree. Whump, he makes a cut. And then whump, another cut. What is the feedback circuit, where is the information that is guiding that cutting down of the tree? It is a whole circle; you can begin at any point. It moves from the eye of the woodcutter, to the hand, to the ax, and back to the cut in the tree. That self-correcting unit is what is chopping down the tree.

In another illustration, a blind person with a cane is walking along the sidewalk. Tap, tap, whoops, there's a fire hydrant, there's a curb. Who is doing the walking? Where is the self of the blind person? What is doing the perceiving and deciding? The self-corrective feedback circuit includes the arm, the hand, the cane, the curb, and the ear. At that moment, that is the self that is walking. Bateson points out that the self is a false reification of an improperly delimited part of a much larger field of interlocking processes. And he goes on to maintain that "this false reification of the self is basic to the planetary ecological crisis in which we find ourselves. We have imagined that we are a unit of survival and we have to see to our own survival, and we imagine that the unit of survival is the separate individual or a separate species, whereas in reality, through the history of evolution it is the individual plus the environment, the species plus the environment, for they are essentially symbiotic."

Spiritual Ecology Joanna Macy

The self is a metaphor. We can choose to limit it to our skin, our person, our family, our organization, or our species. We can select its boundaries in objective reality. As Bateson explains, our self-reflective purposive consciousness illumi­nates but a small arc in the currents and loops of knowing that interweave us. It is just as plausible to conceive of mind as coexistent with these larger circuits, with the entire "pat­tern that connects."

Do not think that to broaden the construct of self in this way will eclipse your distinctiveness or that you will lose your identity like a drop in the ocean. From the systems perspective, the emergence of larger self-organizing patterns and wholes both requires diversity and generates it in turn. Integration and differentiation go hand in hand. "As you let life live through you," poet Roger Keyes says, you just become "more of who you really are."

SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGHS

The third factor that helps dismantle the conventional notion of the self as small and separate is the resurgence of non-dualistic spiritualities. This trend can be found in all faith traditions. I have found Buddhism to be distinctive for the clarity and sophistication it brings to understanding the dy­namics of the self. In much the same way as systems theory does, Buddhism undermines the dichotomy between self and other and belies the concept of a continuous, self-existent entity. It then goes further than systems theory in showing the pathogenic character of any reifications of the self. It goes further still in offering methods for transcending these difficulties and healing this suffering. What the Buddha woke up to under the bodhi tree was pciticca samuppcida: the dependent co-arising of all phenomena, in which you cannot isolate a separate, continuous self.

152

Over the eons, in every religion, we have wondered: "What do we do with the self, this clamorous 'I,' always wanting attention, always wanting its goodies? Should we crucify, sacrifice, and mortify it? Or should we affirm, im­prove, and ennoble it?"

The Buddhist path leads us to realize that all we need to do with the self is see through it. It's just a convention, a convenient convention, to be sure, but with no greater reality than that. When you take it too seriously, when you suppose that it is something enduring which you have to defend and promote, it becomes the foundation of delusion, the motive behind our attachments and aversions.

For a beautiful illustration of how this works in a positive feedback loop, consider the Tibetan wheel of life. Pictured there are the various realms of beings, and at the center of that wheel of samsara are three figures: the snake, the rooster, and the pig—delusion, greed, and aversion—and they just chase each other round and round. The linchpin is the no­tion of our self, the notion that we have to protect that self or promote it or do something with it.

Oh, the sweetness of realizing: I am not other than what I'm experiencing. I am this breathing. I am this moment, and it is changing, continually arising in the fountain of life. We are not doomed to the perpetual rat race of self-protection and self-advancement. The vicious circle can be broken by the wisdom, prajna, of seeing that "self" is just an idea: by the practice of meditation, dhyana, which sustains that insight, and by the practice of morality, sila, where attention to our actions can free them from bondage to a separate self. Far from the nihilism and escapism often imputed to the Buddhist path, this liberation puts one into the world with a livelier sense of social engagement.

Our pain for the world reveals our true nature as one with the entirety of life. The one who knows that is the bodhi-sattva—and we're all capable of it. Each one can recognize

153

Spiritual Ecology Joanna Macy

and act upon our inter-existence with all beings. When we turn our eyes away from that homeless figure, are we indif­ferent or is the pain of seeing him or her too great? Do not be easily duped about the apparent indifference of those around you. What looks like apathy is really fear of suffering. But the bodhisattva knows that if you're afraid to get close to the pain of our world you'll be banished from its joy as well.

