John's Home Page & Recent Events

Most Recent Event on top

Sept 23, 2024

I have been honoured to be the guest on two prominent podcasts released this month:

SOUNDS TRUE “A Cosmic Walk to Discover Your Ecological Identity”
and
THE PHILOSOPHER'S ZONE interview about Deep Ecology on Australian ABC Radio National.

Sept 10, 2024

The podcast with James W. Jesso "Adventures Through The Mind"

Empowering-our-joy-for-life-through-honoring-our-pain-for-the-world-john-seed
In this episode of the podcast, we interview deep ecology teacher and rainforest activist John Seed.

Together, we discuss the importance of altering our sense of self such that it includes the natural world, the role psychedelics can play in that process, and how, even if the world as we know it burns and collapses, life itself will thrive through it all as it always has.

July 12, 2024

The podcast I did with Skye Mandozay which was released today

Regeneration Rising S2E9: THINKING LIKE A MOUNTAIN” and I must say that it’s the best one I’ve done yet looking at Deep Ecology, Activism and the relationship between them. I’m so inspired by Skye and also by the show’s hosts Daniel Christian Wahl (Author of the acclaimed book “Designing Regenerative Cultures “) and Philipa Duthie (Director of the Royal Society of Arts Oceania).

Previous guests on this excellent show Regeneration Rising have included Fritjof Capra, Nora Bateson, Satish Kumar, Morag Gamble, Jeremy Lent and Paul Hawken.

July 7, 2024

"John Seed on Cultural Studies Podcast with Toby Miller."
John Seed on deep ecology, Joanna Macy, workshops, indigenous cosmology, the Rainforest Information Centre, the rights of nature, Neville Wran, Rising Tide, and citizenship by Cultural Studies on PodBeam.com

Audio Only Podcast .
Listen to the Audio Podcast July 1 2024 Here

Jun. 28, 2024

"I'm in Melbourne where I'm approaching the home stretch,."
the last of 8 gigs in 10 days Started with the 2nd Deepening, 31 deep ecology alumni at a free weekend of deep ecology with multiple facilitators. Much better than the first but still pretty sketchy, fish-tailing across the ice. I take comfort from words of wisdom from Tim Ferriss: “As they say, writing is rewriting. This is true for nearly everything. In the world of tech, Steve Blank has said, “No plan survives first contact with customers.” Same same. Quality begins with a shitty first draft, so just get started and take the punches. That’s how you press the carbon into diamonds: pressure and time"

6 talks in 4 days, the main reason was this abiding feeling that deep ecology is preparing to pop into the next level and Melbourne is where its going to start. My 4 Melb workshops in the last 12 months all filled with waiting lists, over 400 alumni with another 35 after this coming weekend. So these 6 free hybrid talks (zoom as well as in-person) were an opportunity to find new people, especially in Melbourne interested in deep ecology. Some 650 people in total signed up for one or more of the events, mostly on zoom, mostly from Melbourne and I have their email and location! Now begins the delightful task of copying them into the right address list folders!

The best one was The Religion of Economics. This was based on a book chapter I wrote in 2011 https://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/deep-eco/ecorelig.htm. My growing interest in shining a light on the Atlas Foundation inspired me to dust this off, bring it up to date and add an Atlas rave, concluding with some posters  that  Melbourne Extinction Rebellion put together as part of their great “Atlas Lies – Planet Dies" protest a few months ago. See June 2024 Video Page List Here

Jun. 3, 2024

"Yesterday I had the good fortune to find myself at this meeting."
So important to hear the history and pre-history of the place where we live and to get a copy of  the Pearl Beach Aboriginal History Group’s splendid volume:

Click to View Photo of the Volume

Apr. 25, 2024

John Seed presents
"DEEP ECOLOGY AND THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE"
Zoom call at the Narara Ecovillage

Click to View Video

Apr. 2, 2024

PGAP podcast Apr 2024"
PGAP Post-Growth Australia Podcast For the final episode of season 5, PGAP welcomes special guest John Seed (OAM). John is founder and director of Australia’s Rainforest Information Centre and is an Australian figurehead for the Deep Ecology Movement.

Listen to the Audio Podcast Here: >>Click

Jan. 1, 2024

New years  2024 at the Wild Yam Festival
with 5  Pitjantjara artists from Uluru: Rene Kulitja, Charmaine Kulitja, Selina Kulitja, Peggy Naylon and Elaine Woods

More Photos to come Here: >>Click

Nov. 27, 2023

One of the great days of my life, arrested with over 80 others after blockading the Port of Newcastle for 32 hours and stopping over half a million tonnes of coal being shipped out.
Click to see some of the Video footage of the Event

