https://www.deepecology.net/tags/featured/Recent content in Featured on deep ecologyHugoen-auThu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/obituary-stephan-harding/Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/obituary-stephan-harding/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_stephan_harding.jpg" alt="alt_text" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>September 5, 2024</p> <p>Harding left us this week, but not without first fulfilling his legacy of touching the hearts of thousands of students from all over the world with his way of teaching about the life of our planet.</p> <p>My first conversation with Stephan Harding was in England, where I was introduced to him by the visionary monk, author, and activist Satish Kumar. Satish had just invited me to study a master&rsquo;s program called Holistic Science at Schumacher College, a school he co-founded with Stephan. Sitting across from each other in the garden, full of energy, Stephan asked me, &ldquo;So, you want to do the master&rsquo;s program?&rdquo; Yes! From that afternoon in 2015 onward, he became my mentor, friend, professor, and the supervisor of my thesis, which explored ten possible ways to foster emotional connection with the Amazon rainforest.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/brian-swimme/Sun, 28 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/brian-swimme/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_brian_swimme.jpg" alt="Brian Swimme portrait photograph" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>Brian Swimme is a mathematical cosmologist and cultural historian who examines the implications of modern cosmology for human meaning and purpose. Trained as a mathematician at the University of Oregon and in gravitational dynamics at the University of California, Swimme shifted from technical research to communicating how scientific understanding of the universe relates to human consciousness and culture.</p> <p>Swimme collaborated with cultural historian Thomas Berry to write <em>The Universe Story</em> (1992), a synthesis of scientific cosmology and cultural wisdom. The work presents the 13.8-billion-year evolution of the universe as a narrative framework for examining human place within cosmic processes.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/gregory-bateson/Sun, 28 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/gregory-bateson/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_gregory_bateson.jpg" alt="Gregory Bateson" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) was an anthropologist, biologist, and cyberneticist whose groundbreaking work on systems thinking, learning theory, and the &ldquo;ecology of mind&rdquo; provided essential foundations for deep ecological understanding of consciousness and communication. His interdisciplinary approach revealed fundamental patterns connecting psychological, biological, and ecological systems.</p> <p>Bateson&rsquo;s early anthropological work led him to recognize that culture, mind, and nature operate according to similar systemic principles. His studies of communication patterns in humans and other animals revealed that information, not energy or matter, is the fundamental organizing principle of living systems - directly paralleling deep ecology&rsquo;s understanding that all beings participate in networks of relationship and communication.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/obituary-joanna-macy/Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/obituary-joanna-macy/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_joanna_macy.jpg" alt="alt_text" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of philosopher, mentor, teacher, activist and visionary, Joanna Macy. Joanna died peacefully at her home in Berkeley on July 19, 2025, at age 96, surrounded by family and friends. Her passing marks the end of a life devoted to weaving together Buddhist wisdom, systems thinking, and ecological awareness.</p> <p>Joanna&rsquo;s work synthesized principles of Buddhism, systems theory and deep ecology philosophy, creating frameworks that helped countless people transform despair about planetary crisis into engaged action. Her doctoral thesis, &ldquo;Mutual Causality in Buddhism and General Systems Theory,&rdquo; linked codependent arising with systems thinking, offering intellectual grounding for what would become her signature teaching methodology.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/essay-what-is-deep-ecology-harding/Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/essay-what-is-deep-ecology-harding/<p>Through deep experience, deep questioning and deep commitment emerges deep ecology</p> <p><em>By Stephan Harding</em> *</p> <p>IN THE 1960s, HAVING read Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, Arne Naess was moved to apply his formidable philosophical skills to understanding the ecological crisis and its resolution. Since becoming the youngest-ever professor of philosophy at the University of Oslo whilst still in his twenties, Arne Naess has revealed his brilliance by studying and writing extensively in many fields, including semantics, philosophy of science, and the works of Spinoza and Gandhi. But he is much more than an academic. His approach to ecology bears the stamp of his life’s experience as a philosopher in the truest sense — as a lover of wisdom, and as a lover of mountains. A key influence in his long life has been his deep relationship to Hallingskarvet mountain in central Norway, where, in 1937, he built a simple cabin at the place called Tvergastein (crossed stones).