BALANCING HOPE AND FEAR

ABOUT THIS COURSE

What if our efforts to create a more just and caring world weren’t separated from our efforts to adapt to near-term social and environmental collapse?

Together with colleagues from the Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies in Potsdam, Germany, and other collaborators from across the world, our team designed a contemplative-based, anti-oppressive, and healing-centered course to help climate activists stay resourced in the work. Our program aims to help participants understand the relationship between the climate crisis and other interlocking systems of oppression, including white supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism. It is also designed to help us develop the capacity to prepare for the possibility of both the “Great Unraveling” and the “Great Transition”, while continuing to care for each other and all life with a deep sense of courage and vulnerability.

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

This self-study course is designed for climate activists, researchers and others who are concerned about our ecological crisis. The program assumes some familiarity with the crisis and works to help participants confront both the reality of the crisis while maintaining a sense of possibility, agency, and commitment.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Program participants will be guided through a journey following the CourageRISE model, a movement-based approach developed by the Courage of Care team. Our five-module CourageRISE curriculum, which leverages somatic, trauma-informed, relational and restorative practice, begins with a contemplative-based, relational compassion module (Courage) designed to help participants shift from a worldview based on separation and dualism–which underlies many of today’s crises–to an ecological systems view based on interconnections.

Following this relational grounding in our first Courage module, we offer four additional modules that help participants RISE:

• (R)eveal truths;
• (I)nvest in healing;
• (S)sense alternatives; and
• (E)ngage ethically and responsively in community.

SUPPORT THIS WORK

A portion of this project was funded by a PEACE grant from the Mind and Life Institute. We are now making a pilot version of this course available to our community. For those able to support this work and the efforts of Courage of Care, we gratefully accept your contributions.