Papers by Adrian Villasenor-Galarza
Deep Times: A journal of the Work That Reconnects, 2024
For cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and systemic change to take place, there needs to be energy... more For cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and systemic change to take place, there needs to be energy available. To facilitate such a shift in consciousness, the third dimension of the Great Turning, we depend on the availability of psychic energy. How may we mobilize inner resources in service to Life? How do we liberate such energy into its eco-psychic expressions? I delve into the need to honorably traverse the Underworld of our pain as is connected to "lower" America, celebrating ancestral deep ecology, integrating ancient/modern polarities informing Mestizo self-images, and receiving Pachasophical guidance by way of the mythic wisdom of the Americas.
Esperanza Project, 2020
Overnight, the daily life of most of the inhabitants of this beautiful Earth-home has vanished, l... more Overnight, the daily life of most of the inhabitants of this beautiful Earth-home has vanished, leaving us in a kind of transitory reality between the old and known and the new unknown. After I asked someone how she was doing a couple of weeks ago, she replied: "Mmm, not very well. The most serious thing is that I have no idea when normality will return and, if it returns, how it will be." The usual sense of control, security, and continuity of our lives dissolves amid the jaws of the health crisis we face.
Heart of the Sky, Heart of the Earth: Spirituality in the Planetary Era, 2017
Connecting with the fertile dimensions of our planetary moment suggests that the Earth as a whole... more Connecting with the fertile dimensions of our planetary moment suggests that the Earth as a whole is evoking a more thorough engagement with the mind’s deep layers. In a way, the global arena has become a mirror that constantly reflects what’s taking place within. This is a unique opportunity, an ever-present reminder to sharpen a more discerning view of who we truly are that breaks through layers of self-enclosure and reactivity into the living, breathing presence that sustains us all, the Earth. Seen from a contemplative perspective, the compounded crises we’re facing serve as resounding bells that announce that the time is now to heed the call of awakening.
The Trumpeter, 2008
I invite you to exercise your whole being for a few moments. Awake your thinking and sensual capa... more I invite you to exercise your whole being for a few moments. Awake your thinking and sensual capacities and, guided by your intuition, conceive the planet that you inhabit as a living entity. Try to visualize it as an immense organism of which you are one of the trillions of tiny creatures that constitute it. This organism has been referred to differently by numerous people throughout the course of time, but in this particular case we will use the name Gaia. Gaia is an inconceivably old sentient organism in which transformation, creation, and innovation take place in a network of interconnected cycles entangled to an astonishing planetary commUnity.
Ludus Vitalis, 2008
There are two main currents that shape Western science and thus the acquisition of knowledge: the... more There are two main currents that shape Western science and thus the acquisition of knowledge: the mechanistic and the holistic. These worldviews have a direct influence in the way we live our daily lives, how we perceive the world, and the way we organize our societies. History has proven that both worldviews portray numerous benefits for mankind, but recent events have showed the limits, and even the dangers, of the mechanistic worldview. By embracing a mechanistic worldview we have lost our sense of belonging with nature and the cosmos, and has produced an overall feeling of emptiness and loss of value. However, we have gained some valuable lessons through the mechanistic lens and it can be used to gain entrance to a much broader, integral, meaningful, and ethical vision, the holistic worldview. This is a necessary shift that will directly benefit science, ourselves, and the rest of nature.
Written River: A Journal of Ecopoetics, 2010
The breakdown of organic matter into its richer expression as fertile soil or humus can be seen a... more The breakdown of organic matter into its richer expression as fertile soil or humus can be seen as a natural process that echoes the alchemical Great Work of transmuting base metals into gold. In what follows, I present some similarities between the composting process and the
Ahimsa Center Newsletter , 2013
In light of the unprecedented ecological crisis we face, the quest for sustainable living is a to... more In light of the unprecedented ecological crisis we face, the quest for sustainable living is a top priority for industrial societies when attempting to ensure the viability of future generations. There is a great need for rediscovering the inherent reciprocity and mutual belonging between humans and the Earth that runs deep into the subtlest dimensions of our humanity. Is it possible, for example, to achieve lasting happiness by following the dictates of a system based on instant gratification and whose very functioning is detrimental for the survival of the species we share the planet with? Can we, as inhabitants of industrial societies, genuinely pursue happiness without taking into consideration the wellbeing of the matrix to which we owe our existence, the Earth? In the following, I propose an ecologically sensitive yogic perspective from which to derive guidance in the search for sustainable happiness.
