Climate Mindfulness Circles PNW
Witnessing ecological harms together, weaving stories to express feelings; seeking personal resilience during uncertain times.
What do the experts say?
Deep listening as a collective is suggested by climate psychologists and therapists.
We suggest making regular meetings each month to prioritize well-being to cope with climate distress.3 formats to try
Keep your climate cool by maintaining a regular climate resilience practice. Like they say in recovery,
‘Meeting makers make it.’
Climate Heart and Soul Circles
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Each person shares on any topic about the uncertainties of the current state in American or global society. -Fears, worries, dread, anger, sadness.
Climate Composure Circles
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Composed and systems thinking. Together we read or summarize an article about climate impacts. Each person is invited to share their feelings or emotions.
Coping with Climate Change Circles
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Each person is encouraged to present an object, a poem, a book passage, a song, and then share how it connects.
We hold space to receive but do not give advice.
Locations
We go to different spots to reach new people. But the format is the same. This practice teaches us to be agile, to seek the familiar but embrace the different. We “pop-up” throughout Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington to practice resilience.
The setting/what happens
For in-person meetings, you’ll want to arrive about 5 minutes early so that we can try to begin on time and pick your seat just to get comfortable with the people and surroundings. Meet the facilitator and chat with your seat neighbors. We might ask for volunteers to read some quotes or the meeting agreements. The meeting hosts will provide some guidance to how we will participate, and then open the circle for individual sharing & listening. Sharing is optional, you are welcome to pass. After personal shares, there is an opportunity to reflect on what you learned about yourself through listening to others. We’ll discuss hope and give space for what each of us is doing to engage with our community. We discourage crosstalk; the meetings are informal, 60 minutes in duration.
Dates and times
Typically, every 5th, 15th, and 25th of every month. Check out our Lu.ma calendar page for the latest schedule. You will find meetings at different times of the day on Google Meet, but you must register in advance on event scheduling platform, Luma.
Notifications of gatherings
We advertise digitally through our newsletter and social media, mainly Instagram. You can occasionally find us at community events, tabling to spread awareness. See our “Community” page.
A safe space to process feelings about the uncertainties we face here in the Pacific Northwest in the age of the climate crisis. We share feelings with each other in a safe, and confidential stetting, either virtually or in-person.
Climate Mindfulness Circles
Upcoming
Typically, every 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month. Times and formats on our Luma event page.
Get notified for all Circle updates as facilitators get coordinated to host the Circles.
testimonials
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what participants said
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testimonials *** what participants said ***
“I just love that this exists. We as a society especially those who are in the fight for climate justice need it.”
[I enjoyed] "new connections, meeting like-minded activists and eco-workers."
“I hope we can grow the value of safeness, being together, co-holding-- the power of grief and mourning together is so underrated in our culture as well as a lack of trust in how being together makes space for something to emerge."
“I was surprised to learn that so many others in the Circle are experience similar feelings as I am. It helpful to hear climate concerns given an audible voice. So many of us are struggling with how to talk through our concerns about the future with friends and family - climate change topics are generally avoided in social settings.”
“Very comforting and relaxed atmosphere that seemed to allow everyone to share and trust.”
Free to all
…however, to help us maintain the admin costs to run this program, can you make a suggested donation of $5-15 ?
Scale your donation
suggested donation $10
budget-conscious $5
roomy-budget $15
Some participants plan to come to 2 or 3 meetings each month and prefer to make a once-monthly donation, a recurring amount directly from their debit card or checking account.
Climate Emotions Wheel
Using this wheel can help people identify their emotions regarding the climate crisis—and work with them. Emotions wheels have been a visual tool used by psychologists for decades to help people better understand and interpret their own feelings. This Climate Emotions Wheel is based on the research of Panu Pihkala at the University of Helsinki and particularly his 2022 paper Toward A Taxonomy of Climate Emotions. It is not intended to be comprehensive or definitive, and it is not to scale; positive emotions are not typically identified in most research as often as other emotions on this scale. Climate Advocacy Lab.
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