Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings

by John Seed

This book of readings, meditations, rituals and workshop notes prepared on three continents helps us remember that environmental defence is nothing less than 'Self' defence. Including magnificent illustrations of Australia's rainforests, 'Thinking Like a Mountain' provides a context for ritual identification with the natural environment. It helps us experience our place in the web of life -- rather than at the apex of some human-centred pyramid. An important deep ecology educational tool for activist, school and religious groups, it can also be used for personal reflection.

Genres: Ecology, Nature, Spirituality, Environment, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Earth

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays and poems aimed at a sort of newly created ritual called a "Council of all beings", as part of Joanna Macy's process that goes by the name "the work that reconnects". It's a noble goal, I think - to help us humans become more vibrantly aware of our connection to the Land, to all beings, both animate and inanimate. And some of the writings in the book are quite beautiful.

My issue with this book - and with the other things I've read about the work that reconnects - is that all the writings I've seen dwell deeply and almost exclusively in the pain of our loss, in our terror at the ongoing destruction of our world. And these are important fears, important sorrows, ones we need to acknowledge and, somehow, try to process so we can function. But no solutions are offered. No joy is shared. There's nothing here - nothing - to give us the kind of audacious hope required to get up, day after day, and TRY. All I feel from it is an intense hurt and fear of what is happening to the planet - and I'm well aware of that every day on my own. What we need, now, is ideas of new ways to act, new ways to operate in the world. Maybe these things are offered at the conferences and events that are lead by this group, but I don't find them in any of my readings from them.

Still, it's a good thing to try to cultivate empathy for the non-human world in humans, and there are some lovely pieces in this little collection.

[Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poetic evocation of all creatures of the earth. Through prose and poetry, the 10 or so writers invite us to connect deeply with the earth and with all life, in order to restore the imbalance that we humans have created in the world.
The Council of All Beings (of the subtitle) is something I first heard of when reading Starhawk (The Fifth Sacred Thing, I think), and it sounds like a very powerful ritual.
After reading this you can never think of yourself as separate from nature. It shows how anthropocentric we have become, to our detriment, and shows new ways of relating to other beings and the earth herself.

[Kris]

Při čtení jsem si připomněla, proč jsem si knihu před 10 lety pořídila - hledala jsem spojení s přírodou. Měla jsem zrovna deprese. Tahle kniha mi pomohla. Přestala jsem vnímat smrt jako něco konečné a něco, čemu musím běžet naproti, nebo se toho bát. Začala jsem vnímat svět okolo jako různé projevy Země a lidi jako jinou formu projevu vesmíru (materialisticky), a tak i já jsem jen kus vydělený z přírody, prozatím, než zemřu. Tahle myšlenka mě uklidňovala, a doteď mi pomáhá, a tahle kniha ji umocnila, nebo možná mě k ní přivedla. A jednou za čas je příjemné ji zase vytáhnout.

[linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WoW - I love this book!

[CTEP]

Thinking like a Mountain towards a Council of all Beings by John Seed, ,Joanna Macy, Pat Fleming and Arne Naess This is a collection of essays, meditations, poetry and guidelines for group workshops called “A Council of all Beings”. The name “Thinking like a Mountain” is taken from a chapter in “A Sand County Almanac” written by Aldo Leopold (Forester and Ecologist) back in 1948. He wrote that unless we as humans can identify with the eco-system and “think like a mountain” disaster is inevitable. John Seed writes about his experience when he first became aware of his feelings about his connection to the earth. Feelings as he puts it, that we all have and the necessity that we all have to tap into this consciousness (knowing) in order to stop the destruction of the earth. He ponders and questions how to bring forth these realizations in order to awaken us to actively fight and defend life on earth. Joanna Macy is an activist in movements for peace and justice. She addresses the issue of despair and empowerment in her workshops. From discussions, emerged the “Council of all Beings” a form of group work which as she puts it prepares and allows people to hear “within themselves” the sounds of “the earth crying”. “It is a form which permits people to experience consciously both the pain and the power of their interconnectedness with all life”. The Council of all beings refers to a set of group processes and practices of which ritual enactment is a part. The work of the Council of all Beings is about confronting the despair and numbness and apathy that we feel, and to integrate, and to creatively channel it, and which empowers us to action on peace and or environmental issues. The other root of the Council of all Beings is the philosophy about nature called “Deep Ecology”. Deep Ecology questions the fundamental premises and values of contemporary civilization.. Pat Fleming runs trainings and events relating to “Earth Care “including deep ecology events, organic and biodynamic growing, and growing and using plants for medicine . Arne Naess, coined the term “Deep Ecology” in 1972 to express the ideas that “nature has intrinsic value, value apart from its usefulness to human beings”, in other words deeply felt spiritual connections to the earths living systems, and ethical obligations to protect them. I consider this book to be a little gem. It is usefull and inspirational . It is a book that I would pass down to my children. It is a book that makes the case and helps to remind me of my spiritual connection to mother earth, and interconnectedness to all life. I have had the opportunity to participate in a “Council of all Beings” workshop. The experience deepened my awareness, and belief in the idea that we are all one really, .and that we need to work together for peace. I do not know how this connects directly to the work that I do at Casa, except perhaps in an indirect way. When I become aware of my interconnectedness to the earth I also become aware of the larger community , of a larger self, and I realize that the only way that I can make a difference in the world is by taking direct action. I am taking direct action when I educate, teach and make available resources and information that empower community, and this can only help the cause for peace and justice

[nagatinskaja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Philosophy develops our deeper thinking, and the term "deep ecology" is a modern aspect of contemporary philosophy (even though this collection of essays was published 37 years ago).