Deep Times: A journal of the Work That Reconnects, 2022
In my experience of facilitation in a Latin American context, the Work That Reconnects (WTR) prov... more In my experience of facilitation in a Latin American context, the Work That Reconnects (WTR) provides an appropriate container and support to celebrate life more fully and explore the eco-cultural dimensions of our belonging to the living Earth. In our work, the rich ancestral legacy of the peoples of the Americas makes itself manifest in the minds and hearts of participants. In this paper I present some of the ancestral ecosophical roots of the ancestral worldview of the Americas, concretely exemplified in the Andean cosmovision, and how this ancestral deep ecology coexists with recent advances such as systems thinking and contemplative teachings in WTR engagements.
Integral Review, 2011
The present paper addresses the need to incorporate often ignored perspectives and formulations d... more The present paper addresses the need to incorporate often ignored perspectives and formulations derived from what I refer to as the "deep south" into the field of integral education as currently practiced at the California Institute of Integra Studies (CIIS), in San Francisco, CA. The deep south, or the metaphorical conglomerate of wisdom ascribed to the global south and associated epistemologies, is used as a broad framework from which I propose, through the exploration of shamanic practices and symbols, the creation of an organizing vertical metaphor, a North-South axis of dialogue. I start with a brief exposition of the one of the main challenges that integral education faces, a cognicentric focus, and proceed to explore alternatives to it by addressing some repressed aspects of the field, the notion of multidimensionality, and the symbol of the axis mundi. The paper ends with an invitation for a marriage to take place between the East-West and North-South axes of knowi...
PhD Dissertation, 2013
If the ecological crisis is seen as a crisis of human consciousness, how can
we as human beings ... more If the ecological crisis is seen as a crisis of human consciousness, how can
we as human beings gain an increased sense of intimacy with, and belonging to,
our home, the Earth? How might we envision a spiritually informed path toward
planetary healing? In the present dissertation, an Elemental Typology of
Ecopsychic Ailments (ETEA) is advanced as a novel ecopsychological integration
of the theory of the kleshas as formulated in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras with the
Indo-Tibetan theory of the elements. The ETEA aims to illumine the pathological
relation of industrial societies to the Earth and make visible the key challenges we
need to face when dealing with the ecological crisis. The task of healing the 5
ecopsychic ailments is advanced as a form of planetary yoga that ameliorates
suffering and cultivates a more transparent, balanced, and integrated Earth–human
relation. This healthier and spiritually grounded relation to the Earth and
ourselves, represented in the unitive notion of the “Earth–human cosmos,” is
construed as a form of integral ecopsychology.
The ETEA delineates the connection between 5 ecopsychic ailments, the
kleshas, and the elements—akasha or space, air, fire, water, earth. Each
ecopsychic ailment—eco-anosognosia, human superiority complex, eco-aversion, eco-despair, and global dread—represents an obscured elemental pathway that
prevents the realization of our true identity in intimate alliance with the Earth. The
ETEA serves to make more manageable the painful reality of the ecological crisis
and helps focus our healing efforts. An alchemical shift to envision healing for
humans and Earth is proposed from the study of the psycho-spiritual dimensions
of the ecological crisis and the Earth–human resonances of the ETEA, supported
by yogic and Buddhist wisdom. The shift from illness to wholeness is presented
as the transformation of the ecopsychic ailments into elemental elixirs of selfdiscovery
and connection: silence (space), revelation (air), empowerment (fire),
acceptance (water), and equanimity (earth). A number of healing practices are
recommended based on the notion of the Earth–human cosmos. The planetary
yoga outlined in this study helps envision a healthier human–Earth relation and
assists in realizing the gifts of the human soul necessary to move beyond the
ecological crisis.
Deep Times: A Journal of the Work That Reconnects, 2017
The ecological crisis, understood as a crisis of consciousness and identity, demands a profound c... more The ecological crisis, understood as a crisis of consciousness and identity, demands a profound change in perspective that can be summoned by reestablishing the natural structure and organization of the human psyche. The first part proposes how the build-up of psychological contents banished to the abyss of repression is a great cause of personal pathology and ecological turmoil. Subsequently, it is proposed that the energy that gives life to the mind's dynamism ought to be released from its anthropocentric, industrial prison and brought to its truer ground amidst the Earth community, if we are to align ourselves to a better future. In this way, psychic energy becomes ecopsychic energy.