</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/arne-naess/Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/arne-naess/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_arne_naess.jpg" alt="Arne Naess portrait photograph" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>Arne Naess was a Norwegian philosopher who coined the term &ldquo;deep ecology&rdquo; in 1973, fundamentally reshaping environmental thought and activism. Born in Oslo in 1912, he became Norway&rsquo;s youngest professor at age 27 and would spend seven decades developing a philosophy that challenged humanity&rsquo;s relationship with the natural world.</p> <p>In 1937, Naess built a small mountain hut called Tvergastein at 1,500 meters above sea level in the mountains of central Norway. This austere retreat became the birthplace of his most influential ideas. There, surrounded by stone and sky, he developed what he called &ldquo;Ecosophy T&rdquo; - a personal ecological philosophy that integrated insights from Spinoza, Gandhi, and Buddhist thought with his direct experience of nature&rsquo;s grandeur.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/elisabet-sahtouris/Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/elisabet-sahtouris/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_elisabet_sahtouris.jpg" alt="Elisabet Sahtouris" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>Elisabet Sahtouris is an American and Greek evolution biologist, futurist, and author whose work emphasises how cooperation and symbiosis, rather than competition alone, drive evolutionary processes. Similarly to <a href="https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/lynn-margulis/">Lynn Margulis</a> Her research on living systems theory offers scientific foundations for ecological worldviews that recognize nature&rsquo;s inherent cooperative and self-organizing aspects.</p> <p>Trained in evolution biology and microbiology, Sahtouris has dedicated her career to making evolutionary science accessible to wider audiences while revealing its implications for human society and economics. Her concept of &ldquo;mature ecosystems&rdquo; proposes that natural systems evolve from competitive to cooperative relationships, offering models for sustainable human civilization.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/james-lovelock/Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/james-lovelock/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_james_lovelock.jpg" alt="James Lovelock portrait photograph" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>James Ephraim Lovelock (1919-2022) was an independent scientist who formulated the Gaia hypothesis in the early 1970s. Working outside academic institutions, he proposed that Earth functions as a self-regulating system through interactions between living organisms and planetary processes.</p> <p>Lovelock invented the electron capture detector in 1957, which enabled the first measurements of widespread chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. While designing instruments for NASA&rsquo;s planetary exploration programs in the 1960s, he developed the conceptual framework that became the Gaia hypothesis.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/joanna-macy/Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/joanna-macy/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_joanna_macy.jpg" alt="Joanna Macy portrait photograph" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>Joanna Macy (1929-2025) was a scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology. Born in Los Angeles, she earned her PhD and spent five decades developing the Work That Reconnects, a group methodology for addressing ecological grief and cultivating engagement.</p> <p>Macy studied at Wellesley College and conducted doctoral research on systems theory and Buddhist philosophy. Her academic work explored connections between Buddhist concepts of dependent co-arising and contemporary systems thinking. In the late 1970s, she began developing what she initially called &ldquo;Despair and Empowerment Work,&rdquo; proposing that people needed structured ways to acknowledge grief about ecological and social conditions.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/john-seed/Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/john-seed/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/bio_photo_john_seed.jpg" alt="John Seed portrait photograph" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>John Seed is an Australian environmental activist who co-created the Council of All Beings practice and founded the Rainforest Information Centre. His work connects direct action rainforest protection with experiential deep ecology practices.