Being processed for hours in the police compound was the high point chanting back and forth with our supporters thronging outside the fence, Violet Maree CoCo on the megaphone outside "Tell me what democracy looks like - THIS is what democracy looks like". So great to have my 10-year-old River at his first blockade watching 15 year olds speaking from the stage along side old mate Bob Brown. I'm feeling so inspired and empowered. Next year we'll be 10,000. WE ARE THE RISING TIDE! My 9 year-old son River, participating in his first blockade, suggested that we should fine the cops for littering" for allowing our kayaks to just drift away down the river after hauling the protestors onto their Darth Vader craft. Interesting that the police response was so polite and gentle, obviously ordered from above to be on best behaviour, this was the only criticism that I can make of their conduct. As one of the 109 arrested (and having been arrested at many direct actions over the last 43 years) I was impressed. Given NSW Police Minister Catley saying last week ahead of the protest: I applaud people for getting involved, I think that it's important that people are having these discussions we all know where things are headed, I'm wondering if there may be elements of the government who want our movement to grow so that they have any chance to withstand the power of the Murdoch Press and the corporations? When Leonard Cohen sang: "The widowhood of every government" surely he is pointing to the death of the citizen without whom the government is powerless to withstand the brute force of corrupt media and vested interests. After the sweet young cop arresting me had said his piece I replied: "You and I are both tiny bit players in the theatre of social change. The only difference is that you're getting paid double time for working on Sunday while I'm doing it for love and for the sake of your grand children as well as mine". Click here for the RisingTide website

Nov. 23, 2023

Megan, River and I are off with our kayaks to join over 1000 others blockading the world's largest coal port this weekend. https://www.risingtide.org.au/blockade

Things are changing fast even the NSW Police Minister applauded this event https://youtu.be/r-nvV1AWdwg
but will it be fast enough? Its up to you and me.
Please support Rising Tide Climate Defense. Click here to the Support link

Nov. 13, 2023

John Seed teaching "Deep Ecology" in the rain forest.

ABC CENTRAL COAST: *When the forests die, we will perish, according to John Seed, but with people like John on the planet they won't go without a fight.
John recently took on a multinational mining company to save a protected forest in South America and won the battle.
Organising his legion of followers around the globe from his home at Narara Eco Village John Seed continues the campaign to stop
 the logging of our native forests in NSW and the destruction of forests worldwide,
as he explains to Scott Levi in Central Coast Conversations. Credits Scott Levi, Presenter*
Click here to Listen to the Presentation:

Nov. 4, 2023

END NATIVE FOREST LOGGING FESTIVAL

So great to join a marquee full of Mid north coast activists at Nambucca Heads for the Bob Brown Foundation's "END NATIVE FOREST LOGGING" festival yesterday. Here I am with Bob, Uncle Miklo who welcomed us to country and Sue Higginson MLC.

Nov. 4, 2023

John Seed's intro to the "END NATIVE FOREST LOGGING" festival

Watch the Video Click Here

Oct. 8, 2023

The Beginning and the End: Robinson Jeffers's Epic Poem About the Interwoven Mystery of Mind and Universe

I get great inspiration and uplift from Maria Popova's regular treasures and just found her The Beginning and the End: Robinson Jeffers's Epic Poem About the Interwoven Mystery of Mind and Universe. I hadn't read this poem for decades and what a delight to have it light up so many parts of me that weren't around decades ago and then to hear the long excerpt read by Natalie Batalha. Well, how could I not get distracted from the long list of other delights clamouring for my day?
I allowed Jeffers to seduce me again and found the,
 full text of The Beginning and the End [note: when the page loads click each page to move thru the book] and that, of course, was nestled among the rest of The Beginning and the End and Other Poems” published in 1963, a year after his death. Ahh, how to find the balance between order and spontaneity? How to allow that tension to weave my path through this gift of life? Walker, your footsteps are the road, and nothing more. Walker, there is no road, the road is made by walking. Walking you make the road, and turning to look behind you see the path you never again will step upon. Walker, there is no road, only foam trails on the sea. - ANTONIO MACHADO

Sept.28, 2023

Mother Nature Cambodia

We first started supporting the work of the Mother Nature Cambodia around 2010 - see the 5 minute clip we made in defense of the largest rainforest remaining in SE Asia. Today they were awarded the "alternative Nobel Prize" - The Right Livelihood Award. Our Colleague there, Alex Davidson wrote: "Great news for many reasons, mainly because it should minimize risks of further jail time for our activists. Here's an excellent article about it. I am once more reminded of the support you and your team / supporters provided to us back in the day, over 10 years ago now my god! You guys were the very first ones to support us and believe in us, and we have come such a long way since. I can't possibly thank you enough for that support, it meant so much and made me / us realize so many things. Cambodia's nature is still immensely under threat, but at the very least certain areas of it are still hanging in there, thanks to the amazing campaign of activists such as the ones from MNC.

Sept.25, 2023

Koalas are on a trajectory to be functionally extinct by 2050

I'm suddenly called to prevent this and gathering allies for a social media campaign. To stop the logging of koala habitat in my home state of New South Wales and to persuade the NSW Government to honor their election promises and to gazette the Great Koala National Park.

