Resources for Earth Empathy Experiences & Adventures

Carrie Jo in Striped Hat Community with the McKenzie River, Oregon, Photograph by M. Hauk

We welcome your collaboration to build this resource list, focusing specifically on hands-on and experiential resources for individuals and community groups, facilitators, educators, spiritual directors, creatives, and care providers. There is some overlap between these resource lists, which makes sense in an interconnected world! A related, extensive and more theoretical, bibliography for Earth-inspired Gaian research methods is also available. Topics for Earth Empathy Resources: Sense of Place, Body/Planet, Despair and Power, Deep Time, and Images. Additionally, we offer an adventure round-up of all activities on this site.


Resources for Spirit of Place: Sense of Place, Senses in Place
  • Abram, D. (1996). The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more-than-human world. New York: Pantheon Books.
  • Abram, D. (2010). Becoming animal: An earthly cosmology. New York: Pantheon Books.
  • Berry, W. (1985). Collected poems, 1957-1982. San Francisco: North Point Press.
  • SPOTLIGHT: Chalquist, C. (2007). Terrapsychology: Re-engaging the soul of place. New Orleans: Spring Journal Books.
  • Chalquist, C. (2010). Rebearths: Conversations with a World Ensouled. World Soul Books.
  • Clinebell, H. J. (1996). Ecotherapy: Healing ourselves, healing the earth: A guide to ecologically grounded personality theory, spirituality, therapy, and education. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
  • Cohen, M. (2007). Reconnecting with nature: Finding wellness through restoring your bond with the Earth. Lakeville, MN: Finney/Ecopress.
  • Cruden, L. (1995). The spirit of place: A workbook for sacred alignment : ceremonies and visualizations for cultivating your relationship with the Earth. Rochester, Vt: Destiny Books.
  • Diehl, E. R. M. (2009). Gardens that heal. In Buzzell, L. & Chalquist, C., Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind (pp. 166-173). San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.
  • Kabat-Zinn, Jon. (2005). Coming to our senses: Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness. New York: Hyperion.
  • LaChapelle, D. (1988). Sacred land, sacred sex: Rapture of the deep: Concerning deep ecology and celebrating life. Durango, CO: Kivakí Press.
  • Linden, S., Grut, J., & The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (2002). The healing fields: Working with Psychotherapy and nature to rebuild shattered lives. London, U.K.: Frances Lincoln.
  • MacEowen, F. (2002). The mist-filled path: Celtic wisdom for exiles, wanderers, and seekers. Novato, Calif: New World Library.
  • Macy, J. (2007). World as lover, world as self: Courage for global justice and ecological renewal. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.
  • Macy, J., & Brown, M. Y. (1998). Coming back to life: Practices to reconnect our lives, our world. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
  • Nh?t, H., & Ellsberg, R. (2008). The essential Thich Nhat Hanh: Thich Nhat Hanh. London: Darton Longman & Todd.
  • Starhawk. (2005). The earth path: Grounding your spirit in the rhythms of nature. New York: HarperOne.
  • Taylor, B. R. (2010). Dark green religion: Nature spirituality and the planetary future. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Zajonc, A. (2009). Meditation as contemplative inquiry: When knowing becomes love. Great Barrington, Mass: Lindisfarne Books.
  • Seed, J. (1988). Thinking like a mountain: Towards a council of all beings. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers.

Resources for Connecting Body and Planet
  • Abram, D. (2010). Becoming animal: An earthly cosmology. New York: Pantheon Books.
  • Barrett, M.J. (2009). Beyond human-nature-spirit boundaries: Researching with animate Earth. Dissertation, Published online at http://education.uregina.ca/porosity/
  • Brooks, C. V. W., Selver, C., Lowe, R., & Laeng-Gilliatt, S. (2007). Reclaiming vitality and presence: Sensory awareness as a practice for life. Berkeley, Calif: North Atlantic Books.
  • Chalquist, C. (2007). Terrapsychology: Re-engaging the soul of place. New Orleans: Spring Journal Books.
  • Chalquist, C. (2010). Rebearths: Conversations with a World Ensouled. World Soul Books.
  • Clinebell, H. J. (1996). Ecotherapy: Healing ourselves, healing the earth: A guide to ecologically grounded personality theory, spirituality, therapy, and education. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
  • Cohen, M. (2007). Reconnecting with nature: Finding wellness through restoring your bond with the Earth. Lakeville, MN: Finney/Ecopress.
  • Griffin, S. (1999). What her body thought: A journey into the shadows. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
  • Harding, S. (2006). Animate earth: Science, intuition and Gaia. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green Pub. Co.
  • Hauk, M. (2010). Regeneration from work and technology addiction with Terragrams and ecotherapeutic approaches. Manuscript submitted for publication.
  • LaChapelle, D. (1988). Sacred land, sacred sex: Rapture of the deep: Concerning deep ecology and celebrating life. Durango, CO: Kivakí Press.
  • LaChapelle, D. (2002). Return to mountain tai chi: Between heaven and earth. New Zealand: Hazard Publishing.
  • Macy, J. (2007). World as lover, world as self: Courage for global justice and ecological renewal. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.
  • Macy, J., & Brown, M. Y. (1998). Coming back to life: Practices to reconnect our lives, our world. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
  • Margulis, L., & Sagan, D. (2007). Dazzle gradually: Reflections on the nature of nature. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub.
  • Mathews, F. (1994). Ecological Self. London: Routledge.
  • Morrison, A. L. (2009). Embodying Sentience. In Buzzell, L. & Chalquist, C., Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind (pp. 104-110). San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.
  • SPOTLIGHT: Olsen, A. (2002). Body and earth: An experiential guide. Middlebury bicentennial series in environmental studies. Hanover, NH: Middlebury College Press.
  • Sahtouris, E. (2000). Earthdance: Living systems in evolution. San Jose, CA: IUniversity Press.
  • Seed, J., et al. (1988). Thinking like a mountain: Towards a council of all beings. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers.

