The view we have of ourselves and our world shapes this world. Frameworks within the Dharma such as the ‘four foundations of mindfulness’ emphasize universal characteristics of our being human and part of a larger field of belonging. Eco-centric models of human identity, born of an intimate observation and participation within the wider natural world also offer a reminder of our deeper embeddedness whilst emphasizing the particular characteristics of our individuality.
An eco-centric wheel of human development invites us to experientially explore how the wider ecological world, and in particular the four seasons as we experience them can serve as a ‘mirror’ for our own maturation, including the four seasons of our human journey through childhood, adolescence, adulthood and elderhood along with the social and ecological developmental tasks associated with these stages.
These two frameworks emphasising the universality and particularity of our location acknowledge the indivisibility of individual and collective flourishing; a seamless belonging in which our particular and unique expression is necessary, a relational Dharma, as Joanna Macy named so eloquently, “World as Lover, World as Self”.
This EcoDharma Exploration took place on October 22, 2023. You can find the recording of this event below.
Rupert Marques has a background in environmental and outdoor education. He has practiced in the insight meditation tradition for over 25 years in Europe, America and Asia, and teaches in Europe and beyond. Rupert also trained with The School of Lost Borders in contemporary wilderness rites of passage and now trains others in this work. He spent 4 years living and working at Ecodharma, a contemplative community in the Spanish Pyrenees dedicated to exploring the role of the Dharma in the movements for social justice and ecological sustainability. He works with individuals and organizations offering a range of retreats and trainings with a particular interest in exploring the intersection of contemplative practice with nature-based practice.
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One Earth Sangha and our featured speakers offer these explorations on a donation basis, with no required registration fee. We invite you to participate in the tradition of offering dana, or generosity. Your support makes these gatherings possible, and any amount offered is greatly appreciated.
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Recording
Additional Resources
- We invite you to learn more about the two frameworks shared by Rupert: Eco-centric Stages of Human Development and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
- A longer variation on the “Evolutionary Remembering” practice that Rupert offered can be found here: Remembering Cosmogenesis, “Our Life as Gaia”.
- You can find more of Rupert’s offerings on his website.