Sept.23, 2023

"Save Koala" rally, Narara Ecovillage Hall

Back in 1981, blockading Mt Nardi to stop the loggers, we'd sit around the fire at night singing and composing songs. One night a Maori guy called Frog came up with a beauty! We liked it so much we headed straight up the mountain then over to Pholi's Gap overlooking where the loggers were camped down in Grier's Scrub far below. We started the concert with a blast on a rusty saxophone. The loggers came stumbling out of their trailers and caravans waving flashlights cursing and then we regaled them with "Tonka Toys". This clip is me and my son River at the "Save Koala" rally, Narara Ecovillage Hall. Click Here to View

Sept.17, 2023

At the Rainforest Information Centre, we first started supporting the reforestation of the sacred mountain Arunachala in the late 1980's

A film about our early work may be found here. For the last 20 years our efforts have been less hands-on and more supporting our friends at The Forest Way who continue to do such outstanding work. We've just sent them $11,500, over 1/3 of a year's budget. Please contact me if you'd like to make a donation - tax-deductible in Australian or US tax-payers. Compare this photo of Arunachala in 1988 with ones taken this year.

Sept.16, 2023

Here are the recordings of the two webinars in the series that Skye Cielita Flor and I made for the Work That Reconnects Network.

Honoring-our-pain-for-the-world-a-webinar-with-john-seed-and-skye-mandozay. If you want to join us but missed the first in the series in May Experiential Deep Ecology,
you can watch the recordings at
1 Experimental Deep Ecology Click Link to View the Video:
2 Honoring-Our-Pain-for-the-World Click Link to View the Video:

Sept.5, 2023

John Seed - Australian Earth Laws Alliance with Pat Fleming

"This week Pat Fleming and I'll be doing a webinar for the Australian Earth Laws Alliance. I'll be speaking about The Work That Reconnects and the precedent setting court case we won before the Ecuadorean Constitutional Court where the Rights of Nature clause in the Ecuadorean constitution was used for the first time to eject mining companies from our Los Cedros Biological Reserve. Click Here for the Link.

Sept. 1, 2023

John Seed - 'Hearing Inside ourselves, the Sounds of the Earth Crying

"My first serious bit of writing for years has been published in The Great Turning Times: "Hearing Inside ourselves, the Sounds of the Earth Crying"

Aug 10, 2023

John Seed - 'DEEP ECOLOGY'
(AND THE POWER OF ETHNOBOTANICAL PLANTS)
Entheogenesis Australis is a charitable educational organisation established in 2004. Through our conferences and workshops, we aim to celebrate the culture, art, politics and community around medicine plants in the hope to better wellbeing for humankind and the planet. To find out more about what we do, head over to our organisational website,   Click here for the Video Clip

Aug 5, 2023

Joanna Macy age 93 talks about finding Deep Ecology




Click here for the Video Clip

Aug 5, 2023

Letter from Larry Buell (Earthlands) with John's Reply




Click here for the Letter and the Reply

Alternative Australia pg 94-99_lowres.pdf

Aug 5 2023

Alternative Australia by Alan Dearling

"A friend brought this book to my attention, Alternative Australia by Alan Dearling and my close friend and music master sorely missed the late Brendan Hanley aka Bebop aka Mookx. I was stunned. Published in London 23 years ago, there was a chapter about me, 6 pages long, history, Rainforest Information Centre, deep ecology, forest actions, spirituality, you name it. And I'd never seen or heard of it before! Well, there you go."

Click Link to View the PDF: 

Aug 5 2023

Iboga protocol

my current experiments with Iboga have been profound. Energy and insight. .... more.

Click Link to View: 

Aug 5, 2023

John Seed's Building site Update

High energy on our building site, last weekend up to 20 friends helping tamp in our hempcrete walls, to-day a handful finishing the job. Shingles, unfortunately, relegates me to delivering food and washing up.

Click on Photos to enlarge

July 15 2023

Narara Ecovillage

Had the honour to participate in “Story Village” at the Narara Ecovillage and told stories about:
 0 The Franklin River action
2’30”  AusAID and the World Bank
6’25” Solomon Islands story
8’30 Solomon Islands song
12’18” Neville Wran’s office
Click Link to View: 

Jun 28 2023

John singing Expanding Universe at Narara Ecovillage

Click to Watch the Video

Past Events Below

May 16, 2023

Aquarius 50 Forest Activism

Great to share the stage with 3 of my heroes at the Aquarius 50 Forest Activism panel - Nan Nicholson, Dailan Pugh & Susie Russell

Click on Photo for Full Size

May 13 2023

Experiential Deep Ecology with John Seed & Skye Mandozay
Work That Reconnects Podcast

"I just did a zoom webinar on Experiential Deep Ecology with my Melbourne colleague Skye Mandozay for the Work That Reconnects Network -100 people showed up, exciting event."

