Council of All Beings

Council of All Beings: A Work that Reconnects Workshop
August 9, 10:30am – 6pm
*Price is for program only. Accommodation and meals separate.*

In this community ritual developed by Joanna Macy and John Seed, we gather to speak on behalf of the non-human world and receive their gifts to continue healing and protecting our planet.

The day will also include “brainfood” on colonization, human rights and the rights of nature; time in nature; live music and singing, and simple mask making.

Bring your imagination, your heart, and an open mind. Everybody welcome!

In the Council of All Beings … we find an ally in the natural world, make a mask to represent that ally, and allow the animals and plants and landscapes to speak through us. We are shocked at the very different view of the world that emerges from their dialogue. Creative suggestions for human actions emerge and we invoke the powers and knowledge of these other life-forms to empower us in our lives.
– John Seed

The Council of All Beings is a communal ritual in which participants step aside from their human identity and speak on behalf of another life-form. A simple structure for spontaneous expression, it aims to heighten awareness of our interdependence in the living body of Earth, and to strengthen our commitment to defend it. The ritual serves to help us acknowledge and give voice to the suffering of our world. It also serves, in equal measure, to help us experience the beauty and power of our interconnectedness with all life.
– Joanna Macy

Who is it for?

Anyone curious to experience the Work That Reconnects, feeling distress about the state of the world, or wanting to engage in meaningful action to address the challenges of our time without burning out. Artistic or theatrical skills NOT needed! Everybody welcome.

Potential Takeaways for Participants:

• Connection with the natural world
• Deep listening and empathy
• Truth-telling about the impact of humans on our planet 
• Release of painful emotions
• A greater awareness of the interconnectedness of all beings in the web of life
• A sense of empowerment for your part in the healing and repair of our world

Logistics

• Arrive and settle in early. We encourage you to arrive Friday evening if you can. Dinner is at 7pm. There is a community drum circle on Friday at 8:30-11 pm. On Saturday night at 8:30 pm there is a community DJ’d dance. So stay until Sunday too, and enjoy Unicamp! Bring your towel and bathing suit (or not!) and relax on the beach and take a dip in the pond. Click here if you need to reserve a tent/trailer camp site or cabin.
• Or drive in Saturday morning if that works better for your schedule, and just stay for the day. 
• We start at 10:30 am. Please arrive on time and plan to stay for the full duration of the workshop.
• You can reserve meals at this link, or bring your own. Meals must be reserved 7 days in advance.
• Your ticket price covers art materials, snacks, accommodations and meals for the facilitator team. Any proceeds will provide an honorarium for facilitators.

Flow of the Day:

• Opening and introductions
• “Brainfood” presentation: colonization, human rights and the rights of nature
• Lunch 
• Walk in nature to find an ally in the natural world
• Mask-making with live music
• Council of All Beings
• Sharing of reflections
• Close

Facilitation team:
Natalie Zend is a member of the Work That Reconnects Facilitator Network, personally trained by root teacher Joanna Macy.

Bruce Lyne is an educator and community facilitator with a longstanding commitment to social justice activism and education.

Larry Nusbaum M.D. is a physician, psychotherapist, musician, and teacher. He will be bringing live music and a spirit of play.

Lauren Renzetti is an accomplished Toronto visual artist, scenic painter, teacher & curator. She has been creating community art at Unicamp for twenty five  years. She will be supporting the mask masking.

Susanne Maziarz, Music Director at Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation, is a community musician with a passion for social change and a love for making music with people of all levels of experience and aptitudes.

Thank you to Lauren Renzetti for the picture.