Online Program
The Ecology of Belonging
“What we all need is to learn to live without walls. We have to let the illusion of separation fall away and replace it with active, lively engagement of every aspect of our lives.”
The Ecology of Belonging is an interactive online exploration of belonging and how our sense of belonging can include all of nature. The root of ‘ecology’ derives from the ancient Greek word ‘oikos’ which means “home.” Mother Earth is our home, and we are Earth made human. Our journey into belonging begins here.
This experiential program is guided by three questions:
What are different ways of belonging?
How can we promote belonging?
Why is belonging a vital dimension of flourishing and wise environmental stewardship?
Together we delve into the dynamic interdependence of self, community, and Mother Earth, framed within a larger conversation about sustainability, equity, and well-being. Along our journey, we build community, practice mindfulness meditation techniques, engage in vibrant discussion, and enjoy nature-centered land practices as fun “homework” assignments.
This program is perfect for those looking to enrich their understanding of interdependence, flourishing, and regenerative sustainability, express their feelings about what is happening to the environment, and reconnect with Mother Earth.
A wonderful way to spend a winter month in an accessible online platform as we prepare for the rejuvenation of spring!
The program is supported in part by the Ronald E. Moore Visionary Teacher Fund at The Mind Body Ecology Institute.
Itinerary
4 Week Program
Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. CST
Details
Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20 and Feb. 27
Program fee: $40
Registration closes Monday, Feb. 5
Program will take place via Zoom link sent via registration email.
All proceeds go to support the work we do at the Mind Body Ecology Institute.
Program Guides
Session Outline
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Guest Presenter: Alex Julie
Topics: Embodiment, lived experience, the sharing circle, the importance of vulnerability, ceremony and ritual
Activities: Opening the circle, sharing stories, deep listening, interactive discussion, and introduction to nature-centered mindfulness and mindfulness meditation practices
Objective: Introduce the nuances of belonging with community
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Guest Presenters: Yuria Celidwen, Aterah Nusrat
Topics: Worldviews, values, anthropocentrism vs. ecocentrism, alienation, inequity, social structures and institutions, kin relationality and ecological belonging
Activities: Meditation, reflecting on homework, mind-body integration exercise, interactive group discussion
Objective: Awaken understanding of some hidden obstacles to belonging
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Guest Presenter: Sarah Sampson
Topic: The dynamic relationship between self and world
Activities: Meditation practices, reflecting on homework, interactive discussion of self and interdependence
Objective: Cultivate a sense of “being Earth made human”
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Guest Presenter: Rochelle Calvert
Topic: The practice of belonging with Mother Earth, honoring and respecting, kinship, eco consent, eco leadership, ceremony
Activities: Meditation practice, reflecting on homework, personal ecological stewardship plan development, group vision-sharing, closing the circle
Objective: Envision actionable steps towards becoming wise eco advocates, eco leaders, and environmental stewards
These materials are not mandatory, but we suggest you familiarize yourself with them.
Supplementary Material
Guy Armstrong, “You Don’t Exist. But You Actually Do. Wait, What?” 10% Happier Podcast, 270.
Rochelle Calvert, Healing with Nature: Mindfulness and Somatic Practices to Heal from Trauma.
Yuria Celidwen, “Indigenous Wisdom,” Mind and Life Institute Podcast, Oct. 21, 2022.
Yuria Celidwen, Why We Need Indigenous Wisdom, Mind and Life Insights.
Yuria Celidwen and Dacher Keltner, “Kin Relationality and Ecological Belonging: A cultural psychology of Indigenous transcendence,” Frontiers in Psychology 14 (2023).
Yuria Celidwen, Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Foundations for Collective Well-being, forthcoming 2024
Dekila Chungyalpa, “Mother Wisdom: Learning to Embody Interdependence,” Mind and Life Insights.
Shaun Gallagher, “Dislocating the Self.”
Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet.
bell hooks, belonging: a culture of place.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.
Patty Krawec, Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future.
Rhonda Magee, The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities through Mindfulness.
Aterah Z. Nusrat, Christine Vatovek, Brenda M. Loew, Janet R. Kahn, “What Are We Thinking? A Call for Integrative Health Care to Consciously Serve Planetary Health,” Journal of Integrative and Planetary Medicine (2023).
Aterah Z. Nusrat, Iman Majd, Peter M. Wayne, “Integrative Medicine Is a Good Prescription for Patients and Planet,“ Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 25 (2019).
Naima Penniman, “Mama Nature told me,” naimainfinity video.
john powell, “Othering and Belonging,” Mind and Life Podcast, June 10, 2020.
T. N. Ray, Scott A. Franz, Nicole L. Jarrett, Scott M. Pickett, “Nature Enhanced Meditation: Effects on Mindfulness, Connectedness to Nature, and Pro-Environmental Behavior,” Environment and Behavior 53 (2021), 864–890.
Sebene Selassie, You Belong: A Call for Connection
Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Belonging: From Fear to Freedom on the True Path of Community.
Shawn Wilson, Research Is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods (2008).
C. Wolwode, N. Schäpke, O. Bine, S. Vecianaz, I. Kunze, O. Parodi, P. Schweizer-Ries, C. Wamsler, “Inner Transformation to Sustainability as a Deep Leverage Point: Fostering New Avenues for Change through Dialogue and Reflection,” Sustainability Science 16 (2021), 841–858.