Resources for Working with Earth Despair and Regaining Interdependent Power
  • Berry, T. (1988). The dream of the Earth. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
  • Berry, W. (1985). Collected poems, 1957-1982. San Francisco: North Point Press.
  • Berry, W., DePol, J., North Point Press., & John DePol Collection (Library of Congress). (1989). Traveling at home. San Francisco: North Point Press.
  • a href="http://www.co-intelligence.org/CIPol_ComunityProcesses.html">Cointelligence Institute (2010). A Toolbox of Processes for Community Work [Web page]. Retrieved from http://www.co-intelligence.org/CIPol_ComunityProcesses.html
  • Glendinning, C. (1994). My name is Chellis and I'm in recovery from Western civilization (2007 printing). Boston: Shambhala.
  • Hauk, M. (2006). Benediction to Darkness and other Rituals of Earth Aliveness. Unpublished Manuscript. Portland, Oregon.
  • SPOTLIGHT: Macy, J., & Brown, M. Y. (1998). Coming back to life: Practices to reconnect our lives, our world. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
  • Macy, J. (2006). The Work that Reconnects [Training DVD]. Gabriola Island, B. C., Canada: New Society Publishers.
  • Macy, J. (2007). World as lover, world as self: Courage for global justice and ecological renewal. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.
  • Noble, V. (2003). The double goddess: Women sharing power. Rochester, Vt: Bear & Co.
  • Seed, J., et al. (1988). Thinking like a mountain: Towards a council of all beings. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers.

Deep Time and Cosmological Earth Adventures Resources
  • Abram, D. (2010). Becoming animal: An earthly cosmology. New York: Pantheon Books.
  • Benson, M. (2009). Far out: A space-time chronicle. New York: Abrams.
  • Berry, T. (1988). The dream of the Earth. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
  • SPOTLIGHT: Bonnarens, C. (2001). The universe story cosmic walk ritual. St. Louis, MO: Mercy Center.
  • Capra, F., Steindl-Rast, D., & Matus, T. (1991). Belonging to the universe: Explorations on the frontiers of science and spirituality. San Francisco, Calif: HarperSanFrancisco.
  • DeVorkin, D. H., & Smith, R. W. (2008). Hubble: Imaging space and time. Washington, D.C: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
  • Liebes, S., Sahtouris, E., & Swimme, B. (1998). A walk through time: From stardust to us : the evolution of life on earth. New York: Wiley.
  • Macy, J., & Brown, M. Y. (1998). Coming back to life: Practices to reconnect our lives, our world. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
  • Macy, J. (2006). The Work that Reconnects [Training DVD]. Gabriola Island, B. C., Canada: New Society Publishers.
  • Macy, J. (2007). World as lover, world as self: Courage for global justice and ecological renewal. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.
  • Noble, V. (1991). Shakti woman: Feeling our fire, healing our world : the new female shamanism. San Francisco, Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco.
  • Sahtouris, E. (2000). Earthdance: Living systems in evolution. San Jose, CA: IUniversity Press.
  • Seed, J. (1988). Thinking like a mountain: Towards a council of all beings. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers.
  • SPOTLIGHT: Swimme, B., & Berry, T. (1992). The universe story: From the primordial flaring forth to the ecozoic era--a celebration of the unfolding of the cosmos. San Francisco, Calif.: HarperSan Francisco.

Image References and Credits

Adventure Round-up of Earth Empathy Adventures, Exercises, and Experiences

planetary collaborations

Earth Empathy is a project of the Institute for Earth Regenerative Studies, a fruit of a mentored doctoral course in "Deep Regeneration of Self and World" in the Prescott PhD in Sustainability Education, companioned by the insightful mentoring of Craig Chalquist. The adventures continue to unfold. Please collaborate and share your ideas, experiences, activities, and resources...Welcome home!

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