Integral Review, 2013
In this paper, I advance a proposal for an integral ecopsychology, defining it as the study of th... more In this paper, I advance a proposal for an integral ecopsychology, defining it as the study of the multileveled connection between humans and Earth. The initial section expounds the critical moment we as a species find ourselves at and, touching on different ecological schools, focuses on ecopsychology as a less divisive lens from which to assess our planetary moment. In the next section, I explore three avenues in which the project of ecopsychology enters into dialogue with spiritual and religious wisdom, thus expanding the project's scope while spelling out the particular lineage of integral philosophy followed. The next section addresses the value of integral ecopsychology in facing the ecological crisis, highlighting the importance of seeing such a crisis as a crisis of human consciousness. At the level of consciousness, religious and spiritual wisdom have much to offer, in particular the anthropocosmic or "cosmic human" perspective introduced in the next section. The relevance of the anthropocosmic perspective to cultivate ecologically sound behaviors and ecopsychological health is explored and presented as a main means to bringing ecopsychology in direct contact with religious and spiritual teachings. This contact is necessary for the study of the multileveled connection between humans and Earth. Finally, I propose an expanded definition of integral ecopsychology while offering three tenets deemed essential for its advancement.
Books by Adrian Villasenor-Galarza
Nuestra Vida como Gaia es la esperada traducción al Español del libro de Joanna Macy & Molly Youn... more Nuestra Vida como Gaia es la esperada traducción al Español del libro de Joanna Macy & Molly Young Brown Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide of the Work That Reconnects (traductor: Adrián VIllaseñor Galarza).
Esta edición ampliada y mejorada es una referencia clave para la ecología profunda, el activismo, el trabajo en grupo y la eco-espiritualidad que contiene valiosos recursos teóricos y prácticos para potencializar nuestro servicio por la vida en la Tierra.
Willd Call of Nature, 2020
A deep-seated confusion guides the lives of domesticated humans, causing a crisis of planetary pr... more A deep-seated confusion guides the lives of domesticated humans, causing a crisis of planetary proportions. With all their fervor and devotion, the forest keepers summon the presence of the Great Mother to assist their human kin.
Under the guidance of a variety of creatures, Artemio embarks on a journey through the uncertain and bewildering paths of the Wild Spirit, putting him face to face with the holy mystery dwelling in the jungles of his own being.
Conference Presentations by Adrian Villasenor-Galarza
Gaian Gathering, 2023
Panel Discussion centered on the gifts and challenges of applying the Work That Reconnects in var... more Panel Discussion centered on the gifts and challenges of applying the Work That Reconnects in various settings, highlighting the ongoing process of skills for its facilitation. Panelists: Adrian Villasenor Galarza, Yuka Saito,
Molly Brown, & Lydia Violet Harutoonian.
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Papers by Adrian Villasenor-Galarza
we as human beings gain an increased sense of intimacy with, and belonging to,
our home, the Earth? How might we envision a spiritually informed path toward
planetary healing? In the present dissertation, an Elemental Typology of
Ecopsychic Ailments (ETEA) is advanced as a novel ecopsychological integration
of the theory of the kleshas as formulated in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras with the
Indo-Tibetan theory of the elements. The ETEA aims to illumine the pathological
relation of industrial societies to the Earth and make visible the key challenges we
need to face when dealing with the ecological crisis. The task of healing the 5
ecopsychic ailments is advanced as a form of planetary yoga that ameliorates
suffering and cultivates a more transparent, balanced, and integrated Earth–human
relation. This healthier and spiritually grounded relation to the Earth and
ourselves, represented in the unitive notion of the “Earth–human cosmos,” is
construed as a form of integral ecopsychology.
