Our Story

In late October 1998, we held a public gathering entitled “Educating for Ecological Sustainability.” The powerful presentation to an overflow crowd by cultural critic and author Chet Bowers, PhD, kindled many sparks. As winter approached, we gathered activists and artists across issues and disciplines to celebrate Winter Solstice, which began an annual tradition.

For the next three years, a like-hearted group gathered for book discussions and workshops exploring climate issues, global and local economics, and social and political problems. We pored over Ram Dass’s “How Can I Help” and Joanna Macy’s “World as Lover, World as Self,” Wendell Berry’s “What are Humans For,” and writings by Starhawk, Rianne Eisler, Trungpa Rinpoche, Barry Lopez and others. The inability of activism across disciplines to stem the rising tide of crises elicited reflection on the commingled roots of those problems – roots buried deep in a stunted view of what it means to be alive and to flourish.

In November 2001, we incorporated as a 501(c)(3) public benefit organization committed to cultivating a deeper view of human capacity, community, and possibility – what it means to be a living, breathing, sentient part of this beautiful living earth.

Our programs encourage reflection on the nature of awareness and the quality of heart that we each bring to our personal, political, and cultural affairs. In doing so, we foster fresh and creative responses to the challenges facing humanity and the planet.