Click Link to View: 

May 6 2023

Yasuhiro Hamano interview with John Seed

"A Japanese TV program interviewed me on rainforests and deep ecology in 1992."

Click Link to View: 

Apr 23 2023

"The Elder Tree Podcast", Sacred Herbalism segment.

Stephanie Hazel interviews John Seed April 5 2023: Episode 27, Apr. 5, 2023
"Being Small Enough to Hear the Plants, Wise Enough to Act our Age".
John Seed on Deep Ecology & Sacred herbalism.

Click Link to listen on Spotify: 

Apr 19 2023

Our Little House

Our little house, owner-built by my wife Megan, is taking shape. First photo shows a team from our community having hoisted 160kg lintel on top of the thermal mass wall running down the centre of the house made from locally made compressed mud bricks it takes a village! I'm the bald head foreground. Second photo a couple of weeks later..

Click Photo for Full Size (Left)    Click Photo for Full Size (Right)

Apr 18 2023

WTR Conversation Cafe

I'm excited to be joining my friend Skye Mandozay in this WTR Conversation Cafe, May 6 and 7, 2023 exploring the EXPERIENCE of Deep Ecology and how these processes, synchronous with ceremonies and rituals practiced by all indigenous peoples, end the illusion of separation between humans and the rest of the natural world.

https://www.facebook.com/events/238762278534514

Feb 2023

Bob Brown and John Seed in conversation

John Seed's poetry, music and philosophy reconnects us with the garden of nature.

We met at Salamanca Place's Wild Gallery to ponder the nature of being. Here is that conversation please feel free to share it. Bob Brown.

Online: Listen to Full Video

Feb. 23 2023

Great couple of weekends on Bruny Island Tasmania

both full with 35 participants and a waiting list. Has deep ecologys' time come at last?

Deep Ecology Bruny Island Feb. 2023

Feb. 23 2023

Yorta Yorta elder Kris Schaffer welcomes us to country, Bruny Island Feb 2023

Has deep ecologys' time come at last?

Kris Schaffer welcomes us to country, Bruny Island

Feb. 17 2023

"DEEP ECOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH"
hosted by Jacki Short from the Sydney Centre for Creative Change.

Deep Ecology and Mental Health  Special Guest Presenter: John Seed

Holding Space for Self and Others Webinar Ep 42. Deep Ecology is a philosophy of nature which explores the psychological disease that allows humans to attack the biological fabric out of which our own lives too are woven........
Online: Watch the Video

Feb. 15 2023

A Conversation between John Seed and Julien Tempone-Wiltshire Feb 2023

Julien is national coordinator for the study of Grief and Trauma at the biggest private Counselling and Psychotherapy Institute in Australia (ACAP) and is interested in deep ecological and ecological-grief perspectives and their contribution to Mental Health in Australia.
Of this conversation Julien wrote for his students:
Grief Ritual and Deep Ecology with John Seed

Click Here for the Story and Podcast

Jan 15 2023

Deep Ecology workshops in Melbourne in November 2022

Amazing how there’s an unprecedent surge of interest in experiential deep ecology workshops. 35 participants in Melbourne in November so I scheduled one for Feb. Filled in a week so now scheduled May and September. Same for Sydney, same for N Coast. Last weekend on the Central Coast I dared to expand to 40 in the circle for the first time in decades. Utterly gorgeous. What a blessing.

Online: See Large Photo

Jan 7 2023

The Cicadas interrupt the Dharma Talk

Reflections on Forest Meditation Centre, near Lismore, NSW, Australia CHRISTOPHER TITMUSS JAN 7, 2023 Published in November 2022, Living and Working Together tracks the 50-year-old history of the Dharmananda Community in The Channon, near Lismore, NSW Australia. Around 40 people, including present and past community members, contributed to the book (A4 format), which also includes around 100 photographs, colour and black and white, spread over the 50 years. Jen Ireland of the Community, who compiled and edited the publication, invited me to write a reflection of teaching in the forest centre.

Online: Listen to Full Talk
PDF & Links: Transcript & Links

Dec 3 2022

John Seed’s presentation to Entheogenesis Australis conference: “Deep Ecology and the power of ethnobotanical plants

 Click here to see John's Presentation

Dec 1 2022

Great day in Melbourne yesterday.

I emailed one of my heroes, Tyson Yunkaporta, author of the brilliant "Sand Talk" and asked him if we might have a yarn on his podcast "The Other Others". Lo and behold he replied at once, "how about between 1 and 2 to-day?" So ... we had a great rave together and at 5.30 he emailed me "Yau, here's the link bruz" Eco-Warrior Cool! Then a deep ecology talk at the wonderful Black Spark Cultural Centre and to-day begins the Entheogenesis Australis Conference

Sep 22 2022

Interesting to look back at the podcast I did for Derrick Jensen's Resistance Radio in 2018

In the light of our huge success in stopping mining in Los Cedros and other important areas in Ecuador this year, I find the description of our campaign as I saw it back in 2018; pretty illuminating. But the best bit, for me, was the more philosophical, deep time tangent that the conversation took at one point, musing on the implications of extinction.

