About me
My life and work draw together three main strands of interest and action: scientific research in human ecology and biocultural diversity, community-scale action for sustainability and social justice, and spiritual practice rooted in shamanism and sacred sound. I link these under the concept of Sacred Political Ecology, which recognises the current environmental, social and cultural crises as interdependent, and a call to grow to our fullest potential through sacred action in support of nature and humanity.
Shamanism
I am an active practitioner of core shamanism and sacred sound. I completed my first shamanic journey in 1999 and have been in ongoing training with various teachers since 2013. Since 2016 I have offered a public practice in shamanic healing, training and group events including journeying circles, gong sound journeys and firewalks. My new programme in Shamanic Political Ecology draws this together as a dedicated training and support offering to link shamanic practice with concrete action towards a fairer and more sustainable world.
Research
I am an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary action researcher on community-led action for sustainability and social justice. My academic outputs are loosely based in the fields of Human Ecology, Political Ecology and Biocultural Diversity, with a focus on ecological, social and cultural aspects of grassroots environmentalisms and their interactions with mainstream society and dominant political and economic institutions.
Community Action
I currently work as Research Coordinator at ECOLISE, the European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Sustainability and Climate Change. This role builds on long-term involvement in the permaculture, Transition and ecovillage movements, initially inspired by my experiences living and working with indigenous forest dwellers in Guyana during my doctoral fieldwork.