One thing I love about the ecological self is that it makes moral exhortation irrelevant. Sermonizing is both boring and ineffective. This is pointed out by Arne Naess, the Norwegian philosopher, who coined the terms "deep ecology" and "ecological self."

Naess explains that we change the way we experience our self through an ever-widening process of identification. Borrowing from the Hindu tradition, he calls this process self-realization: a progression "where the self to be realized extends further and further beyond the separate ego and includes more and more of the phenomenal world." And he says:

In this process, notions such as altruism and moral duty are left behind. It is tacitly based on the Latin term "ego" which has as its opposite the "alter." Altruism implies that the ego sacrifices its interests in favor of the other, the alter. The motivation is pri­marily that of duty. It is said we ought to love others as strongly as we love our self. There are, however, very limited numbers among humanity capable of loving from mere duty or from moral exhortation.

Unfortunately, the extensive moralizing within the ecological movement has given the public the false impression that they are being asked to make a sacrifice—to show more responsibility, more con­cern, and a nicer moral standard. But all of that would flow naturally and easily if the self were widened and deepened so that the protection of nature was felt and perceived as protection of our very selves.

Note that virtue is not required. The emergence of the ecological self, at this point in our history, is required precisely because moral exhortation does not work. Sermons seldom hinder us from following our self-interest as we conceive it.

The obvious choice, then, is to extend our notions of self-interest. For example, it would not occur to me to plead with you, "Don't saw off your leg. That would be an act of violence." It wouldn't occur to me (or to you), because your leg is part of your body. Well, so are the trees in the Amazon rain basin. They are our external lungs. We are beginning to realize that the world is our body.

The ecological self, like any notion of selfhood, is a metaphoric construct, useful for what it allows us to perceive and how it helps us to behave. It is dynamic and situational, a perspective we can choose to adopt according to context and need. Note the words: we can choose. Because it's a metaphor and not a rigid category, choices can be made to identify at different moments, with different dimensions or aspects of our systemically interrelated existence—be they dying rivers or stranded refugees or the planet itself. In doing this, the extended self brings into play wider resources—like a nerve cell in a neural net opening to the charge of the other neurons. With this extension comes a sense of buoyancy and resilience. From the wider web in which we take life, inner resources—courage, endurance, ingenuity—flow through us if we let them. They come like an unexpected blessing.

By expanding our self-interest to include other beings in the body of Earth, the ecological self also widens our window on time. It enlarges our temporal context, freeing us from identifying our goals and rewards solely in terms of our present lifetime. The life pouring through us, pumping

Spiritual Ecology

our heart and breathing through our lungs, did not begin at our birth or conception. Like every particle in every atom and molecule of our bodies, it goes back through time to the first splitting and spinning of the stars.

Thus the greening of the self helps us to reithiabit time and own our story as life on Earth. We were present in the primal flaring forth, and in the rains that streamed down on this still-molten planet, and in the primordial seas. In our mother's womb we remembered that journey, wearing vesti­gial gills and tail and fins for hands. Beneath the outer layers of our neocortex and what we learned in school, that story is in us—the story of a deep kinship with all life, bringing strengths that we never imagined. When we claim this story as our innermost sense of who we are, a gladness comes that will help us to survive.

====

"Nature, psyche, and life appear to me like

divinity unfolded—what more could I ask for?"

C.G. JUNG, The Earth Has a Soul

"Imagination is the living power and prime agent

of all human perception, and is a repetition in the

finite mind of the eternal act of creation

in the infinite I am."

Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings (9781897408001): Seed, John, Macy, Joanna: Books

Amazon.com: Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings (9781897408001): Seed, John, Macy, Joanna: Books

Thinking Like a Mountain provides a context for ritual identification with the natural environment, inviting us to begin a process of "community therapy" in defense of Mother Earth. It helps us experience our place in the web of life, rather than on the apex of some human-centred pyramid. An important deep ecology educational tool for both groups and personal reflection.

Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings F New Edition Used

by John Seed (Author), Joanna Macy (Author)

4.2 out of 5 stars    17 ratings

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book of readings, meditations, rituals and workshop notes prepared on three continents helps us remember that environmental defense is nothing less than "Self" defense. Including magnificent illustrations of Australia's rainforests, Thinking Like a Mountain provides a context for ritual identification with the natural environment, inviting us to begin a process of "community therapy" in defense of Mother Earth. It helps us experience our place in the web of life, rather than on the apex of some human-centred pyramid. An important deep ecology educational tool for activist, school and religious groups, Thinking Like a Mountain can also be used for personal reflection.

