The Manifesto of Ecological Civilization contains the main provisions related to a new type of civilization, which should replace the industrial civilization, which has actually exhausted the potential of its development and has become the leading force for the destruction of humans and the living environment. A Manifesto for Ecological Civilization is the basis of the scenario for the development of culture and various public institutions, recognizing the potential of people to control their own destiny, to take effective steps to preserve life on earth.
The new issue of the journal falls on the dramatic moment of the military confrontation in Ukraine, which provoked the most serious humanitarian, economic and moral losses. The current situation is also deeply ecologically destructive. It is characterized by the priority of geostrategic thinking, and relegates to the background the tasks of sustainable development and the implementation of international policies related to confronting the environmental crisis. A new ghost of ‘Dark Ages’ hangs over humanity, but ‘Dark Ages’ are really ages in which oppressive hierarchical social structures are dissolved, ecosystems are able to regenerate, and the creativity unleashed among people paves the way for the rise of new, less oppressive and more sustainable civilizations.
Several experts in expressive arts, therapy and ecopsychology share their views on various aspects of colonization and decolonization. The participants in the discussion refer to the current situation in the world, characterized by the transition from a globalized monopolar world order to a multipolar/multilateral one. The issues of colonization and decolonization are considered in this discussion from an ecopoetic point of view, taking into account the ecological and cultural-historical perspective. The discussion is built in the form of a polylogue, where different authors use scientific and biographical discourse, academic and poetic language in order to convey the drama of the current situation and their response to the existential challenge associated with the decisive historical moment of ecological, cultural and geopolitical decolonization.
The broad range of ecopsychology topics is discussed in this interview with one of the Russian ecopsychological founders and leaders, Viktor Panov. As he reviews the specifics and different directions of this scientific and practical discipline, Panov pays special attention to ecopsychological research associated with the psychology of environmental consciousness. During the discussion, different types of human interactions with natural objects are described, including those corresponding to the nature-centric type of ecological consciousness.
This paper presents the application of the nature-assisted approach in the context of clinical art therapy with war veterans. The work was carried out in the psychotherapy department of the hospital for war veterans. Some nature-assisted art therapy techniques using natural objects and taking photographs were applied during a short-term art therapy program in order to reveal and support clients’ ecological identity as a healthy and resilient aspect of their Self. Examples of nature-assisted creative activities used in group art-therapy sessions are given.
This review outlines a book centered on the historic damages caused by the early colonizers of America and how their descendants may recognize and heal the harm done to the earth and Native peoples. Louise Dunlap tells the story of the beloved land in California’s Napa Valley: how the land fared during the onslaught of colonization and its consequences of drought and wildfires that are present today. She looks to awaken others to consider their ancestors’ role in colonization and encourage them to begin reparations for the harmful actions of those who came before. More broadly, the book offers a way for readers to evaluate their current life actions and the lasting impact they can have on society and the planet.
We are pleased to introduce a new section of our journal, "In Resonance with the Earth." We see poiesis as providing the basis for human beings' creative responses to their environment. The arts in particular offer forms that crystallize these responses in ways that touch and move us. "In Resonance with the Earth" will contain poetry, artworks, photography and poetic essays relevant to our theme. We encourage readers to find their own poietic ways of responding. This issue embraces a selection of essays, poetry and artworks etc. by David Moss, Carrie Herbert (UK), Alexander Kopytin (Russia), Judith Alalu and Odette Velez (Peru), Stephen K. Levine (Canada), Vadim Ryabikov (Russia), Margo Knill Fuchs (Switzerland)
This reflective essay explores the possibility of an ecological grief work as experienced by a group of women, the attendees of the Istanbul Expressive Arts Institute, on the island of Burgaz, near Istanbul. In 2021 the Marmara Sea experienced a condition called the mucilage, also called sea snot, a serious threat to the ecosystem of the sea creatures, as well as the dwellers of the city. By honoring the significance of the Marmara Sea for the city, the authors share how in the community of 13 women, the un-sea-n stories of the suffering sea, as well as of an Armenian woman who was excluded by some inhabitants of the island because of her eccentric love for the sea, could be contained through the rituals that emerged from nature-based expressive arts practice.
Considering the writing of Yi-Fu Tuan and the concept of space and place, the essay explores the similarities between what Robin Wall Kimmerer describes as becoming indigenous to place and what Stephen K. Levine describes as ecopoiesis. Both have the potential to serve as cross-cultural foundational concepts that can alter how contemporary societies shape the earth to meet human needs. The author relates this to her time spent outdoors during the Coronavirus pandemic developing a deeper connection to the place she calls home and poses consideration for further research and thought.
