women sang back in chorus: What do the forests bear? Soil, water, and pure air. Soil, water, and pure air Sustain the Earth and all she bears. Beyond Monocultures From Chipko, I learned about biodiversity and biodiversity-based living economies; the protection of both has become my life’s mission. As I described in my book Monocultures of the Mind, the failure to understand biodiversity and its many functions is at the root of the impoverishment of nature and culture. When nature is a teacher, we ­co-create with her—we recognize her agency and her rights. The lessons I learned about diversity in the Himalayan forests I transfer... posted on Feb 13 2013 (17,532 reads)

the first cities collectively as centers of worship and trade that we are only now discovering in South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. These city cooperatives too have been experiencing their own youth as cities became the centers for competitive empire-building over thousands of years up to national and now corporate empires. We have at last reached a new tipping point where enmities are more expensive in all respects than friendly collaboration, where planetary limits of exploiting nature have been reached. It is high time for us to cross this tipping point into our global communal maturity of ecosophy. Exploring Ecosophy ‘Economy’ once meant the careful, effic... posted on Feb 26 2015 (22,784 reads)

the time we’re 60, we will have been alive for almost 22,000 days on this planet, rarely, if ever, stopping to watch just one. By immersion into nature in solitude, we allow the natural human to become entrained to the nature of the planet we are part of. On the 7th day, my mind was flowing at the speed of sea fog. Or maybe that was the description of my nervous system. I felt so present with a gentle flow — and my mind felt open to whatever arises. Good stuff. I had been camping in solitude in nature — on a hill over the ocean on the coast of California — as I have done twice a year for the past 20+ years. I jokingly call it my “People Fast&rd... posted on Apr 13 2020 (7,314 reads)

years ago, Minneapolis’s Washburn Center for Children, provider of mental health services to about 2,700 youths each year, decided a new facility was needed to replace the old building. This morning, the business journal Finance & Commerce reported on the Center’s coming Grand Opening — and on Washburn’s pioneering idea. “One of the keys to treating … children is connecting them with nature…” wrote Brian Johnson. “Large windows, abundant natural light…curved hallways, high ceilings, extensive landscaping and strong ties to the outdoors jump out at visitors… On the outside, a large playground with gra... posted on Jan 7 2015 (27,753 reads)

and went on long hiking trips in the mountains of Germany and Switzerland. Between 1904 and 1912 he lived in a rural setting in Gaienhofen on Lake Constance, where he built his own house. Reading good books and a walk in the woods alternated and filled Hesse’s daily schedule throughout his years. An avid gardener with much knowledge about the art and science of taking care of plants, he nourished his creativity by direct experience, by the cultivation of contemplative interaction with nature. The harvest of this dedication was rich, full of insightful analogies and an abundance of perceptive metaphors. With a growing awareness he understood the meaning of the great Hermes Trisme... posted on Jun 9 2019 (9,015 reads)

origins are of the earth. And so there is in us a deeply seated response to the natural universe, which is part of our humanity,” Rachel Carson wrote in reflecting on our spiritual bond with nature shortly before she awakened the modern environmental conscience. The rewards and redemptions of that elemental yet endangered response is what British naturalist and environmental writer Michael McCarthy, a modern-day Carson, explores in The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy (public library) — part memoir and part manifesto, a work of philosophy rooted in environmental science and buoyed by a soaring poetic imagination. McCarthy writes: ... posted on May 4 2021 (5,156 reads)

who I am. I am everything.” T: How do you get closer to her? M: By understanding who she is. The moment you understand who she is you come closer to her. As you are talking about her, we are coming closer to her and she listens. But the moment we abuse her we are distancing ourselves from her, from the Tree of Life. T: How do you understand who she is? M: Go and talk to her, your own way. It could be through having in mind this woman during your yoga sessions, your nature walks. Think of her and you get in very close to her. She will talk to you. She speaks all languages, known and unknown. That is why she is a mystery.  T: Do we hear her in our hea... posted on Dec 8 2019 (6,110 reads)

(Host): Today, our guest is none other than Jacob Needleman, someone who really embodies today's theme and hopefully we'll be able to dive into on, "Money and the meaning of life." We are really looking forward to it. I know I am, personally. I really want to thank all of you for joining us. Our theme for this week is " Money and the meaning of life". Our guest today wrote that, " we as humans are uniquely beings of two natures. The material, which is focused on the world of action and doing and the spiritual or transcendent, longing for something higher greater and more inclusive of the ordinary self. He has noted that our great possibility... posted on Jul 4 2015 (8,889 reads)

origins are of the earth. And so there is in us a deeply seated response to the natural universe, which is part of our humanity,” Rachel Carson wrote in reflecting on our spiritual bond with nature shortly before she awakened the modern environmental conscience. The rewards and redemptions of that elemental yet endangered response is what British naturalist and environmental writer Michael McCarthy, a modern-day Carson, explores in The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy (public library) — part memoir and part manifesto, a work of philosophy rooted in environmental science and buoyed by a soaring poetic imagination. McCarthy writes: ... posted on Aug 22 2018 (10,021 reads)

this in-depth interview, Dr. Suzanne Simard—the renowned scientist who discovered the “wood-wide web”—speaks about mother trees, kin recognition, and how to heal our separation from the living world. Transcript Emergence Magazine You’ve described your work as an exploration of how we can regain our respect for the wisdom and intelligence of the forest and, through that, help to heal our relationship with nature. And over the course of your career, you’ve made some remarkable scientific discoveries about the ways that trees communicate and the intelligence that lies at the heart of the forest eco... posted on Aug 16 2021 (7,489 reads)

scoot away from me on their long and spindly legs as my hands cut through the surface of the water. My breathing settles and my thoughts fall away as I focus on the movement of my legs and arms, propelling me forward. The sun strains to break through the marshmallow clouds, its weak rays reflecting off the surface of the water. If there is anything as peaceful as this, I have yet to discover it. Dr. Melissa Lem, a Vancouver family physician and longtime advocate of the health benefits of nature, remembers feeling that same quieting effect while spending time outdoors. (Lem and I went to high school together.) “I grew up feeling that connection to nature and not necessarily feel... posted on Jul 12 2024 (2,293 reads)