Thinking Like a Mountain has been made available through New Catalyst Books. New Catalyst Books is an imprint of New Society Publishers, aimed at providing readers with access to a wider range of books dealing with sustainability issues by bringing books back into print that have enduring value in the field. For more information on New Catalyst Books click here.

(2007-05-30)

About the Author

John Seed continues to direct the Rainforest Information Centre and raise funds for cutting-edge environmental activists and groups in South America, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Most years he visits North America or Europe offering workshops and presentations. He has made several new films and collections of environmental music, and been honoured by the Australian government with an OAM-Order of Australia Medal-for services to conservation and the environment. You can email John at johnseed1@ozemail.com.au for information about his forthcoming workshops, or find updated information at www.rainforestinfo.org.au.

Joanna Macy is a scholar, eco-philosopher, teacher and activist from Berkeley, California. She is the author of 8 books including Coming Back to Life and Widening Circles and has also produced a 3-DVD set entitled The Work that Reconnects.

Pat Fleming lives and works on Dartmoor, Devon, UK, where her passions include researching, growing, writing about and advising on medicinal plants. Over many years she has run a range of courses, trainings and events relating to earth-care, including deep ecology events, organic and biodynamic growing, and growing and using plants for medicine. A poet herself, she published Moor Poets-Volume One in 2004, which draws together voices from all over Dartmoor, including from men inside HMP Dartmoor prison, to speak out for the wild in poetry. Contact Pat at pat@wylde.gn.apc.org, or see www.wylde.gn.apc.org.

In 2006 Arne Naess was 94 years old. The Selected Works of Arne Naess (SWAN) is now available as a complete, boxed set. Information about SWAN is available from Springer Publishers (www.springeronline.com). Arne's last publication in English was Life's Philosophy: Reason and Feeling in a Deeper World (University of Georgia Press, 2002).

Product details

Item Weight : 6.4 ounces

Paperback : 128 pages

ISBN-10 : 1897408005

ISBN-13 : 978-1897408001

Publisher : New Catalyst Books; F New Edition Used (March 13, 2007)

Dimensions : 5.51 x 0.31 x 8.5 inches

Language: : English

Best Sellers Rank: #193,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

#109 in Ethics

#109 in Gaia-based Religions

#399 in Ecology (Books)

Customer Reviews: 4.2 out of 5 stars    17 ratings

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M. M. Grady

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep Ecology guide

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2017

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THE BEST "manual" for Deep Ecologists for use in ceremony!!

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Happy Doc

5.0 out of 5 stars Nature's Advocate

Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2012

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This is a classic work pioneering advocacy for the natural world using a group experiential process. Each person becomes an aspect of the natural world and speaks for that living entity in council. How would your feelings and attitudes change if you spoke for the trees?

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dp

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring antidote

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2014

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This is a wonderful and inspiring book that provided much needed encouragement for both my personal and broader engagement with Global Climate Change.

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Amanda Peck

5.0 out of 5 stars Not apathy, despair

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2008

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My "aha!" moment in this short and not at all new book came when John Seed says that the refusal to change everything right now that we all have with the problems the planet faces is not from apathy but despair.

"Experience with group work has shown that this despair, greef and anger can be confronted, experienced and creatively channeled. Far from being crushed by it, new energy, creativity, and empowerment can be released."

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Elliott C. Maynard

5.0 out of 5 stars Echoes of the Ancient Wisdom of the Earth

Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2004

"Thinking Like a Mountain" is an elegant tapestry of writings, poems, and observations which plumb the depths of Ecological Philosophy. This little book is a labor of love,crafted skillfully, with fascinating illustrations that convey the harmony, complexity, and uniqueness of the Natural World.

the Reoccurring Theme which is centeral to this book is that in order for Humans to be Balanced and Functional, it is necessary that they open themselves and learn to develop an increased sensitivity to the incredible diversity and richness of Nature. Within this context the Human Self, over time, becomes gradually transformed into the "Ecological Self" in an intricately and infinitely bonded universe within which the boundaries between Humans and their Ecological Selves become merged and indistinguishable from each other.

From the different, yet complementary perspectives of the three authors, the reader will come to realize that "whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of Earth," and that Man himself does not "weave the Web of Life" but instead exists as a mere "strand" within this interactively intricate web.