Transcript: PDF
Actual PodCast: Link

Sep 11 2022

Some great music fell into my life this week.

"The Great Turning" from my friends Kelly and Donna, Still on the Hill: 
 Sweet! They organized deep ecology workshops for me in Fayetteville Arkansas long ago and then we reconnected recently..

A gorgeous new song from Howard Eynon. {Requires FaceBook Acct. to view} The land on Bruny Island that he is stewarding will host my February Tasmania Deep Ecology Workshop

And to top it off my friend Subhira wants me to help organize some gigs so he can bring his quintet out from Chile next month when he's been invited to the Port Fairy Festival 

I feel the presence of the Angel of Music.
This was the verse we added we added to "Angel of Sunshine" . It came through Doug Ferguson and me and someone else I've forgotten, on the banks of the Evans River during a deep ecology workshop in the 1980's.
Angel of Music, I hear you calling
Pour your vibrations down over me
Into my spirit your sweet song is falling
In your embrace, may we live in harmony.

Sep 9 2022

HOW I CAUGHT DEEP ECOLOGY
REFLECTIONS ON THE 4Oth ANNIVERSARY by John Seed

Back in 1982, somewhere between the Nightcap and Franklin actions I was searching to understand the ubiquitous psychological or spiritual sickness that allows modern humans to imagine that we can somehow profit from the destruction of our own life support systems. Paul Ehrlich: We are sawing off the branch that we're sitting on. James Lovelock: Its as if the brain had decided it was the most important organ in the body and started mining the liver...Read more >>    Click >> To Read John's Full Story

Sep 6 2022

"Deep Ecology" by Daniel Mirante

Art by: Daniel Mirante >> See Full Size Photo and Link to Daniel's Website

Sep 3 2022

Memoirs of the Rainforest Information Centre

I'm so grateful to Divish Petrof for the 2nd of the memoirs of the Rainforest Information Centre which I asked him to write (see July 9 this year for the first instalment). Brings so much flooding back from the heydays of activism. In particular, his mention of the 1989 rainforest benefit in Brisbane with music by The Wallies (my son Bodhi, then aged 12 and his friend the late and sorely missed Emu) caused me to find this classic video by Andy Caffrey of the North American rainforest roadshow of the same year.

Some great clips including the Wallies, You Can't ClearCut Your Way to Heaven at The Ram Dass Camp and Steve Tripp's legendary Once Upon a Planet (Full New Version) which led me to Steve's own recent version of this great and uplifting song

Andy Caffrey's video also has a short but sweet deep ecology rave (7m40s) as introduction to Expanding Universe and The Wallies singing Lay Down Your Whopper Baby inside a Vancouver Burger King to protest BK destroying rainforests in Costa Rica for cattle pasture (30m15s).

Online: Link Not Ready

Sep 1 2022

Workshop in the forests of the Arcoora Arts and Ecology Training Ground

Such a beautiful workshop in the forests of the Arcoora Arts and Ecology Training Ground in the foothills of the Border Ranges, one of the national parks we helped bring into being with our direct actions. I look forward to singing this song again and telling a few stories from long ago at the Nimbin Town Hall on Saturday night Oct 22 as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of those actions and the declaration of the Nightcap National Park.

FaceBook Acct. Required
https://www.facebook.com/events/1018409028786726
Instagram Acct. Required
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7G_fzJ4j6/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Aug 17 2022

Skye Cielita Flor shared a post:

Check out this new podcast conversation between Leilani Navar of Turning Season Podcast and John Seed, Some of the topics explored are:

how John found his calling in rainforest protection (part psychedelics, part being willing to help a neighbor, and part lucky accident)why he likes to attend a group Experiential Deep Ecology workshop about 10 times a year (like all of us, he still needs to remember to remember)
one practice that you can easily do on your own

The recent Rights of Nature win in Ecuador
how heâ's able to relate to this ecologically on the brink time with passion, but without hysteria
and a glimpse through his words of what it's like to expand your identity through time, through the cosmos, and through different life forms on Earth
It's such a special opportunity to hear from John Seed, especially after his 6-year struggle with cancer, when he couldn't engage in leading workshops or activism like he had been.

"John Seed is founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Australia. He's been involved in direct actions to protect Australian rainforests since 1979. He's a well-loved leader and teacher of Deep Ecology, and collaborator with Joanna Macy in the early development of the Work that Reconnects. In 1988, Joanna Macy and John Seed co-authored the book Thinking Like a Mountain: Toward a Council of All Beings with Pat Fleming and Arne Naess."

https://turningseason.com/episode17/

Aug 8 2022

DEEP ECOLOGY AND THE CONSERVATION OF ECUADOR RAINFORESTS:

John Seed is offering 2 deep ecology workshops on the N Coast this year near Kyogle (August 26-28) and near Nimbin (October 21-23). 25% of proceeds support the protection of Ecuadorean rainforests.

