Ecopoiesis: Eco-human theory and practice

Ecophilosophy
Ecopsychology
Ecotherapy
Eco Art Therapy
Ecological Education
The "Green" Arts
Eco-aesthetics

EDITORIAL: THE ECO-HUMAN PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR MOVEMENT INTO THE FUTURE

The eco-human perspective on perceiving and transforming reality is the ideological and value-based direction our journal seeks to advance. Grounded in the recognition of the fundamental unity of humans and their environment, and in the urgent need to sustain this unity across spheres of life, we promote eco-human theories and practices as resources for shaping a new, future-oriented reality of ecological civilization. In this issue, we explore the creative potential of the eco-human approach and its relevance to pressing contemporary challenges, particularly those concerning culture and intercultural relations.

ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION, ORGANIC-PROCESS THINKING AND THE FUTURE OF CHINA

For all of its numerous benefits, modernization is a double-edged sword. After wholeheartedly embracing Western-style modernization in the 20^th and 21^st centuries, China has achieved astonishing world-renowned achievements, most notably in terms of its rapid economic growth and development. However, contemporary China has had to cope with many of the bitter aftertastes of the pill of modernization, especially in regards to the serious ecological crisis faced by most developed countries. In order to avoid the fate of self-destruction of both China and the wider world, a new civilization—ecological civilization—is urgently needed. Different from industrial civilization that holds in the highest regard all things related to machines and tools, an ecological civilization is a civilization that respects nature and aims for the common good of humans and nature. It is the transcendence of modern industrialization, and thus requires a great all-round transformation. Organic-Process thinking can provide a theoretical framework for such an ecological civilization. Although China has made great efforts thus far to create such an ecological civilization, the road toward building one is long and difficult, as there is a great deal of obstacles that must be overcome to reach this goal.

SETTING THE COORDINATES FOR AN ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION

An ecological civilization represents an exciting potential future of human flourishing on a regenerated Earth. It would require a transformation of our current economy, politics, and mainstream culture, leading to a fundamentally different civilization based of different values, goals, and collective behavior. An ecological civilization arises from modeling human society on nature’s wisdom—the same core principles that have kept natural ecologies healthy and resilient over millions of years. It is a vision inspired by life-affirming groups worldwide—Indigenous, political, community-based, and spiritual. While it’s visionary and seems a long way off, it may be closer than many people realize.

NATURAL ARCHETYPE OF THE MOON IN CULTURE AND THE ARTS

The article examines the influence of the Moon as a celestial body of the solar system, closely connected with the Earth, on humans. It is shown how, through creative activity in the interaction of humans with this celestial body, new meanings and forms of experience are formed and their renewal in culture takes place. In this case, the Moon acts not only as a physical object, but also as one of the natural archetypes, due to which a complex of human potentials is realized in their connection with the environment. When considering the Moon as a natural phenomenon, special attention is paid to those types of activities when it is perceived through the prism of non-pragmatic, artistic and aesthetic experience, closely related to the experience of beauty. When considering this mode of perception of the Moon, the concepts of poiesis and ecopoiesis are used.

2101.26

A'Court, Beverley. THE NEW POEMS

In the "In Resonance with the Earth" section of this issue, we've included a selection of new poems by Beverly E'Court, exploring her relationship with her mother, her experiences with water, the influence of Mandelstam's poetry on her own poetry, and her art therapy work. She has been practicing art therapy since 1981, becoming a pioneer in its holistic approach, advocating for the recognition of the importance of poetic language, the body, ecology, and global cultural traditions in therapy.

1901.26

Kopytin, Alexander EDITORIAL: THE ECO-HUMAN PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR MOVEMENT INTO THE FUTURE

1501.26

Essex, Judith Greer. SOLSTICE

Judith Greer Essex shares her perception of Solstice as a special time for the sun to stop, and her too. A time to listen in and out. Every year, she takes that day to see the sun rise and set. She reads her journals from the year that ended, reflecting on what occurred. Hew artwork and poem are about the gifts of darkness, of stillness, of going within as if were the earth shows us the way: be quiet, take care of your body, mind, heart, and soul.