Florescence refers to flowering, a changing situation and development. Flowers are expressions of life support and contribute to both biodiversity and human vigour. Human aesthetic correspondences to flowers include the capacity to identify with flower species that become them. The ephemeral nature of flowers is an opportunity to reflect upon metamorphosis as a human and botanical experience. As an art material, flowers evoke experiences of sensory absorption and facilitate attunement to temporality, blossoming attributes and decomposition.
This article presents the method of Natural Therapy (NT) developed by Ronen Berger on the basis of the integration of the ideas of ecopsychology, expressive therapy and environmental education. The article starts by presenting basic NT theory and concepts; specifically, the concepts of touching nature, the triangular relationship (therapist-client-nature), and ritual, and continues with examples that illustrate how these concepts are implemented in practice. An example of its use with a student with an autism spectrum disorder is given. A description of the "Safe Place" program based on the application of NT in dozens of schools and kindergartens in Israel is provided, as well as some brief data on its effectiveness.
This essay explores a deep encounter between a photographer and the natural world. Slowing down and focusing in on a landscape, a moment when light brushes the earth alight after a storm, or, to gaze into an animal's eyes in the wild is like an awakening of our relationship with our earth. In times when we are increasingly disconnected or even separated from the wild, the therapeutic use of photography can draw us back into the intimacy that is at the essence of our own wild nature. It can restore hope and a relationship of compassion, care and appreciation of beauty and communion with our mother Earth.
Today national and international policy supports the inclusion of the natural environment in holistic health promotion [25]. It has become
This article attempts to systematically analyze methodological approaches and techniques for assessing the level of “ecological culture.” Some findings from the social and pedagogical research into the ecological culture of the population of St. Petersburg are presented. The value of the average level of ecological culture is discussed. The article highlights the contribution of environmental and sustainable development education to ecological culture.
Through dialectical viewpoints of relationality and personal knowing, this exploration seeks to weave meanings and connections between home, the natural world, and the expansiveness and relatedness of self. More than a mere static and individuated entity, the self is viewed here as a context of relational movements, situated between broader horizons of seamlessly interacting and dialectically open more-than-human worlds, through which the self accrues both depth and dynamic. From this basis the author explores the relationship between themes of belonging and autonomy within home, in Nature and the world, viewing these in relation to narrowed and sequestered experiences of a self related to substance use and addictions.
Paul Virilio (1932-2018) was a philosopher, urbanist and architectural critic. He is widely known for his conception of the "military model" of the growth of modern cities and the evolution of society. He introduced the concept of "dromology", meaning the study of speed as a philosophical category. He is the author of such books as Speed and Politics, The Information Bomb and The Original Accident. The selection of materials incudes the introductory remarks by Drew Burk, and an excerpt from Paul Virilio’s series of lectures entitled as “Grey ecology”
Psychologist, musician, composer Vadim Ryabikov - about co-creation with the natural world, geopoetics, ecological grief, psy-geographic music as a special way of human interaction with natural landscapes, transforming the experience of the landscape into aesthetic images that can change our attitude to the environment and have a healing effect on us and our life world.
This essay speaks to the reality of our invisible and visible interconnection with all life on the planet, with a focus on ecological grief as a powerful feeling which can awaken us to our authentic perception of our planet and our own eco-human needs. Ecological grief speaks to the necessity of reawakening our heart and our connection with the earth, to help us remember how to attune to and trust our emotions and feelings related to human and natural ecology.
The interview begins with the author summarizing his new book, Dump Philosophy, in which he gives a phenomenological description of the devastated world we live in today. Hierarchy has been replaced by a levelling process in which the boundaries and distinctions between different regions of being no longer obtain. As he says, “All the world’s a dump.” There is no position outside of the dump that is uncontaminated. In response to the interviewer’s objections, he goes on to say that neither art nor philosophy constitute exceptions to this process. Rather, what we must do is be faithful to the experience of the dump itself and not look for exceptions elsewhere. Even the very air we breathe has become part of the dump in which we exist. We must engage in “…learning to be in the middle…even in and especially if one is in the middle of a dump.”
Despite many reasons for pessimism, the author of the article defends Tuchin’s claim, arguing the threat of global ecological destruction provides the incentive to further develop our capacity for cooperation, not only through international relations, but through the way we organize societies and its institutions and the built-up environments we create. To coordinate the quest for a peaceful, ecologically sustainable world order, or ‘ecological civilization’, we need to articulate a new dialogic grand narrative based on ecological rather than mechanistic thinking to inspire people to work towards this end. We need to acknowledge the absolutely central place in life to ecopoiesis, the making of households or homes, recognizing the contribution to architecture and town planning of the work of Christopher Alexander.
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