See John's 2022 Schedule here:>>
Click to View Full PDF

July 12 2022

Deep Ecology Online: Practices for Awakening & Resilience in a Changing World

One of the facilitators was my old friend and colleague Dr Eshana Bragg.
To-day she wrote on her Facebook page:

Click to View Letter

July 12 2022

John Seed recites Poem by Drew Dellinger "Word to the Mother"

Audio Track of the Poem Below

Online: Click to Listen on SoundCloud

July 11 2022

John Seed Sings "Born To Be Wild" Music by John Seed

Click to View Video 

Click for Audio Only on SoundCloud


July 9 2022


John Seed Excerpts from Redwood Summer 1990

with The Wallies (musical group of Emu and Bodhi Seed)
News Clips from the Redwood Summer and Music by John Seed

Click to View Video

July 9 2022

A letter from Divish Petrof 

 (1st installment)
I had a visit a couple of weeks ago from Divish Petrof, an activist who worked with us at the Rainforest Information Centre but we hadn't been in touch since the 90's. We sat around the fire and I was amazed how well he remembered stuff that I had long forgotten. He agreed to write some of his memories down for our archives and today I received the first instalment.
Remembering the Rainforest Information Centre - Pt.1

Click to View Letter

April 29 2022

River and John

Click to View Full Size Photo


Dec. 2 2021

Los Cedros Biological Reserve Dec. 2, 2021

In December 2021, Ecuador's Constitutional Court decided in favor of protection for Los Cedros Reserve from mining.
Seven of nine judges voted to revoke the environmental license of mining companies Cornerstone Capital Resources and ENAMI, forcing them to cease operations within the reserve.
The exciting thing about this 117-page ruling is its declaration that Cornerstone and ENAMI have violated three sets of constitutional rights:
     - the rights of nature;
     - the rights of nearby communities to safe water and a clean environment;
     - the rights of communities to consultation regarding environmental impact
.
The court also ruled that companies failed to follow due process with environmental and water permits for the Rio Magdalena mining concessions which cover Los Cedros.
This ruling creates a precedent in Ecuador as more than 2 million H-a of similarly threatened Bosques Protectores and a worldwide precedent for the Rights of Nature

Click to View Story in THE GUARDIAN:
Los Cedros Reserve. Photo: Roo Vandegrift

Dec. 1 2021

Los Cedros Biological Reserve Dec. 1, 2021


Monumental victory in Ecuador as the Constitutional Court ejects mining companies from our Los Cedros Biological Reserve. Click to View Story

Nov. 10 2021

Interview by Steven Wyatt, 

 ex Financial Review journalist and ex China correspondent for that paper, for his
alternative history of Byron Bay and the Full Interview of John Seed Click Here to View


Nov  1 2021

Photos of John and his Son River.

 Click Here to View Full Size Photos

Aug 25 2021

Some photos from the last couple of years 

Click Here to view

Oct 20 2019

Presentation to Rebel Herbal conference:

Click Here to view John's Entire Presentation at the event

Go Here to the  Rebel Herbal conference Website

Jan. 16 2019

Update: "Actually, I have to credit Acacia courtii

and some sweet friends for assisting the immunotherapy
Click Here for: link from Acacia Courtii and some sweet friends

Jan. 16 2019

We're doing well, River just turned 5 and is a delight.

A biopsy late 2017 found that the tumor had returned. The scans had been indicating this for 6 months but prof Miyazaki (cyberknife surgeon) categorically stated it was only scar tissue and advised against the biopsy. By the time I had the biopsy and scan December 2017 it was tracking towards the brain stem and last January I was booked in for surgery with Ben Panizza in Brisbane to remove eye, exenterate the orbit followed by a hole in the back of my skull for further surgery followed by radiation.

However, the final MRI before the op showed that the cancer was too far advanced and he called it off and this was precisely what made me eligible to participate in the trial of a new immune-therapy. This stopped the tumour advancing and then, after 8 months of fortnightly treatments at RNSH, my October MRI showed the volume of the tumour had precipitously dropped to 30% and last month it was down to 15% of its former glory.

So, Dr. Miyazaki saved my eye twice - 4 years ago with his cyberknife and again in 2017 with his mistaken diagnosis!

Jan 15 2019

John's Son River and Grand daughter Jala


Click to See Full Size photo

Dec. 31 2018

Update:

John's 73rd Birthday Party

Click for Photo for Full Size


Nov 14 2018


Save the Rainforests of Ecuador and New South Wales



Click to Visit the FB page Link Here

Aug 5 2018

Ecuador has rejected the Government's appeal and the Chinese-owned Rio Blanco 

This could be the game-changer we've been waiting for. A court in the Azuay Province of Ecuador has rejected the Government's appeal and the Chinese-owned Rio Blanco gold mine has been stopped! See the excellent article about this issue written last week before this historic decision.

