Activism is Medicine.

In conventional conversation, activism and medicine sound like two very different endeavors. Activism is all about marching, protesting, civil disobedience, and speaking truth to power. Medicine is all about diagnosis, pharmaceuticals, surgeries, and rehabilitation. In the popular imagination, there’s miles of empty space between the two.

At the same time, many people imagine that activism is an inherently stressful, frustrating experience that’s a genuine health-negative. Protesting, organizing, and pushing back against power feels like a distinctly unpleasant way to spend our time. So it’s no wonder that so many people avoid the entire prospect.

But what if we’re wrong about all of this? What if activism and health are natural allies? What if activism is actually a powerful pro-health orientation? What if activism–done properly–actually makes the human organism stronger? And what if we could unite these two domains under a single orientation for the human animal?

At this moment in history, this is precisely what we need. As the planet lurches towards ecological collapse, we need entire populations to engage in system change. At the same time, millions–even billions–of people are struggling with psycho-physical afflictions that are often resistant to conventional treatments. If we could build a bridge between these two realities, we might well move the needle on the world.

This is precisely what our on-line course, Activism is Medicine, aims to do. This is a whole-life approach to engagement. Instead of taking issues in isolation, or treating activism as a specialty practice for passionate individuals, we aim to normalize activism as a common practice for all people. As you’ll see, activism is far more than isolated resistance to particular circumstances; it’s fundamental to successful and effective living. Ideal for climate and ecological activists, therapists, teachers, coaches, trainers, parents, students, and anyone who’s trying to make a difference, this course is dedicated to both inner and outer forms of activism. It’ll help you live a life of relevance, meaning, and effectiveness.

the parts

Our course will be presented in four 60-minute segments:

Part 1: Predicament and trajectories

In part 1, we’ll set the stage for the conversation. We’ll begin with the primacy of climate truth, the reality of ecological overshoot, and the importance of language. We’ll review the non-linear, accelerating pace of climate collapse and the prospects for our near-term future. We’ll talk about the precautionary principle and discuss the reasons why climate lies and denialism persist. We’ll also address our psycho-spiritual dimensions of our predicament. As Aldo Leopold famously put it, “one of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds.”

Part 2: Activism and the body        

In part 2, we’ll talk about the neurobiology of stress and the power of meaning to sustain our work. The standard narrative tells us that activism is a stressful and frustrating health negative, but what if we develop a strong sense of meaning and purpose? We’ll talk about the integration of the human mind-body and the vital insights of Viktor Frankl and his landmark book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Likewise, we’ll talk about the Japanese concept of Ikigai, the sense of meaning and purpose that gets us up in the morning. And we’ll explore the fundamentals of stress, especially the need for precision and what it all means when we engage with other people and organizations.

Part 3: Martial artistry, strategies and tactics

In part 3, we begin by addressing our educational vacuum and our failure to teach one another about conflict and fighting skills, what we might call “martial artistry.” We’ll ask some foundational questions about the who, what, where, when, why and how of fighting. Are you fighting for or against something? What makes a good action? What’s the difference between hard and soft style engagement? And finally, what does it mean to “treat people like animals?”

Part 4: Activism as a spiritual practice

In part 4, we’ll look at root causes of our climate crisis and common failures of activism. What is it about our culture and belief systems that lead to such a dysfunctional relationship with the natural world? In turn, we’ll consider our relationships with hyper-complex systems and the implied life lessons. When faced with systems like big organizations, culture and society, it becomes almost impossible to predict the exact consequences of our actions. In other words, we are fundamentally ignorant of how our behaviors will change the world. Ultimately, we come to realize that the world is changed, not by any particular action or strategy, but by the way we show up.

Your presenters…

Presented by Frank Forencich, John Hagar, and Jonathan Logan.

dates

Part 1: Predicament and trajectories – April 8

Part 2: Activism and the body – April 15       

Part 3: Martial artistry, strategy, and tactics – April 22

Part 4: Activism as a spiritual practice – April 29

Here’s how to sign up for the “Activism is Medicine” Collection:

Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/activism-is-medicine-april-2023-collection-1873819