</p> <p>Born in Australia, Seed became involved in rainforest protection campaigns in 1979. His participation in direct actions contributed to the protection of Australian rainforests during the 1980s. In 1984 he helped establish the US Rainforest Action Network, organizing roadshows that connected Australian forest campaigns with North American audiences. He produced the documentary &ldquo;Earth First!&rdquo; for Australian national television in 1987, documenting rainforest protection efforts.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/lynn-margulis/Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/profiles/lynn-margulis/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/profile_image_lynn_margulis.jpg" alt="Lynn Margulis portrait photograph" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>Lynn Margulis (1938-2011) was an American evolutionary biologist whose endosymbiotic theory proposed that complex cells arose through symbiotic mergers of simpler organisms. Her work emphasized cooperation and symbiosis as drivers of evolutionary innovation alongside competition.</p> <p>Margulis proposed her theory in 1967, suggesting that complex cells with nuclei (eukaryotes) arose through symbiotic mergers of simpler bacterial cells. Her hypothesis that mitochondria and chloroplasts were once independent bacteria that became incorporated into larger cells faced initial resistance. Her paper &ldquo;On the Origin of Mitosing Cells&rdquo; was rejected by fifteen journals before publication. One grant application received the response: &ldquo;Your research is crap.&rdquo;</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-zen-and-the-art-of-saving-the-planet-thich-nhat-hanh/Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-zen-and-the-art-of-saving-the-planet-thich-nhat-hanh/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/book_cover_zen_and_the_art_of_saving_the_planet.jpg" alt="zen and the art of saving the planet book cover" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> A recent posthumous release from the not-for profit publisher Parralax Press: “Z<a href="https://www.parallax.org/product/zen-and-the-art-of-saving-the-planet/">en and The Art of Saving The Planet</a>“. This book is a gem, filled with Thich Nhat Hanh’s beautiful meditations, inspiring stories and experiences from his own life of activism and engagement. It is compiled from talks and teachings given by Thich Nhat Hanh during his life, framed around a reimagining of the “<a href="https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/the-5-mindfulness-trainings/">five mindfulness training</a>” of the Plum Village tradition. It includes commentary from Sister True Dedication, one of his senior western students. “<em>Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet</em>” guides us to a new way of seeing the world, illuminating a path and way of being healing and harmony with ourselves, other beings, and to the Earth.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-world-as-lover-world-as-self-macy/Sat, 21 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-world-as-lover-world-as-self-macy/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/book_cover_world_as_lover_world_as_self.jpg" alt="world as lover world as self book cover" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>“An enduring classic of the environmental movement, Joanna Macy’s poetic, groundbreaking call to action is poised to inspire a new generation“</p> <p><a href="https://www.parallax.org/product/world-as-lover-world-as-self-a-guide-to-living-fully-in-turbulent-times/#product-content">https://www.parallax.org/product/world-as-lover-world-as-self-a-guide-to-living-fully-in-turbulent-times/#product-content</a></p> <p>Parallax press has released a 30th anniversary edition of Joanna Macy’s important book, outlining her approach to practices for engaging with the global ecological situation.</p> <p>It’s official: humanity is in crisis. Facing the magnitude of our global situation as individuals leaves us feeling powerless and despairing. When we need wisdom and solace, there is no better than Joanna Macy, one of the grandmothers of modern environmentalism, whose life’s work has been to hear and heal our pain for the planet. World as Lover, World as Self draws on a lifetime of deep awareness that re-focuses us on the natural world, where readers can find the spiritual nourishment to envision a future built on a sustainable relationship with the earth. Rooted in the Buddha’s teachings of paticca samuppada or “interdependent co-arising,” Macy’s reflections were radically relevant for activists who wanted to address the underlying mindset of fear, greed, and selfishness that give rise to overconsumption and the ultimate destruction of our world. Drawing comparisons to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, this definitive 30th Anniversary edition gives a new generation of readers the real reasons we cry out, and the depth to make a difference.