About Living Earth
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| Joanna
Macy Retreat, Silver Falls |
Our Mission
Living Earth's mission is to cultivate awareness of
interdependence, empower full-hearted activism, and nurture
the movement toward a just, ecologically rooted, culturally
vibrant future.
We present public events that challenge existing cultural
models, strengthen community, enrich spiritual awareness,
and stimulate creative alternatives for conducting our personal,
political, economic, and cultural affairs.
About Living Earth
Living Earth offers programs and events that challenge the long-standing cultural stories, models, and institutions that have brought our entire planet to a dangerous precipice. Our intention is to stimulate creative alternatives for conducting our personal, political, and cultural affairs and spark meaningful action for cultural change.
We convene community discussions, host visiting speakers, present
public forums, and facilitate workshops that kindle an enlivened
awareness of the rich opportunities and possibilities inherent in
the human endeavor, possibilities for shaping our lives and human
relationships to create a just, creative, sustainable, and peaceful
world. We coordinate actions for peace and initiatives that support
development of sustainable local communities.
We offer opportunities for deep reflection and spiritual grounding to cultivate spacious awareness and encourage a wide perspective on the social and global issues of our time. We believe wholeheartedly that when understanding changes, we begin to change the world.
- We support the efforts of all who are defending people and places from abuse, injustice, and destruction.
- We foster connection among all who are developing new ways of living, politically, socially, and personally.
- We affirm the rights of all beings to ecological security for their long-term health and well being, to democratic participation in their communities and states, to religious and intellectual freedom, and to cultural integrity.
- We offer processes and opportunities for creating community, increasing
knowledge and understanding, deepening awareness of interconnection,
and supporting activism that furthers these values.
- We honor the deep spiritual principles at the heart of all t he world's enduring religious and philosophical traditions: compassion, celebration, gratitude, reverence, responsibility, humility, and non-harming.
We welcome you to join our efforts toward creating a culture of vibrant peace—a world of non-violence, deep democratic principles, and ecological integrity for all.
A Brief History
Living Earth's first event in October, 1998, was a highly
successful public lecture and discussion, "Educating for
Ecological Sustainability," with internationally recognized
cultural critic and educator-author Chet Bowers, PhD. Since
that time, some of our activities have included:
- teach-ins on political and economic globalization;
- book discussion groups and workshops examining cultural
ethics and personal values;
- monthly community dinner gatherings
and annual Winter Solstice celebrations;
- events with teachers including Ram Dass and Joanna Macy
and Starhawk.
Our activities reflect the eclectic spiritual backgrounds
of our volunteers, our embrace of deep ecology, and our commitment
to cultivating deep change within our culture. Public response
and interest in our programs continues to grow as our member
and volunteer circles have expanded. In November 2001, we
incorporated as a non-profit organization, reflecting a deepening
of our commitment to offer programs that link spiritual principles,
engaged activism, and energetic work for a just, ecologically
vibrant, and culturally rich future.
Since January 2003 Living Earth has hosted discussions
on topics including civil liberties, local economies, engaged
spirituality and democracy. We sponsored a day-long workshop
with David Korten on creating local living economies, two
multicultural Peace Academy programs for upper elementary
middle school students, a forum on the ecological and human
impacts of war, a day-long workshop and evening ritual with
Starhawk, and a five-day residential retreat with eco-philosopher
and Buddhist scholar Joanna Macy.
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