This is a simplistic, yet profound, book of "Discovery," where we learn that Gaia is becoming increasingly aware of Herself, and the intricate cycles and interactions of her countless Life-Forms within the Global Biosphere. For anyone who loves Nature, and wishes to better comprehend the philosophical interactions between Humans and Natural World, this book will prove to be a rich resource for both Mind and Spirit. Elliott Maynard, Arcos Cielos Research Center.

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LA4321

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended.

Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2017

I was gifted this book as a teenager nearly 20 years ago. It transformed my philosophical outlook and paved way to my adulthood, educational path, and ultimately career path. At risk of sounding cliche, it was a book that changed my life. I don't know if it would have been as transformative if I had read it at a different stage in life; however, I would still recommend the book. It's a quick and meditative read.

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Dmitry Poletayev

5.0 out of 5 stars We are the rocks dancing

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2007

The book is a collection of unique essays, essays with a single aim in mind - to spark a radical expansion of human consciousness. With a lofty goal as this, how does it fair? How deep is deep ecology? How vital is it, given the current massive environmental decline? Should we be concerned with the earth? These are some of the questions that will be tackled in this volume. To begin with, let us look into the text itself. Midway into the text, the reader is intentionally awed by an imposition of a radically different view of himself: "What are you? What am I? Intersecting cycles of water, earth, air and fire, that's what I am, that's what you are" (John Seed 1988, 41). The best way to characterize the text in a couple of words is - meditations on the earth. However, saying these words invariably undercuts the intricacy of exquisite poetic alliterations, metaphoric presence and a penetrating gaze, that the authors invoke on each page. Their work began in Australia, as a small grass-roots circle that held environmental rituals. They traveled, published, inspired, protested, performed, they traveled again. A journey of commitment to something beyond individual goals, their personal stories and essays seem more unified than a story of one man's life. The resulting book is filled with a sense of unceasing directed education, education that transcends classrooms and all conversation - powerful, meaningful words, cerebrally integral to the human being, penetrate the reader, and it is impossible to remain indifferent to the message.

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Gaia

5.0 out of 5 stars Experiential learning

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2018

I did a workshop once years ago. This is a great book.

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gertrude

5.0 out of 5 stars inspiring

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2013

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this book helps me to reconnect with myself, other living beings, and the earth. it includes beautiful poems and exercises.

5 people found this helpful

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julian ortleb

5.0 out of 5 stars A nice introduction to an extremely important topic

Reviewed in Germany on November 17, 2014

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Behind the abundant dry term “deep ecology” lies the only conclusive holistic approach to conceive ourselves as individuals, as species and in our involvement in this world. This booklet would not necessarily be my recommendation for the “theoretical-academic” introduction to the topic - for this I recommend “The Deep Ecology Movement: An Introductory Anthology”, which bundles many basic texts - but “Thinking Like a Mountain” impresses with a narrower but very coherent and all the more versatile compilation, which also includes poetic texts, and thus perhaps also enables a smoother entry. I find

particularly valuable that the guide for Joanna Macy's “Council for all Beings” is included here, a great workshop concept, with which we can re-expose our inner attachment to natural creation as part of a group work, which in most of us can be found through the hostile mechanisms of our materialistic consumer society.

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Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings

by John Seed, Joanna Macy, Pat Fleming, Arne Næss

 4.08  ·   Rating details ·  118 ratings  ·  18 reviews

Thinking Like a Mountain provides a context for ritual identification with the natural environment, inviting us to begin a process of "community therapy" in defense of Mother Earth. It helps us experience our place in the web of life, rather than on the apex of some human-centred pyramid. An important deep ecology educational tool for both groups and personal reflection.

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Paperback, 128 pages

Published March 13th 2007 by New Catalyst Books (first published 1988)

Original TitleThinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings

ISBN1897408005 (ISBN13: 9781897408001)

Edition LanguageEnglish

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 Average rating4.08  ·  Rating details ·  118 ratings  ·  18 reviews

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Michelle

Dec 25, 2019Michelle rated it liked it

This book is a collection of essays and poems aimed at a sort of newly created ritual called a "Council of all beings", as part of Joanna Macy's process that goes by the name "the work that reconnects". It's a noble goal, I think - to help us humans become more vibrantly aware of our connection to the Land, to all beings, both animate and inanimate. And some of the writings in the book are quite beautiful.