As an environmentalist, I could identify with many things and experience the depth of the natural environment on a higher level. However. After a few very well written chapters, the book falls into a kind of religion, maybe even a cult. The idea of ​​another religion to be associated with something as ancient as the earth itself is like poisoning water for people who have nothing to drink.

I understand that the book was written at a time when there was a huge movement of people who fought against the destruction of nature, but as we can see in the present, this situation did not go anywhere, even though the philosophy of nature pointed to a huge problem of destruction.

What has a stronger word is science. Cruel and unfalsified science that points out the problems of destruction and most importantly - can solve these problems without people tying themselves to trees or burying themselves in the soil.

The idea of ​​the book was beautiful from the beginning, your heart draws you to your natural home - to nature and to mother earth. But he very quickly slips into unnatural fanaticism.
As a scientist and environmentalist, I do not agree with this idea.

I rate the book 2.5/5, and that's only because of a very strong and impressive beginning.

FAV QUOTES:

"We must learn "let beings be," to allow other species to follow their separate evolutionary destinies without dominating them. We must come to understand that life-forms do not constitute a pyramid with our species at the apex, but rather a circle where everything is connected to everything else. We must realize that the environment is not "out there," ant that when we poison the air or the water or the soil, we poison ourselves because of the vast biological cycles within which we too are inextricably embedded."

"What are you? What am I? Intersecting cycles of water, earth, air and fire, that's what I am, that's what you are."

[Gus Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Seed helped save our NSW Australia Northern Rivers rainforests from Cedar cutting and clearing; rare and exceptional ecosystems now with World Heritage protection. John explored how and why our culture is so destructive, how did we lose our way that we can authorise, vote for and participate in such irresponsible and emotionless destruction of unique precious ecosystems and diverse life. John's research led him to meet, learn from and collaborate with fellow thinkers and conservationists including Professor Arne Naess, Joanna Macy and Pat Fleming. In so doing they discovered that our violence indifference and destructiveness in part derives from a disconnection from the natural world from where we evolved. Where once we needed to value and protect our environment in order to survive, our security now lies in our technology and economy, aspects totally dependant on a healthy planet. That collaboration and insight led them to produce this book.

Observing indigenous rituals and lore, the authors developed lessons, practices and exercises that help individuals and groups to reconnect to country, nature, even God if you interpret meaning, purpose and life that way. I commend this book to any who wish to better themselves, grow in wisdom, joy and compassion and protect this precious vulnerable and much endangered living world we share.

[Goodreeds User · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a real mixed bag - part meditation, part eco theory, part poetry and part biography, all from a bunch of different writers.... there are some parts which are v inspiring and beautiful, and other parts which are a bit dull or even a bit egotistical (which really jars with a lot of the book's transcendental pre-post/humanist vibee), and the book not knowing exactly what it's trying to be is sometimes exciting and sometimes a bit tiring. Some very good and some not very good, but overall an interesting read!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this age of pipelines and hopelessness, this is a book worth rereading, especially if you need to experience, and then get past, your grief.

Expect an emotional meltdown, and expect a broadened perspective that takes in past and future generations and our evolution as biological creatures.

My hope is that people everywhere will hold Council of All Beings sessions to reignite their commitment to creating the just and green future we want.

[Joe Tristram]

Certainly more interesting than I imagined. Although this describes the sort of ritual don't imagine I will use, I think it will be valuable in facilitating and motivating. The most striking thing is that the language of urgency over what we're doing to the planet hasn't changed in 35 years, yet this was all written before anyone was worried about global warming. The background worry was nuclear annihilation and pollution. Well well.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book as part of my anthropology studies and promised myself I'd read it again (kept it on an easy to reach bookshelf). Although it's a typical western cultural paradigm questing for more, it's still an entertaining read from the time when neo-shamanism and neo-paganism thrived.

[Dani Scott]

Beautiful. Poignant. Relevant, fortunately and not, still.

[Hannah Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooooooooo good and true. Just beautiful

[Patrick Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book, I reread parts of it basically every month and it's on constant rotation inside my mind.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of essays and resources to deepen your sense of deep ecology and ecopsychology. Connection to the earth, all beings, and all time.

[Joshua]

"Threat of extinction is the potter's hand that molds all forms of life."--p.38

I thought I would enjoy this book more, but it sort of fell flat. I really can't see myself responding to the type of ritual development that this book proposes.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected, but a useful, insightful book nonetheless. Should one plan to conduct such a retreat, however, this would be a five-star book. I had just hoped for more ecological essays, especially less familiar ones.

[Rissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

[Sasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Naess' essay is very good.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book sounded really interesting and my type of book. But I really couldn't get into it and didn't really enjoy it.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the pieces in this collection were thought-provoking. Some of them, especially the ritualistic, may not be everyone's cup of tea.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meant as a guide to leading a Council of All Beings, this book was useful to me as a way to imagine one, to understand a bit more about the idea.