Web of Life
In the Realm of EARTH WISDOM
1: Dive in and read from the Seven Realms book list on the interconnected web of life.
Books 📚
- Manomin – Caring for Ecosystems & Each Other: Grounded in Indigenous methodologies and rendered in full colour, Manomin reveals and examines our interconnectedness through a variety of disciplines-history, food studies, ethnobotany, ecology-and forms of expression, including recipes, stories, and photos.
- The Web of Life – by Fritjof Capra: new scientific language to describe interrelationships and interdependence of psychological, biological, physical, social, and cultural phenomena–the “web of life.”
- The Hidden Life of Trees – by Peter Wohlleben: science that shows us how trees communicate, feel, and live in social networks. After reading this book, a walk in the woods will never be the same again.
- Living Planet – The Web of Life on Earth – by David Attenborough: the ingenuity of individual species contriving a living to the complexity of their interdependence on each other and on the habitations provided by our planet.
- The Intelligence of the Cosmos – by Ervin Laszlo: examines the nature of consciousness in an interconnected universe, showing how our bodies and minds act as transmitters of consciousness from the intelligence of the cosmos and how understanding science’s new concept of the world enables us to re-discover our identity and our purpose in our world.
- Braiding Sweetgrass – by Robin Wall Kimmerer: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise”
- Deep Creek – Finding Hope in the High Country: profound meditations yet on how “to live simultaneously inside the wonder and the grief… to love the damaged world and do what I can to help it thrive.”
- The Sea-Ringed World – Sacred Stories of the Americas – by Maria Garcia Esperon: Like all humans, Native Americans sought to understand their place in the universe, the nature of their relationship with the divine, and the origin of the world into which their ancestors had emerged. The web of life is very present in many of these cosmological stories. Best read aloud!
2: Check out these Web of Life artists for inspiration.
Artists & where to find them 🎨
- Pablo Amaringo: Ayahuasca visionary artist Pablo Amaringo brings an incredibly colorful, interoconnected and multi-dimensional world to life from his journeys with Ayahuasca.
- Amanda Sage: a true web of life visionary in the psychedelic art world.
- Android Jones: modern, electronic, multi-media, unity of cosmos, psychedelic art
- Alex Grey: definitely one of the go-to artists in the world for conveying psychedelic visions and the concept of an interconnected web of life and consciousness
- Mariposa Galactica: inspired vision of nature, humanity and our connection to the stars.
- Michelle Anderst: a profound & prolific visionary of the web of interconnected birth, life, death, rebirth
- Ramona Snow Teo: She brought the artistic vision of Seven Realms to life! Her work with mandalas inspired us to seek her out for the Seven Realms Card Deck.
3: From the threads of interconnection, compassion blooms. Seek out the wisdom that helps it grow within you.
Books 📚
- Where Compassion Begins – by Jared Seide: Foundational Practices to Enhance Mindfulness, Attention and Listening from the Heart. An invitation to build the muscle of compassion, through exercises and practices that enhance our capacity to listen from the heart.
- Radical Compassion – by Tara Brach: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture). Discover sources of love, forgiveness, compassion, and deep wisdom alive within all of us.
- From Self-Neglect to Compassion – by Hayley Quinn: A roadmap to recognise the habits, unhelpful stories and cyclical beliefs that hold you back and keep you stuck in exhaustion, burnout, guilt and self-criticism, while guiding you to cultivate self-compassion and a new way of relating to yourself.
Podcasts 🎧
- Fierce Compassion Podcast – with Roxy Manning & Sarah Peyton: an exploration of self-compassion, empathy, and activism for forging Community.
- Hidden Brain Podcast Episode on Compassion – explore the science of compassion, and how being kind to others can make a real difference in your own life.
- We Are the Compassionate Revolution Podcast – with Molly Davis Moon: a wide variety topics on compassion, action, self-compassion, self-love, teaching children compassion, healing and so much more!
- How to Grow Self-Compassion – Podcast Episode of Being Well Podcast with Forrest Hanson & Dr. Rick Hanson: How we can use self-compassion to reduce rumination, feel safe while taking big risks, and improve our relationships with other people.
- The Compassion Podcast – from the Global Compassion Coalition: Meditations, talks and practices to help you navigate life’s difficulties, find inner peace, and build strength and resilience
Websites 🌐
- Wiseheart: Incredible resources here on Mindful Compassionate Dialogue (MCD). Great free resources, trainings, and so much more! We LOVE Wiseheart Community!
- Global Compassion Coalition: A global organization with a compassion-centered mission and vision. Projects, trainings, resources, podcast, learning , community, and more.
4: Educate yourself about ecosystems, biodiversity, and cultural traditions that emphasize interdependence.
Books 📚
- Entangled Life – by Merlin Sheldrake: By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms – and our relationships with them – are changing our understanding of how life works.
- Books by Robin Wall-Kimmerer: Any book you pick up by this author will take you into a web of interconnected ecosystems and shift your perspective on ecology, abundance, scarcity, and so much more.
- Finding the Mother Tree – by Suzane Simard: 100% you need to read this book on the wisdom of the forest and it’s interwoven delicately balanced ecology.
5: Explore communal living such as cohousing or
eco-villages to experience interconnectedness and mutual support, mirroring the web of life.
Books 📚
- The Cohousing Company – bookshop: Building Sustainable Communities, senior Cohousing, various books and models to choose from.
- Creating a Life Together – by Diane Leafe Christian: Practical tools to grow eco-villages and intentional communities.
- The Cooperative Culture Handbook – by Yana Ludwig & Karen Gimping: designed for groups and teams that want to achieve their mission and build real cooperation. Cooperative groups are our best hope for addressing climate disruption, racism, poverty, homelessness, oppression and even pandemics.
Podcasts 🎧
- This is Cohousing – New Podcast on issues and design of Cohousing communities.
- Creating Cohousing with Katie McCamant – episode of Regenerative Real Estate Podcast: McCamant is focused on promoting cohousing communities across the United States by working with individuals interesting in living in them and supporting professionals like developers and architects interested in building them.
Websites 🌐
- Foundation for Intentional Community: worldwide listings + resources for intentional community living.
- We Find Your Tribe: Find an intentional community using one of these directories