1501.26

Kopytin, Alexander. ECOLOGY OF CULTURE AND NATURE: EXAMINING CULTURAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOTHERAPY FROM AN ECOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT (USING ART THERAPY AS AN EXAMPLE)

This article discusses a trend in the development of expressive/creative arts therapy related to the increasing attention to cultural and environmental context. Culture is viewed through the lens of ecological concepts, that is, as a "home" for human communities with their characteristic sets of material and spiritual values. Various forms of cultural organization and intercultural relationships are analyzed, reflecting various forms of environmental awareness and people's attitudes toward their environment. The concepts of colonization and decolonization and their connection to the relationships of human communities with each other and the natural world are also considered. Selected publications on creative/expressive arts therapy addressing the impact of colonialism and decolonization in the helping professions, are commented on.

0901.26

Ruuska, Toni; Heikkurinen, Pasi; Levasseur, Todd; Gare, Arran. REDEFINING VIOLENCE FOR THE ANTHROPOCENE: FROM ECOCIDE TO ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION

The Anthropocene puts humanity within the continuum of long-running Earth processes, but what does it mean to be violent in deep time? This article aims to redefine violence for the Anthropocene. It does so by first examining the temporal dimensions of violence, where violence is claimed to be a historic and stratigraphic phenomenon, as much as it is present, immediate, and abrupt. Violence is relational, slow, and often accumulating, but there exists also violence that is stratigraphic, which bears the witness of and that will impact organisms and ecosystems other than us, the humans, in the distant future. Second, the article links violence to violation, and shows how violence is an evaluative term. In short, this means that violence should always be treated on a case-by-case basis. Third, the article posits that the notion of violence should be extended to the more-than-human world, as other beings, habitats, landscapes, and ecosystems can be, are, and have repeatedly been violated by human actions. Following these claims, the article proposes a non-anthropocentric definition of violence as encounters entailing the use of force that violates life-supporting processes. For reducing violence in ecosystems, the article calls for a withdrawal from the industrial-capitalist megamachine and placing more emphasis on the provisioning of fundamentals of life and other collective efforts advancing an ecological civilization.

2025-12-18 13:11:31THE DOUBLE ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED ARTS AND HEALTH ON ART, CREATIVITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

We are proud to announce that the Journal of Applied Arts and Health has just released the double issue on Art, Creativity and the Environment (Issue 16.2 & 3). This publication has taken a whole year of research, writing and editorial support to bring together national and international colleagues in what became a double issue, focusing on art therapy, working outdoors, and environmental concerns.

2024-12-31 12:43:19IN MEMORIAL TO JOHN COBB

Dr. John B. Cobb died on the 26th of December, 2024. He was a world-renowned process philosopher, a third-generation successor of process philosophy, a leading figure of constructive postmodernism, one of the earliest proponents of Western Green GDP, a constructive postmodern ecological philosopher, a pioneer of constructive postmodern ecological civilization theory, and a distinguished process theologian.

2024-08-19 07:58:30ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS THERAPY UK NEWSLETTER (SUMMER 2025)

This newsletter published by Environmental Arts Therapy UK presents activities and reviews initiated by a growing community of environmental arts therapists driven by the need to understand and develop the vital connections between Nature, psychotherapy, creativity, and the environmental climate emergency. At a time of increasing crisis and suffering on our planet the arts therapies are being shaped by social and political forces that ultimately generate change, one of those changes is the joining of ideas and communities so that we can grow and support each other’s creative practice in the interests of Nature and human beings.

2023-05-27 20:59:33THE 16th CLAREMONT INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION

The Claremont International Forum on Ecological Civilization (a.k.a. the Claremont Eco Forum) is the earliest and largest forum on ecological civilization in the West. The Forum is organized by Institute for Postmodern China and Center for Process Studies since 2006. The 16th International Forum on Ecological Civilization & 5th International Youth Forum on Ecological Civilization have been held on May 25-27, 2023, fully online, and their main theme was Deep Transformation for Ecological Civilization. The mission of the forum is to bring together creative academics, non-profit leaders, governmental officials, and leading activists, Chinese and Non-Chinese, to explore new worldviews, new way of thinking, new models of development, new way of organic farming, and new models of education in the transition toward ecological civilization.