Click to View Article

Aug 3 2018

Megan left for a workshop yesterday leaving River (RIVER GALAXY) for a week for the first time.

 Next Wednesday he and I will fly to Cairns. Friday we'll pick Megan up at Cairns airport and drive to my first gig with the families at Kowrowa, a small indigenous -community out of Kuranda, (out of Monamona Mission in the 60's). Next morning we head to the Coalesence Festival, Mission Beach for a deep ecology workshop and to meet Bodhi and family (IMAGES 6008, 6012, 6014, 6016) there for the weekend before we repair to a week together at Cape Trib then deep ecology gigs in Kuranda in and Cairns and home again jiggety jig.
See Flyer for Kuranda Deep Ecology 2018


Aug 1 2018

Melbourne RAG's superb research

Melbourne RAG's superb research into the Aussie miners who hold the lions share of the contested concessions threatening to lay Ecuador's rainforest biodiversity to waste
Click Here to View: Ecuador Endangered

July 16 2018

Damage caused by the mining industry, written by Alberto Acosta

Important article on the economic damage caused by the mining industry, written by Alberto Acosta Ecuadorian economist former Minister of Energy and Mines. Former president of the Constituent Assembly. Former candidate for the Presidency of the Republic of Ecuador. 

See Alberto Acosta Article

July 15 2018

raised $11,000 for Los Cedros legal defense

Thanks to Davide Nicastro, the Hope St Warehouse residents and all the musicians for last night's rave party which raised $11,000 for Los Cedros legal defense

Click to see Lots of Rave Party pics


July 11 2018

Friends of the Earth and the Melbourne Rainforest Action Group

About 40 activists from Students of Sustainability, Friends of the Earth and the Melbourne Rainforest Action Group descended up BHP's headquarters in downtown Melbourne today, locking down the lifts and blockading the main entrance for an hour until police intervened. We held Ecuador-related campaign signs and handed out leaflets. Several TV news networks came to cover the action, with the ABC (the national broadcaster) covering all the various student actions targeting various government agencies

See the BHP pdf

July 8 2018

Nov-Dec, $1900 raised for Los Cedros.

Great deep ecology workshop, 40 participants, first time I've had to turn people away from a full workshop in 20 years, booking 2 more in Nov-Dec, $1900 raised for Los Cedros. Thanks so much Mycelium Studios for donating this incredible space. Melbourne rocks! Afterwards, one of the Mycelium gang, Ivanna, took some great portraits of me

July 7 2018

a talk at our Narara Ecovillage

Brendan Condon from The Cape Ecovillage near Melbourne recently gave a talk at our Narara Ecovillage where he described the totally passive (open source) designs that they have created and started building down there which now achieve over 9 NatHERs stars and require minimal cooling OR heating. Today Brendan showed a couple of us around his project and we went to visit some of the houses they have built . We were stunned by the comfort on a wild weather day in July and particularly by the economics they can now build one of these houses with zero energy bills at a tiny 3% premium over the cost of a well-build conventional house costing $3000 to $3,500/year in energy bills (ie 3 year pay-back period and then no energy bills for the life of the building). This is the future.

July 1 2018

Students of Sustainability

Students of Sustainability are a totally kick-ass group of uni students from around the country that get together at a different campus each winter, this year in Melbourne. They organise direct actions following each of their conferences and I was able to negotiate for this years actions to include one at BHP's HQ in Collins St they want to attack BHP around Aussie uranium mines among other things and happy to include Ecuador in the mix. I've gone to 6 or 8 of their gatherings during the last 20 years and will once again give a deep ecology workshop at this one next week.!

April 28 2018

John Plays Guitar for the Kids


Click to See Full Size photo or (See the FB link) >> Click Here

Sept 24 2017

Update: Los Cedros

Los Cedros Summary Update Click Here


Sept 3 2017

deep ecology events in Bathurst NSW to benefit Los Cedros

A weekend of deep ecology events in Bathurst NSW to benefit Los Cedros. Friday night a talk on deep ecology for Green Drinks organized by the Sisters of Mercy Rahamim Ecology Centre. They posted a video of my talk onto youtube as well as a 5-minute clip and the two Drew Dellinger raps I opened and closed with: The Universe Jam and Word to the Mother.

Then a gorgeous weekend of experiential deep ecology. The best part is that, in spite of being the facilitator, I'm able to fully participate as well and, just as for the other participants, I get to soak in the healing and empowerment returning so refreshed to my family and work

May 10 2017

Update: permaculture legend Jeff Lawton, posted my Los Cedros rave

My old friend, the permaculture legend Jeff Lawton, posted my Los Cedros rave to his news site and also filmed a passionate 7-minute video which went out to some 60,000 subscribers to his Friday Five.

