A) Brother, Sister, What Ails Thee? - Re-birth through the
Wound of Primal Nature - Presented by Christopher Reynolds
The session offers a way to be inwardly active in the face of the wounding of nature. The working idea is that an enduring healing of the environment must be mirrored within the activist. The presentation will include music and discussion.
F. Christopher Reynolds, known as Christopher, is currently doing teach-ins on the theme of creativity in support of the Urrealist art movement. His music is played around the world and his CD, Creation: The Pyramid and the Suns, is being used as a text for the teaching of creativity at Ashland University. He has presented with song and lecture on creativity, healing, nature, and spirituality around the United States and in Canada.
B) Exploring Our Ecological Identity - Presented by Jim Toth
Arne Naess, the father of the Deep Ecology movement said, "Ecological ideas are not enough; we need to have an ecological identity". In this workshop we will explore our connectedness to the Earth and what aspects of nature ignite our sense of fascination and our feelings of compassion. We will chose our own ecological identity.
Jim Toth left a career as a researcher, inventor, and electronics engineer to follow his passion to help people who wish to live healthier, more contented lives. He is a founder and the current president of Northern Ohio Windstar. Over the past ten years he has been studying, writing and speaking about the powerful effects of our diet and lifestyle on our personal health, and on the health of our environment. Jim is also a founder, and chairperson of the Ohio Alliance for Safe Food, a non-profit association that brings together many organizations and individuals, all concerned about the safety of genetically engineered foods.
C) The Great Story: Reconnecting With Our Ecological Origin -
Presented by Connie Barlow & Michael Dowd
The 13 billion year story of the universe reveals a cosmos of incredible creativity. The epic of evolution, or "The Great Story", includes the developmental changes at the cosmic, planetary, life, and cultural levels. Renowned Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson has written, "The evolutionary epic is probably the best myth we will ever have" that is, the evolutionary story is the most realistic, inspiring, and all-embracing context for envisioning meaningful roles for our species and ourselves in the saga of life. What might it mean for our culture, our religious traditions, and ourselves as individuals to embrace this "story of our origin", this grand narrative of our full heritage as earthlings?
Connie Barlow is the author of four books that explore the intersection of evolutionary and ecological sciences with philosophy and religion. She is a correspondent for Wild Earth magazine and a contributing editor of Great Story Parables for EarthLight magazine. She has written for Natural History, Teilhard Perspective, Science & Spirit, UU World, The Humanist, and technical science journals. She is a founding member of the Epic of Evolution Society and is widely regarded as a leader in furthering the work of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme in telling the Great Story.
Rev. Michael Dowd is author of the book "EarthSpirit: A Handbook for Nurturing an Ecological Christianity". In 1995 Michael began working with religious leaders of all denominations across the country on religious and environmental issues, as Religious Organizer for the Washington D.C. based National Environmental Trust. From 1997 to 2000 he headed up the first municipally funded program in the U.S. designed to produce large-scale citizen behavioral change along ecological lines: The Portland Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign.
D) Plugging Into the Sun! - The Second Industrial Revolution
Presented by Sister Paula Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Interest in renewable energy is exploding all over the Earth! Our fossil-fuel, nuclear-powered world is in serious danger from climate change and environmental damage created by the old "industrial model". But the good news is that much of the interest and excitement comes from opportunities to design better buildings, vehicles, agricultural methods, etc. Many new careers are on the horizon as we humans take on the challenge of "inventing the second industrial revolution" to assure a sustainable future. You can play a part in this growing revolution.
Paula Gonzalez is a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, Ohio. She has had direct experience designing and building solar heated, super-insulated "green" buildings. These structures were modeled on the cyclical processes of nature and built by volunteers using mostly reused materials. Her work in solar design and construction is described by the Union of Concerned Scientists in Renewables are ready: People Creating Renewable Energy Solutions. She is a founder of the Cincinnati-based EarthConnection, a center for learning and reflection about living lightly on the Earth. Sister Paula has presented over 1400 talks, mini-courses, seminars and retreats throughout North America on learning from the Earth, ecospirituality, renewable energy, shifting paradigms for the new millennium and the future of religious life.
E) Ecology for the Spirit - A video presentation by Thomas Moore,
Marianne Williamson, David Whyte, and others. (with discussion
after video)
With all the care given to our bodies and intellect, well-known author, Thomas Moore feels it's about time we look after the source of it all--"the soul". Moore draws from his experiences as a therapist, former monk, and his lifelong campaign of exposing the connection between spirituality and the problems of individuals and those of our society. Other renowned thinkers add their views to create an inspiring, thought-provoking presentation.
