Council of All Beings
by Sally Van
Vleck
The Council of All Beings is a ritual that grew out of the Despair and Empowerment work and the philosophy of deep ecology of Joanna Macy, Jonathon Seed and others. The purpose of this ritual is to look at the world through another species‚ eyes and share this perspective with others in the circle. Some participants will play the role of humans and listen to what the other species have to say. Through sharing our concerns for the planet we are able to get in touch with the interconnectedness of all beings. Through that interconnectedness we find the power and strength to work toward healing the planet. For more understanding about the Council of All Beings, there's a small but profound book called "Thinking Like a Mountain" by Joanna Macy, John Seed and others. As John Seed explains in the introduction to "Thinking Like a Mountain", "Working with the Council of All Beings, we have found that people experience a deepening identification with the Earth, a renewal of energy to struggle for the protection of wild Nature, and to work for peace."The entire ritual, including mask-making, can take a whole weekend or several hours. In order to include the ritual as part of our Earth Day celebration, we encourage participants to attend one of the costume or mask-making workshops on April 8, and 15 - 16. It is helpful to discern which species you will represent prior to attending the workshop. Take some time to meditate and let a life-form "choose" you. In addition to all the many species to choose from, we can also represent land forms, such as rivers or mountains.
We invite you to join us in this process of deepening our connection to the Earth and its inhabitants. If you aren't able to attend one of the costume-making workshops, make your costume at home or with a group of friends. At the ritual if you are hesitant to speak up, there is no pressure to do so. You can simply be a witness. And, if dressing in a costume or mask isn't your bag, please come anyway to watch and listen. You can be the humans. Hope you'll join us as a turtle, butterfly, tree or another species on Earth Day!
THE COUNCIL OF ALL BEINGS WORKSHOP MANUAL
A Step by Step Guide
http://forests.org/ric/Deep-Eco/cabcont.htm