Heart of the Earth -Discussion Courses

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Discussion Courses

Heart of the Earth offers introductory meetings periodically for all of the courses listed below. These courses, developed by the Northwest Earth Institute provide an enjoyable, supportive setting in which to examine personal values and habits, engage in stimulating discussion, and make personal changes if desired.

If you would like to start a discussion group, contact us and we will be glad to arrange an introductory meeting for you.

Please check our Calendar for the next offered introductory meeting.

Voluntary Simplicity: The Voluntary Simplicity course allows participants to explore potential benefits to simplicity.

Topics covered in the eight sessions include:

The Meaning of Simplicity Your Money or Your Life How Much is Enough? The Practice of Simplicity	Living More With Less Do Your Have the Time? Swimming Against the Tide
Learn more about the Voluntary Simplicity course

Globalization and Its Critics: "Globalization" is a term that is frequently used but seldom defined. Since World War II, why has the global economy grown so rapidly? How is it affecting the environment, local economics, and social and cultural customs throughout the world?

Topics covered in the nine sessions include:

Globalization Overview
Questioning Free Trade
Transnational Corporations
Food and the Global Marketplace

Globalization and the Environment
Social Equity
Shaping Opinion
Homogenization of Cultures

Learn more about the Globalization course

Choices for Sustainable Living: Each of us makes choices that have an impact on the earth, and we can choose options that are more sustainable than others. Participants will consider choices that may result in ecologically sustainable lifestyles, communities, and organizations

Topics covered in the nine sessions include:

A Call to Sustainability
Sustainable Communities
Food
Lifestyles

Ecological Principles
Business and Economy
Buying
Visions of Sustainability

Learn more about the Choices for Sustainable Living course

Discovering A Sense of Place: What is a bioregional perspective? What are the benefits of developing an intimate relationship with your place and what it means to protect the place you live? This course addresses these issues.

Topics covered in the eight sessions include:

A Sense of Place
Knowing Your Bioregion
Mapping Your Place
Empowerment

Responsibility to Place
Living in Place
Community

Learn more about the Discovering a Sense of Place course

Deep Ecology and Related Topics: To clarify earth-related values through discussion about deep ecology and related topics; to discover how personal values affect the way we view and treat the earth; to explore what it means to take personal responsibility for the earth.

Topics covered in the nine sessions include:

Deep Ecology
The Gaia Hypothesis
Spirituality and the Earth
Native American Wisdom

Ecopsychology
Simplicity
Bioregionalism
Ritual

Learn more about the Deep Ecology course