Love Letter to Lutruwita
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
"Just as lovers seek union, we are apt, when we fall in love with our world, to fall into oneness with it as well.
We begin to see the world as belonging to us as intimately as our own bodies.“
Joanna Macy
Every Sunday at 5pm, I start a zoom meeting without knowing who will join me for an hour to fall in love with world over and over again...
Since 2020, the mailing list has grown to 125 people from Tasmania and other states and even a few from other countries. Usually 4 – 6 faces appear on my screen and sometimes I may not have seen someone for 6 – 12 months. It is always a delight, whoever turns up. Sometimes no-one does and that’s alright too. It’s a casual thing. I’ll let you in on a little secret, I do it for myself and if anyone else joins me, well, it’s a bonus!
People are invited to ‘come as they are’ and are welcome to engage as much or as little as they want. Even sitting and listening with camera turned off is okay. Most people read the email and do their own thing, in their own time.
The one hour of sharing is based loosely on a framework known as ‘Active Hope’
Here is an example of a previous session:
1. Gratitude
It’s so easy to take the things and beings in our lives for granted. Then it helps to move back a little, and gain a bit of distance, in order to glimpse how precious and how uniquely real they are. As with a quick turn of the lens, we see with fresh appreciation.
"When I experience the world as myself, what fills me with joy is ........"
Breathe x 3
2. Pain for the World
This practice provides a swift and easy way for people to voice their felt responses to the condition of our world. Its structure helps people both to listen with total receptivity and to express thoughts and feelings that are usually censored for fear of comment or adverse reaction.
" When I experience the world as myself, what breaks my heart is…...."
Breathe x 3
Portrait of a Heart by artist Christian Schloe
3. Seeing with Ancient/Fresh/New Eyes
This simple spoken meditation, composed by John Seed and Joanna Macy, guides us into precise and close identification with the elements, and with the evolving life forms of Earth.
What are you? What am I? Intersecting cycles of water, earth, air and fire—that’s what I am, that’s what you are. Read more here:
Breathe x 3
4. Going Forth
"I will take this practice into everyday life by..."
Breathe x 3
Check Out
“How are you leaving this sharing space?”
Practices and quotes sourced from Coming Back to Life by Joanna Macy and Molly Brown; second edition, published 2014.
So, if one Sunday when you are feeling a little fed up with all the fuckery going on in the world (nationally and globally) and you are up for a checking in to lift your spirits, newcomers are always welcome, you can subscribe for the weekly email (no coins cross palms)and to receive the zoom link here:
Falling in Love with the World substack is an invitation to a weekly email sharing deep ecology practices to help keep us buoyant in these uncertain times. This is an invitation to connect online through gentle sharing - responses to prompts based on deep ecology and the 'work that reconnects' that may offer wider and sometimes surprising perspectives on our world.
More information about Deep Ecology in Australia and New Zealand can be found here:
And please feel free to contact me directly anytime: nettiehulme@gmail.com
How do you keep falling in love with the world? How would you write your own 'love letter to Lutruwita'?
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