The Work that Reconnects - Global Ecovillage Network

Description of Challenge

Despite rapidly worsening social and ecological conditions it is not easy to stay in trust
and in connection with the meaning and faith of the own work for a lifefriendly culture. People who
engage themselves can get stuck in difficult feelings like anger, grief, fear or agony. That bases on
an assumption, that mankind is disconnected from nature, observing nature but not being nature
itself.

“I walk on the precarious edge of the new and the old, wanting to shed the locks and lies of a
mechanical world, eager to dive into the smooth cool water of abundant life.” Kirstin George

Solution

Drawing from deep ecology, systems theory and spiritual traditions, the Work That Reconnects
(WTR) builds motivation, creativity, courage and solidarity for the transition to a sustainable human
culture. First emerging in 1978, this pioneering, opensource body of work has its roots in the
teachings and experiential methods of Joanna Macy. The methods are widely used in
environmental and civil rights campaigns, classrooms, faith communities and grassroots
organisations.

The activist’s inner journey appears like a spiral, interconnecting four successive stages or
movements that feed into each other.
1. opening to gratitude,
2. owning our pain for the world (despair work),
3. seeing with new eyes,
4. going forth.

References:
www.joannamacy.net
www.workthatreconnects.org

Submitted by : Pioneers of Change