"Those roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are ... There is no time to them.
There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence."

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Eco-centrism

The view that is dominant in industrial growth societies is called anthropocentrism. This view holds that humans are the most important beings: they are the center of the universe or at the top of a pyramid of all the beings on earth. All beings other than humans are then categorized depending on their usefulness to humans. The result of this way of viewing human's place on the earth is that the environment is now in great jeopardy of being able to sustain life. As Deena Metzger states in Dharma Gaia (1990), "A fundamental question of our time is whether we can individually and collectively give up our personal egos—enough so that we can give up gender, cultural, religious and species egos as well. For the first time in human history it is absolutely clear that our survival, alongside the survival of all living species, depends upon our recognition of equality and interdependency." (209)

While anthropocentrism is dominant in many cultures today, this was certainly not the case for the majority of the time humans have been alive. It is also not the world view of indigenous peoples that are living in life-sustaining ways today. Another view of our place on the planet is called eco-centrism. Eco-centrism holds that humans are one part of the vast presence of life on earth. Humans, from this view, are equal to all other forms of life. The ecological self comes from this point of view and is based on the interconnectedness between humans, other animals, plants, trees, rivers, rocks and all forms of life of earth. From this view, all beings have intrinsic value, meaning that they have the right to live just as much as humans.

Interconnectedness

The belief that all beings are interconnected is seen in many forms of spirituality and indigenous world views. People who feel this interconnectedness often live in harmony with the cycles of nature and revere all as being sacred. Others practice meditation in order to awaken their consciousness to their oneness with all that is. The Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh demonstrates the interconnectedness of things by looking at a piece of paper. He states, "As thin as this sheet of paper is, it contains everything in the Universe in it." Thich Nhat Hanh shows that in order for a piece of paper to be made, clouds, rain, sun, paper mills, and many other parts of the universe are necessary.

In order to contemplate our interconnectedness, we need to pause from the flow of actions that fill many peoples' lives. This sacred pause then gives us the opportunity to look at what is present during each moment. We can examine our actions as they unfold. Becoming more mindful of our actions and their effects on the earth helps us to feel interconnected with all life. Every time we throw away a piece of garbage, for example, we may reflect on where it is going. How long does it take to break down? We might also ask: where does our food and electricity come from?

The practice of mindfulness can bring a great richness to our lives in that we can expand our sense of self. We can see how we are dependent on so many other forces of life and so many other people. We can feel that we are never alone, that we are always connected to the earth and all the beings on it. Joanna Macy states, "We already and indissolubly belong to each other, for this is the nature of life. So, even in our haste and hurry and occasional discouragement, we belong to each other. We can rest in that knowing, and stop and breathe, and let that breath connect us with the still center of the turning wheel." (http://www.joannamacy.net)

Systems Theory

Systems theory is a way of viewing the interconnectedness of life. It was first formulated by biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy in the 1940's as an attempt to keep a view of unity and wholeness in science. Instead of holding that all things are separate, the systems theory states that life is in continual flow. We think there are separate and individual things, yet each time scientists break something down, they find another layer to analyze. Joanna Macy states, "All living systems—be they organic like a cell or human body, or supra-organic like a society or ecosystem—are holons. That means they have a dual nature: They are both wholes in themselves and, simultaneously, integral parts of larger wholes." (http://www.joannamacy.net)

An important aspect of systems theory is that feedback loops of information exist so that systems can adjust themselves to fit the needs of the larger systems. Joanna Macy states, "Feedback from its component parts, and from the larger systems in which it operates, is essential to its long-term survival. When feedback is blocked or discounted, the system cannot meet its own changing needs or respond to a changing environment." The feedback loop for the current situation on the planet is happening, in that each of us has feelings of sadness, anger, and grief. Since we are all interconnected, each one of us will be affected when any are suffering. Yet we often mask these feelings because they are painful to experience. Joanna Macy encourages us to feel the suffering of what is happening so that we can act in ways to create a sustainable future for the planet. It is in suppressing our feelings of suffering that we are blocking the feedback of the interconnectedness of every being on the planet. Mindfulness can be a wonderful practice to help us connect and be present with our deep feelings.

Experiencing The Ecological Self

The ecological self is the greater system of all living beings on earth and the earth itself. While there are many ways to connect to the ecological self, let us explore two specific practices of meditation and vision questing. Deena Metzger offers us a meditation in Dharma Gaia (1990) that helps us to tune into the ecological self. For this meditation, close your eyes and imagine what it would be like to be a tree. Imagine your feet turning into roots that extend down into the darkness and soil. Imagine your arms turning into branches that reach toward the sun, clouds, and rain. Metzger states, "Now this is the difficult part: Let it be sufficient to be a tree. Allow yourself to be aware that it's not more enlightened to be human." (211) After we are able to feel this sense of being a tree, we can practice this meditation as a star, bird, stone, or any other form of life. Matsuo Basho states in Dharma Gaia (1990), "Unless we see or hear phenomena or things from within the things themselves, we shall never succeed in recording them in our hearts." (191)

Vision questing is a traditional way of moving beyond the ego, connecting with the forces of nature, and receiving a vision of guidance for one's life. In Vision Quest (1980) Steven Foster and Meredith Little state, "There is benefit to be gained from seeking a vision, by learning the sacred, solitary postures of countless pilgrims who, from the beginning of human time, have sought to see. Questing for a vision, we seek to extend ourselves, to know." (40) Vision questing is traditionally practiced by Native Americans. According to Suzanne Head in Dharma Gaia (1990), it is found in spiritual retreat traditions of the East as well. Jesus and the Buddha, for example, both did retreats in the wilderness.

In looking at vision quests from the Native American tradition, the way that the vision quest is carried out varies between Native American tribes. There is often a component of preparation for a vision quest, however, that includes fasting and then participating in a sweat lodge ceremony for purification. Suzanne Head says that in the Lakota tradition after preparing for a vision quest, people then "enter the alone time, taking nothing but a blanket—no clothes, food, or water. For up to four days they sit within a sacred space marked by a circle of stones… The quester's task is to maintain awareness of everything that takes place." (113)