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/articles/article-the-deep-ecology-movement-origins-development-and-future-prospects-drengson/Sun, 01 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/articles/article-the-deep-ecology-movement-origins-development-and-future-prospects-drengson/<p>“The deep ecology movement, which began with Arne Naess’ introduction of the term in 1972, is compared with other movements for social responsibility that developed in the 20th century. The paper discusses Naess’ cross-cultural approach to characterizing grass-roots movements via platform principles that can be supported from a diversity of cultures, worldviews, and personal philosophies, and explains his use of “ecosophy.” The deep ecology movement’s relationship with ecopsychology, ecocriticism, and humanistic and transpersonal psychology is described as part of an emerging synthesis referred to as transpersonal ecosophy. The inquiry concludes with a technical discussion of Naess’ Apron Diagram and reflections on the future of the movement in light of widespread concerns about global warming and destruction of cultural and biological diversity.” <a href="https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol30/iss1/11/">Article: the-deep-ecology-movement-origins-development-and-future-prospects </a></p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-active-hope-macy-and-johnstone/Sat, 30 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-active-hope-macy-and-johnstone/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/book_cover_active_hope.jpg" alt="Active Hope book cover" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>The challenges we face can be difficult to even think about. Climate change, pandemic uncertainty, extreme inequality, economic upheaval, and mass extinction together create a planetary emergency of overwhelming proportions. Active Hope shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face this crisis so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power. Drawing on decades of teaching an empowerment approach know as the Work that Reconnects, the authors guide us through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, spirituality, and holistic science. This process equips us with tools to face the mess we’re in and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/essay-the-shallow-and-the-deep-long-range-ecology-movement-a-summary-naess/Fri, 22 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/essay-the-shallow-and-the-deep-long-range-ecology-movement-a-summary-naess/<p><em>&ldquo;The emergence of ecologists from their former relative obscurity marks a turning point in our scientific communities. Their message, however, is twisted and misused. A shallow, but currently rather powerful movement, and a deep, but less influential movement compete for our attention&rdquo; - Arne Naess</em></p> <p>In this seminal essay, Arne Naess coins the term Deep Ecology, and outlines its distinction from other forms of ecological distinction.</p> <p>See for an embedded version of the essay visit <a href="https://www.deepecology.net/pdfs/naess-arne-the-shallow-and-the-deep-long-range-ecology-movement.pdf">Essay: The shallow and the Deep, long Range Ecology Movement</a></p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-thinking-like-a-mountain-seed-et-al-html/Tue, 15 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/books/book-thinking-like-a-mountain-seed-et-al-html/<p><img src="https://www.deepecology.net/images/book_cover_thinking_like_a_mountain.jpg" alt="book_cover_thinking_like_a_mountain" loading="lazy" decoding="async"> </p> <p>This post holds an HTML version of the text of the book “Thinking Like A Mountain – Towards a Council of All Beings”. Published in 1988, this seminal text by John Seed, Joanna Macy, Arne Naess and Pat Fleming outlines their collective vision for a “Council of All Beings” group process. These workshops, aimed at healing humanities’ illusion of separation from the natural world, were a response to the multifaceted challenges which face us to day in the form of intersecting ecological and social crises. Later developments gave rise to what are now referred to as &ldquo;Deep Ecology&rdquo; Workshops, and the &ldquo;Work that Reconnects&rdquo;.</p>https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/essay-thinking-like-a-mountain-aldo-leopold/Wed, 16 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://www.deepecology.net/posts/essays/essay-thinking-like-a-mountain-aldo-leopold/<h3 id="for-more-information-visit-wwwaldoleopoldorg">For more information visit: <a href="https://www.aldoleopold.org/about/aldo-leopold/sand-county-almanac/">www.aldoleopold.org</a></h3> <p>“A deep chesty bawl echoes from rimrock to rimrock, rolls down the mountain, and fades into the far blackness of the night. It is an outburst of wild defiant sorrow, and of contempt for all the adversities of the world. Every living thing (and perhaps many a dead one as well) pays heed to that call. To the deer it is a reminder of the way of all flesh, to the pine a forecast of midnight scuffles and of blood upon the snow, to the coyote a promise of gleanings to come, to the cowman a threat of red ink at the bank, to the hunter a challenge of fang against bullet. Yet behind these obvious and immediate hopes and fears there lies a deeper meaning, known only to the mountain itself. Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf.</p>