Deep Ecology Online, 6-week course

Deep Ecology Online: 

Practices for Awakening & Resilience in a Changing World

6-week course with online sessions and home practices

This workshop series is a result of extensive collaboration between 7 experienced Deep Ecology facilitators: Eshana Bragg, Inna Alex, Patrick Anderson, Br. Tenzin, Skye Cielita Flor, Miraz Indira and John Seed.

The 31 August til 5 October 2022 course will be facilitated by Inna Alex and Br. Tenzin Anderson.

Register here: https://forms.gle/mN8qPvdjDikTpPTi6

>> COURSE DESCRIPTION

We live in challenging and deeply uncertain times, where the words ‘climate emergency’ and ‘sixth mass extinction’ have hit the mainstream, and predictions of near-term social, economic and environmental collapse cause great concern for a growing number of people of all ages. The sickness of our culture has become hard to deny, and many of us feel alone as we hold within us the weight of the world. So many of us are also expressing a longing to come into a deeper connection with each other, to live meaningful lives and to feel returned to the circle of belonging within the wider Earth community.

There is also a growing desire to participate in a collective shift towards a regenerative and sustainable culture, what Joanna Macy calls, the Great Turning. In this body of work, we see the root cause of these converging crises to be the pervasive illusion of separation between humans and the rest of the natural world. By learning to recognize our interconnectedness we invite the spontaneous healing of the psyche and by extension, of the systems that were born from the deep split within us. We also come to understand the inseparability of personal, cultural, and ecological healing. Engaging the transformative power of communal ritual, process, dialogue, poetry and music- we will create a foundation of radical gratitude, to honour and transmute the grief we are carrying for the Earth and our global family, explore new ways of seeing these difficult times, and seek meaningful ways to respond. There are many hard things to face in our world today, but our pain is a sign that we are fully alive and connected to the web of life. If we want to contribute to a better world we must be willing to acknowledge and metabolize our fears and sorrows into inspiration, strength, and deeper purpose. Only then can we bring forward our unique gifts and shine a light into this dark night of the soul of humanity.

>> COURSE STRUCTURE & TIMING

This course goes for 6 weeks and entails weekly facilitated 2 hrs zoom sessions plus pre-recorded presentations and home practices (also around 2 hrs per week), and an optional 1-on-1 deepening with a buddy.

Zoom sessions happen each Wednesday evening for 2 hours (from 5.30-7.30pm AEST; 7.30-9.30pm NZST) starting on 31 August.

Pre-session recordings and links to home practices for the following week will be emailed out by Friday following each session. It is important you choose to commit about 2 hrs each week to exploring the pre-recorded presentations and home practises.

The buddy system will be set up in Week 1. Suggestions of how to use this will be provided, while it is fully up to you to make of it what serves you best.

Session Overview

• Week 1:   31 Aug - Introductions and Overview
• Week 2:   7 Sept - Coming from Gratitude
• Week 3:   14 Sept - Honouring Our Pain
• Week 4:   21 Sept - The Cosmic Walk
• Week 5:   28 Sept - The Council of All Beings
• Week 6:   5 Oct - Going Forth

Note: Due to changes from winter to summer time, the session on Sept 28 will begin at a slightly different time (TBC).

>>ABOUT YOUR FACILITATORS

▪︎ Inna Alex is a passionate deep ecology facilitator, community organizer,  and sustainable living educator. Her earth-based lifestyle in Tui Community, New Zealand, has provided her with many practical skills in permaculture living, organic gardening, healing foods, group facilitation, relationship and women's work. Inna is the main facilitator of InnaEvolution, offering events that deepen connection for positive action in our world. She also works with the Tui Balms workers' co-operative as well as in environmental & permaculture education with Earthcare Education Aotearoa.

▪︎ Br. Tenzin Anderson began his path focused on an intellectual understanding of interdependence, in the science of climate change impacts on biodiversity. The rainforest is a powerful meditation teacher however and soon led him to Buddhism. Ordained as a monk in the Sakya Tibetan tradition, he feels fortunate to have had opportunities to also study and practice under Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village, and at Pa-Auk Tawya in the Burmese Forest tradition. Guided by his main teacher Bhante Dhammadipa, he finds great complementarity between Theravadin, Zen, Vajrayana and Hatha Yoga perspectives. In Deep Ecology he finds a beautiful nexus between the path of awakening, the science of ecology, and environmental activism, as well as vital practices for connecting with an “ecological self” in this time of crisis. http://www.gaiaforest.org

>> COURSE FEE

• Concession: $250
• Standard: $350
• Solidarity: $450

Sincere applicants will not be turned away due to a lack of funds. We are offering one scholarship spot for activists. Please email innaevolution.nz@gmail.com if you feel you should receive this spot.

The course fee is due within 3 days of registering for the course via bank transfer or paypal (details will be sent out in your registration confirmation).

Register here: https://forms.gle/mN8qPvdjDikTpPTi6

>> CANCELLATION POLICY

Full refund minus a $50 admin fee, if canceling more than 7 days of the course starting.

No refund, if canceling within 7 or less days of the course starting.

>>  CREATING ABUNDANCE FOR POSITIVE ACTION

* 1/3 of the proceeds of this course will be donated to the Rainforest Information Center (RIC) and their affiliated working group, MRAG, in their efforts to protect Old Growth Rainforest in Australia and Ecuador*

INTRO TO RAINFOREST INFORMATION CENTRE (RIC)

The Rainforest Information Centre is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the protection of the Earth's remaining rainforests in partnership with the indigenous people and local communities who depend on them. 

INTRO TO MELBOURNE RAINFOREST ACTION GROUP (MRAG)

MRAG (Melbourne Rainforest Action Group) is a grassroots working group affiliated with the Rainforest Information Centre (RIC).

It was formed in 2018 as a response to RIC’s call out for support in growing a campaign to save Ecuador’s megadiverse rainforests in the Amazon and Western Andes from swathes of mining concessions, mostly held by Aussie companies and unscrupulous billionaires including BHP Billiton, FMG (Twiggy Forrest) and Gina Rinehart. If one single mine goes ahead, thousands of critically endangered species are at risk of extinction. These companies are also trampling on the rights of local and indigenous people living within their concessions. MRAG’s small team of volunteers have taken on the bulk of the work on the campaign. As well as fundraising to support Ecuadorian communities impacted by mining, MRAG conducts research and writes reports and media releases, all of which can be found at https://rainforestactiongroup.org/