Deep Ecology Weekend with Claire Carré

Deep Ecology Workshop

Deep Ecology is an approach which empowers us as human beings to live in harmony and play our true part on earth. We find our spiritual and psychological power at the very source of Life; we rediscover our roots and our belonging as living beings of Earth, opening our hearts and minds, uncovering our own resources to face the present planetary situation. This workshop offers practices to transform our worry and despair about the world into engaged creative action.

Deep Ecology draws upon techniques from a wide variety of traditions including Eco-psychology, Gestalt psychology, Tibetan Buddhism, Quaker practices, as of different native peoples. It is inspired by Systems Theory and some of the mind-blowing discoveries of contemporary physics and biology. The present period of planetary crisis calls us to reconnect with our natural reality, and teaches us to live in a life-sustaining manner, in balance with the whole ecosystem. In the workshops we explore our experience of our ecological identity, a term coined by the Scandinavian philosopher Arne Naess. This work was elaborated by Joanna Macy, defender of life and future generations. It is practical group-work, integrating body, emotions, mind and our personal spirituality (whatever form that may take) in order to strengthen our connection and tangibly feel our belonging to Earth.

Deep Ecology is also known as The Work that Reconnects.

Claire Carré, facilitator

Claire is part of an international Deep Ecology research team, who facilitate and develop the work in Europe. She also teaches movement and body awareness at Paris VIII University and with different organisations. Body awareness: of one’s own body, body of the group, body of the Earth. The alliance of body awareness and reconnection to nature is facilitated with simplicity, joy, whilst respecting each person’s sensibilities.

Claire Carré

01 43 75 45 72

clou.carre@free.fr

Further information about Deep Ecology:

Deep Ecology is an empowerment approach developed by Joanna Macy and others. It is based on the principle that by deepening our connection with life, we can open up the spiritual and psychological resources needed to face and respond to global issues. This can turn around the feeling of powerlessness that many feel when facing concerns about our world, whilst also helping us tap into a deeper source of energy, joy, and purpose in life.

Deep Ecology serves as the explanatory principle both for the pain we experience on behalf of our planet and its being, and for the sense of belonging that arises when we stop repressing that pain and let it reconnect us with our world. (Joanna Macy)

What Is Deep Ecology?

by Chris Johnstone

What is DEEP ECOLOGY?

Deep Ecology is a holistic approach to facing world problems that brings together thinking, feeling, spirituality and action. It involves moving beyond the individualism of Western culture towards also seeing ourselves as part of the earth. This leads to a deeper connection with life, where
Ecology is not just seen as something 'out there', but rather as something we are part of and have a role to play in.

Two Approaches to Ecology

1.) Scientific Ecology - the study of the inter-relationshipsbetween species and their environment.

In this approach, the relationship is of a detached observer separate from the object of study. The focus is on measurable data 'out there', collected by experts who know their 'facts and figures'.

2.) Deep Ecology - Experiencing ourselves as part of the living earth and finding our role in protecting the planet.

In this approach, the relationship is more of an involved participant, who feels connected with and part of the world around them. This is for everybody, not just experts, each being moved by our values, experiences and feelings to do our bit for the world around us. I find it useful to think of four directions that act together to make up the deep ecology approach - ideas, feelings, spirituality and action.

IDEAS

The central idea of Deep Ecology is that we are part of the earth, rather than apart and separate from it.

This idea is in contrast to the dominant individualism of our culture, where seeing ourselves as separate from our world makes it easier not to be bothered by what's happening in it.

This century, two key ideas have emerged out of scientific thinking that support the view of ourselves as part of the earth. The first idea comes from Systems Theory and the second idea is called The Gaia Hypothesis.

Systems Theory sees our world in terms of 'systems', where each system is a 'whole' that is more than the sum of its parts, but also itself a 'part' of
larger systems. For example, a cell is more than just a pile of molecules and itself is a part of larger systems eg. an organ. An organ is on one
level a whole in itself, but on another, it is a part of a system at the level of an individual person. A family and a community can both be seen as
'systems' where the 'parts' are people.