My issue with this book - and with the other things I've read about the work that reconnects - is that all the writings I've seen dwell deeply and almost exclusively in the pain of our loss, in our terror at the ongoing destruction of our world. And these are important fears, important sorrows, ones we need to acknowledge and, somehow, try to process so we can function. But no solutions are offered. No joy is shared. There's nothing here - nothing - to give us the kind of audacious hope required to get up, day after day, and TRY. All I feel from it is an intense hurt and fear of what is happening to the planet - and I'm well aware of that every day on my own. What we need, now, is ideas of new ways to act, new ways to operate in the world. Maybe these things are offered at the conferences and events that are lead by this group, but I don't find them in any of my readings from them.

Still, it's a good thing to try to cultivate empathy for the non-human world in humans, and there are some lovely pieces in this little collection. (less)

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Philippa

Feb 20, 2012Philippa rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

A poetic evocation of all creatures of the earth. Through prose and poetry, the 10 or so writers invite us to connect deeply with the earth and with all life, in order to restore the imbalance that we humans have created in the world.

The Council of All Beings (of the subtitle) is something I first heard of when reading Starhawk (The Fifth Sacred Thing, I think), and it sounds like a very powerful ritual.

After reading this you can never think of yourself as separate from nature. It shows how anthropocentric we have become, to our detriment, and shows new ways of relating to other beings and the earth herself. (less)

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linda

Jan 11, 2009linda rated it it was amazing

WoW - I love this book!

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CTEP

Jun 17, 2020CTEP added it

Shelves: 2010-11

Thinking like a Mountain towards a Council of all Beings by John Seed, ,Joanna Macy, Pat Fleming and Arne Naess This is a collection of essays, meditations, poetry and guidelines for group workshops called “A Council of all Beings”. The name “Thinking like a Mountain” is taken from a chapter in “A Sand County Almanac” written by Aldo Leopold (Forester and Ecologist) back in 1948. He wrote that unless we as humans can identify with the eco-system and “think like a mountain” disaster is inevitable. John Seed writes about his experience when he first became aware of his feelings about his connection to the earth. Feelings as he puts it, that we all have and the necessity that we all have to tap into this consciousness (knowing) in order to stop the destruction of the earth. He ponders and questions how to bring forth these realizations in order to awaken us to actively fight and defend life on earth. Joanna Macy is an activist in movements for peace and justice. She addresses the issue of despair and empowerment in her workshops. From discussions, emerged the “Council of all Beings” a form of group work which as she puts it prepares and allows people to hear “within themselves” the sounds of “the earth crying”. “It is a form which permits people to experience consciously both the pain and the power of their interconnectedness with all life”. The Council of all beings refers to a set of group processes and practices of which ritual enactment is a part. The work of the Council of all Beings is about confronting the despair and numbness and apathy that we feel, and to integrate, and to creatively channel it, and which empowers us to action on peace and or environmental issues. The other root of the Council of all Beings is the philosophy about nature called “Deep Ecology”. Deep Ecology questions the fundamental premises and values of contemporary civilization.. Pat Fleming runs trainings and events relating to “Earth Care “including deep ecology events, organic and biodynamic growing, and growing and using plants for medicine . Arne Naess, coined the term “Deep Ecology” in 1972 to express the ideas that “nature has intrinsic value, value apart from its usefulness to human beings”, in other words deeply felt spiritual connections to the earths living systems, and ethical obligations to protect them. I consider this book to be a little gem. It is usefull and inspirational . It is a book that I would pass down to my children. It is a book that makes the case and helps to remind me of my spiritual connection to mother earth, and interconnectedness to all life. I have had the opportunity to participate in a “Council of all Beings” workshop. The experience deepened my awareness, and belief in the idea that we are all one really, .and that we need to work together for peace. I do not know how this connects directly to the work that I do at Casa, except perhaps in an indirect way. When I become aware of my interconnectedness to the earth I also become aware of the larger community , of a larger self, and I realize that the only way that I can make a difference in the world is by taking direct action. I am taking direct action when I educate, teach and make available resources and information that empower community, and this can only help the cause for peace and justice (less)

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Gus Johnson

Nov 13, 2019Gus Johnson rated it it was amazing

John Seed helped save our NSW Australia Northern Rivers rainforests from Cedar cutting and clearing; rare and exceptional ecosystems now with World Heritage protection. John explored how and why our culture is so destructive, how did we lose our way that we can authorise, vote for and participate in such irresponsible and emotionless destruction of unique precious ecosystems and diverse life. John's research led him to meet, learn from and collaborate with fellow thinkers and conservationists including Professor Arne Naess, Joanna Macy and Pat Fleming. In so doing they discovered that our violence indifference and destructiveness in part derives from a disconnection from the natural world from where we evolved. Where once we needed to value and protect our environment in order to survive, our security now lies in our technology and economy, aspects totally dependant on a healthy planet. That collaboration and insight led them to produce this book.