2022-10-02 08:59:20MEMORIAL TO NEWTON HARRISON, A FOUNDER OF THE ECO-ART MOVEMENT

Newton Harrison, who, with his wife, Helen Mayer Harrison, was a founder of the eco-art movement, died on Sept. 4, in Santa Cruz, Calif. He was a Research Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Director of Harrisons Studio, and Professor Emeritus at the University of California at San Diego, an Advisor of the “Ecopoiesis: Eco-Human Theory and Practice” journal

2021-08-07 20:48:01NEWTON HARRISON. SENSORIUM: THE THINKING

Sensorium is both a work of art and of science that sets out to synthesize the survival problems that the world ocean faces in our emerging heat shocked future. The work is designed by Newton Harrison, and emerges from the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure, located at the University of California Santa Cruz. Personally, Sensorium is his most recent effort in addressing the ongoing degeneration of our world ocean’s life web. Sensorium is presented as a work of art and an interface for our human interaction and dialogue with our world ocean’s life web. In this video he is proposing a form of expression that references the whole systems knowing that our ancestors practiced as their everyday survival motif and that has now faded to a whisper in everyday western life.

2020-05-04 14:37:35ALEXANDRA KIRILLOVA - VOICE WORK AS A WAY OF ESTABLISHING CONNECTION WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Alexandra Kirillova, singer, psychologist and vocal practitioner, talks about how singing and voice work are based on synchronizing a person’s state and inner nature with the environment, establishing a deep healing connection with the natural world and a specific landscape.

2020-04-22 22:28:55VLADISLAV GRISHIN: THE ROLE OF DOCUMENTARY FILM IN SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES.

Vladislav Grishin, director and screenwriter of the documentary film “Bears of Kamchatka,” shares his impressions of working on the film and the film’s ability to convey the direct experience of interacting with the natural environment and its inhabitants, which may support the spectator’s yearning to be closer to nature.

2020-02-09 13:54:32LEONID TISHKOV: ART AS AN ECOLOGICAL ACTION

The artist Leonid Tishkov talks about his participation in a number of projects that help to draw attention to environmental problems and emphasizes the role of art in promoting environmental values.

2020-02-09 13:52:36VADIM RYABIKOV ON PSI-GEOGRAPHICAL MUSIC

Psychologist, musician, composer Vadim Ryabikov speaks about psi-geographical music as a special way of human interaction with natural landscapes, turning the experience of the landscape into aesthetic images that can change our attitude to the environment and have a healing effect.

INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDRA DVORNIKOVA

An artist from St.Petersburg, Alexandra Dvornikova, gave an interview to our journal, talking about her work and its connection with nature, about the artist's role in promoting environmental values and ecological culture, developing an environmental awareness, about communicating with the natural world as a source of inspiration, beauty and healing.

MUSIC AT TIMES OF THE ECO-HUMAN CRISIS: CARRIE HERBERT AND ‘THE ALCHEMY OF THERAPEUTIC SONGWRITING‘

At times of crisis, environmental and human challenges and transitions, music is a powerful force that can connect people across borders, touch people’s hearts and build empathy, trust and understanding. Music has an incredible therapeutic power to heal through expression of deep feelings and experiences in the current times of the eco-human crisis. Music is a universal language interwoven in all cultures. It is from this universal heart of music that ‘The Alchemy of Therapeutic Songwriting’ project, initiated by Carrie Herbert, musician and songwriter, was born.

REVISIONING ART AND NATURE: TOWARD A DEPTH PSYCHOLOGY OF CREATION

This essay was written in response to Alexander’s Kopytin’s questions inviting Shaun McNiff to expand upon his presentation at the Ecological/Earth-Based Arts Therapies Conference in August of 2020 where he discussed the need for a depth psychology of art and nature. Based on an all-inclusive idea of nature and with reference to the ideas of James Hillman and Thomas Berry, the author presents his understanding of art as a force of nature. He illustrates his statements with his own art.