The Gaia Hypothesis takes this idea further and applies it to the whole planet. All of life on earth can be seen as whole that is more than the sum
of its parts, this whole being like a huge super-lifeform that we call 'Gaia' (after the name for the ancient Greek goddess of the earth). Living systems have a tendency to keep themselves in balance but also to adapt and evolve over time. Scientists have found that the earth also has these tendencies, with feedback mechanisms to 'keep in balance' the temperature and oxygen levels of the atmosphere, just as our bodies maintain the temperature and oxygen levels in our arteries.

The Gaia Hypothesis is stating that the earth is alive and that we are part of it. This is something that many cultures have known for centuries.

"We are part of the earth and it is part of us" from the speech attributed to Chief Seattle, North America, 1854.

FEELINGS

Facing the scale of social and ecological crisis in our world can leave us feeling numbed, overwhelmed and powerless. Yet there is often little place
for such feelings in conventional politics or in our society at large. The dominant response is to deny or distract ourselves from any uncomfortable feelings about the state of the world, and to carry on with 'business as usual'.

If we see ourselves as part of the world, it becomes possible to see that such uncomfortable feelings may serve a valuable function. Just as it hurts
when we put our finger over a flame, 'pain for the world' alerts us to the injuries of our world and can move us to respond. Allowing ourselves to feel for our world also opens us to a source of energy and aliveness, and a strength that comes from connection to something more than just our narrow selves.

SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality is to do with our inner sense of connection with something larger than ourselves and with our relationship with what we see as sacred.
This can give our lives a sense of meaning and purpose beyond material success and those special moments where we feel that connection more deeply can provide an important source of strength in difficult times.

If we see ourselves as part of the 'Tree of Life' - the interconnected web of beings we call Gaia, then a Deep Ecological approach to spirituality might emphasise our relationship with this larger whole. We may look at life itself as being sacred, and see the possibility of the larger force of life acting through us in our work for earth recovery. This 'life-centred spirituality' can be an important source of inspiration to face and respond to the problems of our world.

ACTION

When we integrate our beliefs, ideas and values into our behaviour, we bring them alive and give them the power to influence our world. If we see
ourselves as separate from the world, it is easy to dismiss our actions as irrelevant or unlikely to make any difference. Yet from the Deep Ecology perspective, we are part of the world and every choice we make will have ripples that extend beyond us. What may seem tiny and insignificant by itself always adds to a larger context, so that every time we act for life, we put our weight behind the shift towards a life-sustaining culture.

Why Deep?

The term 'Deep Ecology' was first introduced by the Norwegian activist and philosopher Arne Naess in the early 1970's, when stressing the need to move beyond superficial responses to the social and ecological problems we face. He proposed that we ask 'deeper questions', looking at the 'why and how' of the way we live and seeing how this fits with our deeper beliefs, needs and values. Asking questions like "How can I live in a way that is good for me, other people and our planet?" may lead us to make deep changes in the way we live.

Deep Ecology can also be seen as part of a much wider process of questioning of basic assumptions in our society that is leading to a new way of looking at science, politics, healthcare, education, spirituality and many other areas. Because this change in the way we see things is so wide ranging, it has been called a new 'worldview'. It tends to emphasise the relationships between different areas, bringing together personal and social change, science and spirituality, economics and ecology. Deep Ecology applies this new worldview to our relationship with the earth. In doing this, it challenges deep-seated assumptions about the way we see ourselves, moving from just seeing ourselves as 'individuals' towards also seeing ourselves as part of the earth. This can increase both our sense of belonging in life and our tendency to act for life.

What happens in Deep Ecology Workshops?

Deep Ecology workshops bring people together with the intention to heal our relationship with the earth. They provide an opportunity to explore our emotional responses to world problems and may offer 'despair and empowerment' methods to use the energy of these emotional responses in our work for earth recovery. The workshops introduce the Deep Ecology approach, working with ideas, feelings, spirituality and personal action planning. We also sometimes dance, sing, drum, meditate, use communication exercises, offer nature connecting experiences and non-dogmatically explore the role of ritual. These workshops have been strongly influenced by the work of Joanna Macy, John Seed and others. They aim to deepen our sense of connection with life and strengthen our ability to respond to world problems.