The ETEA delineates the connection between 5 ecopsychic ailments, the
kleshas, and the elements—akasha or space, air, fire, water, earth. Each
ecopsychic ailment—eco-anosognosia, human superiority complex, eco-aversion, eco-despair, and global dread—represents an obscured elemental pathway that
prevents the realization of our true identity in intimate alliance with the Earth. The
ETEA serves to make more manageable the painful reality of the ecological crisis
and helps focus our healing efforts. An alchemical shift to envision healing for
humans and Earth is proposed from the study of the psycho-spiritual dimensions
of the ecological crisis and the Earth–human resonances of the ETEA, supported
by yogic and Buddhist wisdom. The shift from illness to wholeness is presented
as the transformation of the ecopsychic ailments into elemental elixirs of selfdiscovery
and connection: silence (space), revelation (air), empowerment (fire),
acceptance (water), and equanimity (earth). A number of healing practices are
recommended based on the notion of the Earth–human cosmos. The planetary
yoga outlined in this study helps envision a healthier human–Earth relation and
assists in realizing the gifts of the human soul necessary to move beyond the
ecological crisis.
Books by Adrian Villasenor-Galarza
Esta edición ampliada y mejorada es una referencia clave para la ecología profunda, el activismo, el trabajo en grupo y la eco-espiritualidad que contiene valiosos recursos teóricos y prácticos para potencializar nuestro servicio por la vida en la Tierra.
Under the guidance of a variety of creatures, Artemio embarks on a journey through the uncertain and bewildering paths of the Wild Spirit, putting him face to face with the holy mystery dwelling in the jungles of his own being.
Conference Presentations by Adrian Villasenor-Galarza
Molly Brown, & Lydia Violet Harutoonian.
we as human beings gain an increased sense of intimacy with, and belonging to,
our home, the Earth? How might we envision a spiritually informed path toward
planetary healing? In the present dissertation, an Elemental Typology of
Ecopsychic Ailments (ETEA) is advanced as a novel ecopsychological integration
of the theory of the kleshas as formulated in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras with the
Indo-Tibetan theory of the elements. The ETEA aims to illumine the pathological
relation of industrial societies to the Earth and make visible the key challenges we
need to face when dealing with the ecological crisis. The task of healing the 5
ecopsychic ailments is advanced as a form of planetary yoga that ameliorates
suffering and cultivates a more transparent, balanced, and integrated Earth–human
relation. This healthier and spiritually grounded relation to the Earth and
ourselves, represented in the unitive notion of the “Earth–human cosmos,” is
construed as a form of integral ecopsychology.
The ETEA delineates the connection between 5 ecopsychic ailments, the
kleshas, and the elements—akasha or space, air, fire, water, earth. Each
ecopsychic ailment—eco-anosognosia, human superiority complex, eco-aversion, eco-despair, and global dread—represents an obscured elemental pathway that
prevents the realization of our true identity in intimate alliance with the Earth. The
ETEA serves to make more manageable the painful reality of the ecological crisis
and helps focus our healing efforts. An alchemical shift to envision healing for
humans and Earth is proposed from the study of the psycho-spiritual dimensions
of the ecological crisis and the Earth–human resonances of the ETEA, supported
by yogic and Buddhist wisdom. The shift from illness to wholeness is presented
as the transformation of the ecopsychic ailments into elemental elixirs of selfdiscovery
and connection: silence (space), revelation (air), empowerment (fire),
acceptance (water), and equanimity (earth). A number of healing practices are
recommended based on the notion of the Earth–human cosmos. The planetary
yoga outlined in this study helps envision a healthier human–Earth relation and
assists in realizing the gifts of the human soul necessary to move beyond the
ecological crisis.
Esta edición ampliada y mejorada es una referencia clave para la ecología profunda, el activismo, el trabajo en grupo y la eco-espiritualidad que contiene valiosos recursos teóricos y prácticos para potencializar nuestro servicio por la vida en la Tierra.
Under the guidance of a variety of creatures, Artemio embarks on a journey through the uncertain and bewildering paths of the Wild Spirit, putting him face to face with the holy mystery dwelling in the jungles of his own being.
Molly Brown, & Lydia Violet Harutoonian.
Moderated by Eva Jahn, co-founder of the Climate Emotional Resilience Institute. With: Leslie Davenport, CIIS Climate Psychology Lead Faculty; Adrián Villaseñor-Galarza, Founder, Bio-alchemy Institute; Theopia Jackson, Chair, Humanistic Psychology at Saybrook University.
This talk will center on an ecopsychological interpretation of Patanjali's five mental afflictions (avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ), which not only help unveil the inner dynamics of human suffering but serve as roadmap to ameliorate the suffering of the Earth community as a whole. The resultant planet-wide yoga, the yoga of the Earth community, helps focus our healing efforts by procuring the transformation of ecopsychic afflictions into elixirs of connection, guidance, and awakening.