Observing indigenous rituals and lore, the authors developed lessons, practices and exercises that help individuals and groups to reconnect to country, nature, even God if you interpret meaning, purpose and life that way. I commend this book to any who wish to better themselves, grow in wisdom, joy and compassion and protect this precious vulnerable and much endangered living world we share. (less)

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Kris

Feb 16, 2020Kris added it  ·  review of another edition

Při čtení jsem si připomněla, proč jsem si knihu před 10 lety pořídila - hledala jsem spojení s přírodou. Měla jsem zrovna deprese. Tahle kniha mi pomohla. Přestala jsem vnímat smrt jako něco konečné a něco, čemu musím běžet naproti, nebo se toho bát. Začala jsem vnímat svět okolo jako různé projevy Země a lidi jako jinou formu projevu vesmíru (materialisticky), a tak i já jsem jen kus vydělený z přírody, prozatím, než zemřu. Tahle myšlenka mě uklidňovala, a doteď mi pomáhá, a tahle kniha ji umocnila, nebo možná mě k ní přivedla. A jednou za čas je příjemné ji zase vytáhnout. (less)

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Dan Power

May 17, 2020Dan Power rated it liked it

This is a real mixed bag - part meditation, part eco theory, part poetry and part biography, all from a bunch of different writers.... there are some parts which are v inspiring and beautiful, and other parts which are a bit dull or even a bit egotistical (which really jars with a lot of the book's transcendental pre-post/humanist vibee), and the book not knowing exactly what it's trying to be is sometimes exciting and sometimes a bit tiring. Some very good and some not very good, but overall an interesting read! (less)

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Diana

Jun 17, 2018Diana rated it it was amazing

In this age of pipelines and hopelessness, this is a book worth rereading, especially if you need to experience, and then get past, your grief.

Expect an emotional meltdown, and expect a broadened perspective that takes in past and future generations and our evolution as biological creatures.

My hope is that people everywhere will hold Council of All Beings sessions to reignite their commitment to creating the just and green future we want.

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Michelle Keiser

Apr 23, 2019Michelle Keiser rated it it was amazing

Deeply moving, touching a subject that is incredibly important to humankind. There is a deep need to rekindle our connection with the earth on a level that goes beyond intellect. I recommend this book to every human being.

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Joseph Carrabis

Aug 01, 2017Joseph Carrabis rated it it was amazing

I first read this book as part of my anthropology studies and promised myself I'd read it again (kept it on an easy to reach bookshelf). Although it's a typical western cultural paradigm questing for more, it's still an entertaining read from the time when neo-shamanism and neo-paganism thrived.

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Dani Scott

Jul 11, 2019Dani Scott added it

Beautiful. Poignant. Relevant, fortunately and not, still.

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Naomi

Sep 05, 2011Naomi rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011

Not what I expected, but a useful, insightful book nonetheless. Should one plan to conduct such a retreat, however, this would be a five-star book. I had just hoped for more ecological essays, especially less familiar ones.

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Joshua

Jun 20, 2009Joshua added it

Shelves: hippie, summer09

"Threat of extinction is the potter's hand that molds all forms of life."--p.38

I thought I would enjoy this book more, but it sort of fell flat. I really can't see myself responding to the type of ritual development that this book proposes.

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Brian

Jul 16, 2014Brian rated it it was ok

Some of the pieces in this collection were thought-provoking. Some of them, especially the ritualistic, may not be everyone's cup of tea.

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Sasha

Sep 04, 2008Sasha rated it did not like it

Naess' essay is very good.

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Mark

Aug 14, 2014Mark rated it liked it

Meant as a guide to leading a Council of All Beings, this book was useful to me as a way to imagine one, to understand a bit more about the idea.

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Rissa

Feb 13, 2008Rissa rated it it was amazing

Amazing!

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Eden

Jun 16, 2012Eden rated it did not like it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

I thought this book sounded really interesting and my type of book. But I really couldn't get into it and didn't really enjoy it.

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