Dunn leads the way, barefoot, down a winding track behind her house to the banks of Birrurung, or the Yarra river. As we sit on the dry grass in the late afternoon of a 40-degree day, the cicadas chirp and there’s a sense of ease despite the intense heat. The only giveaway that we are in Australia’s second largest city is the distant hum of traffic. As I talk with Claire in this little patch of nature, I start to sense how, as humans, we can also find our way back to the wilder parts within ourselves. The chatter of my domesticated mind begins to fade to a distant hum. Claire is a guide to the wilds inside and out, and her passion is nature-based human development. Sinc... posted on Mar 1 2021 (4,751 reads)

parleys of information that give rise to everything in the created universe. Sound perplexing? Well, as a group of scientists are discovering, this orderly chaotic buzz is the way of the world, and if you just sit down and think about it, really think hard about it, or take long walks in the woods like Dee Hock did, you might find yourself surfing waves of miraculous and intricate order foaming at the narrow edge of chaos. Look deeply enough and you will discover the true nature of all of evolution's architecture. Dee Hock is the founder and former CEO of Visa International, the most successful business venture on Earth. Could this former bank manager with a con... posted on May 30 2013 (35,215 reads)

it didn’t happen. How did you approach this? BS: You’re not successful if you try to block out anything, because that’s a futile endeavor. The approach that we took was one of inclusion, but perhaps a more enthusiastic inclusion of other aspects of the community that had a greater depth to them in a certain way, a historical depth. The rivers that run through the town. That is an important specific. The image of the town arising out of the rolling hills of Connecticut; and nature, the nature that’s particularly at that site. We were just talking about the artwork that we put into the building, of ducks that used to be in the courtyard of the old school. We wish... posted on Aug 22 2016 (17,212 reads)

the wake of the Sandy Hook school shootings, we’ve talked about gun laws and mental-health treatment, amid a host of other responses. But one potential tool has not been mentioned. Now, let me say right off that I don’t pretend that nature is a paragon of peace. Writer Herman Melville once challenged the idea of nature as “the grand cure,” as he put it, and asked “who froze to death my teamster on the prairie?” The violence of nature is a fact, but this is also true: by assaulting nature, we raise the odds that we will assault each other. By bringing nature into our lives, we invite humility. “In our studies, people with less access to natur... posted on Nov 14 2016 (18,949 reads)

had grown only vegetables for 35 years without crop rotation and tons of fertilizers. When they ran out of ground water, the owner decided to sell it and we happened to buy it. It really didn’t matter that much to us so we planted about 9,000 hardy trees, a good percentage of them survived and the land rejuvenated itself. It is a source of everyday joy to wake up to the mini forest and the birds and the countless rabbits that are running across. It still gives me a startle. It is all nature’s work. You take one step and nature takes 10 steps. This is where we are today. One Experiment Leading to Another There were a few learnings in this process. You step into one holist... posted on Sep 22 2016 (25,871 reads)

plants that grow out of pavements have a history longer than our own. Birds communicate their news in songs and calls. Insects tunnel their way through the earth. The clouds draw the geography of the sky and the stars speak the language of light. We are surrounded by a living and vibrant universe that we barely know, and that we rarely feel as our own. On any given day, you may connect with nature at some random moment. Perhaps you take a quick look at the sky, admire the moon when it draws a perfect arabesque in the darkness, or stop to admire some blooms on a flower stall. On holiday, you may allow yourself to live a fleeting love affair with the sea, a river, or the green silence o... posted on Sep 5 2021 (4,816 reads)

July 2021 From genetic engineering to geoengineering, we treat nature as though it’s a machine. This view of nature has deep roots in Western thought, all the way to Descartes and Hobbs, but it’s a fundamental misconception with potentially disastrous consequences, argues Jeremy Lent. Climate change, avers Rex Tillerson, ex-CEO of ExxonMobil and erstwhile US Secretary of State,  “is an engineering problem, and it has engineering solutions.” This brief statement encapsulates how the metaphor of the machine underlies the way our mainstream culture views the natural world. It also hints at the grievous dangers involved in perceiving nature in this way... posted on Sep 12 2021 (4,861 reads)

the prescription is still on the fridge! I can’t thank you enough!” That rang a bell. I have been giving out old-school paper prescriptions for about two years now, where I prescribe non-pharmaceutical steps that have been proven to make people healthier. Apparently, I had given him one to get outside and take in the natural beauty of the sunset. “Thank you, Mr. T.,” I said. “That means a lot to me, and your feedback really helps!” I had heard that nature can make people happier and healthier, but, embarrassingly, I envisioned it for more “outdoorsy” people like me, whatever that means. Also, I assumed it would offer just a slight bu... posted on Oct 25 2021 (6,886 reads)

limitations, see the limitation of the mind, and see that what we have given primary authority too is actually not the deepest truth, and not the deepest intelligence, and certainly not the wisest aspect of our self. I'm not original in this, but I often say that the mind is a good servant, but a poor master. So, it's not about negating the mind, but it's actually about seeing its limits, seeing that there are places that it can't go. And particularly when it comes to our true nature, which is non-objective, the mind really needs to understand that it can't understand. It needs to know that it can't know. So, this is a very important part of the teaching, and it ... posted on Dec 23 2019 (9,049 reads)