A creative gathering for reweaving our kinship with all beings.

This isn’t a typical workshop. It’s a gathering where we step outside of our human identity for a moment to take on the perspective of another being — and let the voice of the Earth speak through us.

You might be called to speak for a redwood tree, a particular mushroom, a red fox, a dying coral reef…

Through community, creativity, and collective presence, we listen, grieve, and remember our place in the great web of life.

Created by Joanna Macy and others in the deep ecology tradition, the Council is not just a powerful reconnector — it’s medicine for the heart, for the Earth, and for these uncertain times.

Join us in the wild beauty of Point Reyes where we will challenge anthropocentrism, connect to the more-than-human, and renew our sense of belonging.

What is the Council?

The Council of All Beings is a powerful ritual process that invites us to take off our human identity for a moment and embody the voice of another being — a tree, a river, a wild animal, the wind, the soil, even a species on the brink of extinction.

Through guided prompts, creativity, and deep listening, we give voice to the Earth and its beings, allowing their wisdom, grief, rage, beauty, and guidance to speak through us.

The process was born out of deep ecology work as a way to reconnect humans with the living Earth and to awaken a sense of interbeing, responsibility, and reverence.

You will walk away with:

• A renewed sense of belonging to the Earth
• A deeper connection to community
• A way to process eco-grief and anxiety through shared ritual and expression
• A felt sense of kinship with more-than-human life
• New insights into your unique role in this time of planetary change

Irene Rodriguez is a singer, facilitator, and eco-artist devoted to weaving connection between the human and more-than-human worlds. Rooted in practices like the Work That Reconnects, eco-therapy, somatics, and expressive arts, her work invites integration within ourselves, with each other, and with the environment through creativity, presence, and practices of interbeing. She aims to create spaces where deep listening, imagination, and reverence become pathways to belonging, wellness, and planet care.

John White has been an East Bay public school teacher for 30+ years. He is a dreamer by nature and has been a fan of the Council of All Beings framework and of Joanna Macy’s embodiment of Active Hope since reading “Thinking Like a Mountain” in the early 90’s. Together with Irene he has committed to manifesting Councils for adults annually whenever they are both in the Bay Area.

Details

-We will be meeting at the Bear Valley Picnic Area

– Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to check in

– Refunds available for all classes 7 days in advance of the start date, after 7 days and before 2 days, participants can credit their class for a future date. All requests before 48 hours in advance will be declined.

– Please follow the parking instructions for the facility used that day

– Please provide an email you check regularly for updates and reminders about your class

– Registration is required online prior to the event in order to maintain class sizes

– Sales end 48 hours before the start date.

– Waitlists are available when the class sells out

Ticket Pricing

A range of pricing options are available to meet your needs. We welcome your participation and appreciate your support at any level.

What to Bring

Day Pack

Lunch

Warm Variable Weather Clothing

Hiking Shoes

Water Bottle

Notebook and Pen/Field Journal

Eventbrite Confirmation Email

Binoculars (Optional)

Camera (Optional)

About the PRNSA Field Institute

The PRNSA Field Institute offers hands-on environmental education classes throughout the year that foster enjoyment of Point Reyes National Seashore. Our classes are led by expert instructors, who take you out of your everyday life and into the natural world. We host a variety of classes about the arts and sciences and have something for everyone. You can reach the Field Institute at (415) 663-1200 x304 or by email at fieldinstitute@ptreyes.org.

Interested in becoming a member of PRNSA? Click Here!

Interested in becoming a PRNSA Field Institute volunteer facilitator, or are you an outdoor educator or artist who would like to teach a PRNSA Field Institute class? Send an Email!

For any questions, please email us at fieldinstitute@ptreyes.org.

Health Guidelines

Masks are welcome at your discretion as we all work together to remain healthy and safe.