The Practice of Inner Habitat Restoration: A Contemplative Approach To Sustainability Studies
Kurt Hoelting, a member of the Curriculum for the Bioregion Initiative's "Sustainability and Reflective and Contemplative Practice" faculty learning community
Description
This essay explores "the contemplative arts" as a component of sustainability studies, based on my work as a wilderness guide in Alaska. I lead students on week-long kayaking expeditions that link ecological literacy with the practice of contemplative silence. I make the case for contemplative practice as an essential tool for cultivating resilience and navigating despair in a time of tumultuous ecological decline.