ECOSEXUALITY: THE STORY OF OUR LOVE WITH THE EART

In this excerpt from their book, Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens explore the realms of ecosexuality as they became lovers with the Earth and made their mutual pleasure an embodied expression of passion for the environment. Since 2008, they have been not just pushing but obliterating the boundaries circumscribing biology and ecology, creating ecosexual art in their performance of an environmentalism that is feminist, queer, sensual, sexual, posthuman, materialist, exuberant, and steeped in humor.

INTERVIEW WITH MAXIM DEMIN

Moscow artist Maxim Demin gave an interview to our journal, in which he talks about the connection of his work with traditional iconography and its interaction with the environment, time, space, his study of natural dynamics and life cycles of natural materials and objects, and spiritual sources of creativity.

INTERVIEW WITH RIYA VOLKOVA

Musician, composer, poet and singer Riya Volkova talks about her creative endeavors related to playing the Russian harp (the ‘gusli’), her attitude to the traditional musical culture of the peoples of North-West Russia and traditional music’s connection with new musical trends, as well as the importance of nature for her work.

INTERVIEW WITH JEAN DAVIS AND NANCY WU

Two artists from NYC, Jean Davis and Nancy Wu, gave an interview to our journal in which they talk about their environmental artistic endeavors linked to Resurrect Studio which entails gathering broken, discarded, but ultimately luminous pieces of glass fragments found on the ocean coastal line. The glass sculptures collectively tell a story of hope and inspiration, of sacred and profane.

MEMORIES OF THE FUTURE: SPECULATIVE FABULATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE OPUNTIAE CACTUS & THE COCHINEAL

"Memories of the Future" is an ecopoietic project by artist / expressive art teacher, Roseline de Thélin, who is aiming to raise awareness on the disappearance of the Prickly Pear cactus, in the Balearic Islands and mainland Spain due to a plague of Cochineal. Inspired by Donna Haraway's writings (“Staying with the trouble”, in particular) the artist created surreal scenes as “speculative fabulations” from a mix of artificial intelligence, digital and analogue manipulation, with the aim of fostering new narratives and perspective shifts in the face of ecological issues.

About the journal

In accordance with the Law of the Russian Federation on the Mass Media, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications (Roskomnadzor) on September 22, 2020, the web-based publication - The peer-reviewed scientific online journal "Ecopoiesis: Eco-Human Theory and Practice" was registered (registration number El No. FS77-79134).

“Ecopoiesis: Eco-Human Theory and Practice” is the international multidisciplinary Journal focused on building an eco-human paradigm, disseminating eco-human knowledge and technology based on the alliance of ecology, humanities and the arts. Our journal aims to be a vibrant forum of theories and practices aimed at harmonizing the relations of mankind and the natural world in the interests of sustainable development, the creation of Eco-Humanity as a new community of human beings and more-than-human world. The human being is an ecological being, not separate from the world. The Ecopoiesis journal is based on that premise and aims to develop a body of theory and practice within that framework.

The Journal promotes dialogue and cooperation between ecologists, philosophers, doctors, educators, psychologists, artists, musicians, designers, social activists, business representatives in the name of eco-human values, human health and well-being, in close connection with concern for the environment. The Journal supports the development and implementation of new environmentally-friendly concepts, technologies and practices in the various fields of health and public life, education and social work.

One of the priority tasks of the Journal is to demonstrate and support the significant role of the arts in their alliance with ecology and the humanities for the restoration and development of constructive relations with nature, raising environmental awareness and promoting nature-friendly lifestyles.

The Journal publishes articles describing new eco-human concepts and practices, technologies and applied research data at the intersection of humanities, ecology and the arts, as well as interviews and conference reports related to the emerging eco-human field. It encourages artwork, music and other creative products related to eco-human practices and the new global community of Eco-Humanity.