In this context of crisis and profound uncertainty, it is increasingly clear that we need to cultivate sensibilities that facilitate our processes of transformation and adaptation. For this, it is not enough to have information about the manifestations of the crisis. While such information is important, it is also insufficient for the kind of responses that the Earth really needs from us: responses that are nourished by both the individual and the collective, that explore both a rational and an emotional approach, both the somatic and the spiritual. In other words, that explore liminality, the territory of connections between what we usually consider as opposites, which is precisely where life arises and is sustained.
This gathering is an invitation to explore ways to navigate the uncertainty, sadness, pain and fear that inevitably arise in times like these, and it is also an invitation to explore ways in which we can re-orient ourselves to participate more actively in the process of transforming our relationship with the Earth, so that we can rediscover the beauty that is always accessible when we cultivate a relationship of care and reciprocity with her.
1 ~ Starting where we are: presence and curiosity
Much of our approach to the ecological crisis has been marked by a focus on the past that shaped the crisis and on possible future developments. This is an invitation to relocate ourselves in the present, to recognize how it feels to be alive in this moment, fully feeling the manifestations of the past and the uncertainty of a future we do not know, and recognizing this intersection as an opportunity to reconnect with the sensitive experience of our vulnerable, finite, animal bodies that require attention and care.
2 ~ Shedding the layers: transitions and grief
The crisis is also a moment of transition. Life and death are manifestations of the same process, and that is why an essential part of our participation in the collective transformation consists in learning to recognize what needs to be left behind, what we can accompany to die. For this to be emotionally sustainable, we also need spaces of containment and support for the processes of mourning, that allow us to find beauty in these transformations, in the collapse of what is known that opens paths for the emergence of what will be possible afterwards.
3 ~ Asking for guidance: opening our bodies to the world
The wisdom needed to face the crisis is already present in the living world, in the beings and landscapes that, together with us, make up the Earth, and it is also present in our own bodies. In order for us to act from this wisdom, we need to let go of the idea that we can be saviors and open ourselves to the possibilities of collaboration, not only with other beings and other manifestations of nature, but with the diverse conversations that arise when we pay attention to the connections between our animal body and the living earth that makes it possible.
4 ~ Opening new paths: imagination and creativity
The crisis of our relationship with the Earth is also a crisis of imagination. To participate in the collective transformation we need to cultivate our creativity and our capacity to imagine other ways of living that adapt to the rhythms of the Earth, and we need to open ourselves to learn from other beings, to value creativities other than our own. With these tools we can return to the beginning, to the presence and curiosity that allow us to see not only the crisis and the inevitable pain, but also the enjoyment and beauty that exist in the opportunity to give rise to plural ways of living on—and with—the Earth.
This retreat combines theory and practice. Each day will include presentation sessions, as well as time for individual exercises and group discussions. There will also be ample time for rest and independent exploration. Additional materials (readings, documentaries, etc.), practices and resources will be recommended for participants to explore between sessions or on their own time.
Documentary filmmaker and anthropologist interested in exploring the human-nature relationship in its affective, existential and spiritual dimensions. Her work is inspired and informed by the fields of environmental humanities, ecofeminism and spiritual ecology. She is co-founder of Wimblu, a creative documentary studio that creates stories to restore our sense of belonging and connection to the planet.
Ecologist and creator of learning networks focused on experimenting and sharing tools to take care of the Earth: the planet that we are. Through her work she seeks to make the path easier for those who also want to observe, question and regenerate their relationship with the Earth.