April 2017

Update: Los Cedros, the Biological Reserve in NW Ecuador

Los Cedros, the Biological Reserve in NW Ecuador which we launched back in the late 80's with the help of a grant from the Australian Government's development assistance bureau is facing its most serious threat The Ecuadorean government has secretly signed a mining agreement covering Los Cedros and other protected areas with the Canadian company Cornerstone Capital Resources inc.. Many of the international scientists who have worked at Los Cedros have signed a letter attesting to the irreplaceable scientific value of this, the best -forested watershed in Western Ecuador.
You can support this fight by signing the petition here: Sign Here

See John Seed’s 4-minute video update >>Here


Jan 2017

David Nicastro’s new 27 minute film about the Los Cedros Biological Reserve  

 Click here to watch the Video

Nov 5 2015

Judy dies age 95 … rest in peace my darling mother 

Judy dies age 95 … rest in peace my darling mother
See Photo here: Click
See the ABC News Article on her >>>Click

Sept 16 2014

My son River and granddaughter Jala 

My son River (9 months) and granddaughter Jala (4 months)
See Photo here: Click

July 12 2014

Megan River and I have joined the Narara Ecovillage. 

Megan River and I have joined the Narara Ecovillage. Click here for YouTube Video

June 7 2014

One month old today, my granddaughter 

One month old today, my granddaughter Jala Star Seed, welcome, blessings of the Universe pour upon you endless from the eternal fountain.
Here's her 6-month old uncle, my son River with his mama and Nagymama (Judy Cassab)




May 28 2014

Monks ordaining trees and blockades by indigenous farmers 

Monks ordaining trees and blockades by indigenous farmers prevent Sinohydro from commencing work to dam the Areng River and flood the Cardamom, the largest remaining rainforest in SE Asia

View a 5-minute film by John Seed

May 17 2014

Me and River at his first blockade 

Me and River at his first blockade the day before the NSW Government caved in in the face of people power and suspended Metgasco's license to frack and their share price plummeted to 5c.

See Photo here: Click

May 7 2014

 Hallelujah! My grand-daughter was born this morning.  

 Hallelujah! My grand-daughter was born this morning.  

April 24 2014

A glorious Easter in the rainforest

and some memories sparked by the death of Neville Wran.. con't >

Apr 9 2014

our son River 6 weeks to 4 months

Photos of our son River 6 weeks to 4 months
Note* When the page opens- DoubleClick top left photo, click on "slideshow" top middle, move cursor to bottom of screen and hit play

Feb 11 2014

River is 2 months old today, endless delight

River is 2 months old today, endless delight, plenty to keep us both busy. Booked my first gig since his birth - offering some deep ecology at the Regrowth Festival March 1-2 - hope they dont schedule me while Bodhi Seed is playing - Saturday 11.30am DJ SeeD, 1.30pm with Lub Dub and midnight with Syren link

Feb 3 2014

The naming of our son River

The naming of our son River, River of Life! That's what a child is, flowing unbroken from the beginning of time. Unbowed. Undefeated. Undammed.
And for Megan, like the Hermann Hesse novel River of Life about the Buddha
This is his 'naming song  God is a River by Peter Mayer. 


Dec 23 2013

Wedding lunch Megan and John

Wedding lunch Megan and John

See Full Size Photo

Dec 11 2013

 Dec 11, 2013 The birth of our son. Hallelujah!

 12/11/13 The birth of our son. Hallelujah!

See Full Size Photo

Nov 26 2013

evening with world-leading Amazon rainforest conservationist 

Organized a great evening with world-leading Amazon rainforest conservationist - Atossa Soltani at the University of Technology and launched Amazon Watch Allies Australia

See FaceBook page  (Facebook account Required)


Nov 23 2013

60th anniversary of my 93 year old mother, Judy Cassab's 

Beautiful 8-minute piece on *ABC's 7.30 Report last night about the launch of the events celebrating the 60th anniversary of my 93 year old mother, Judy Cassab's first painting exhibition.
*Note Some Events have been Archived we are working on getting them back

Also See Gov. Bashir Eulogy:
A CELEBRATION OF JUDY'S LIFE TO BE LAUNCHED BY NSW GOVERNOR MARIE BASHIR

Also See many News Events by Aussie TV ABC.net. au About Judy Cassab 
*Note Some Events have been Archived we are working on getting them back here onLine
and on >> Click  JudysWebsite


Nov 14 2013

sustainable agriculture in Zimbabwe and screening
{The Chikukwa Project} film premiere 

Organized fund raising for sustainable agriculture in Zimbabwe and screening The Chikukwa Project film premiere in Sydney 

Full Chikukwa Permaculture Project Story Here: Click

July 8 2013

Dana Lyons and NEO,

With Dana Lyons and NEO, the great band that he somehow persuaded to come down from Darwin, at our benefit for food security in Zimbabwe at Chapel by the Sea, Bondi Beach link photo dana




May 31 2013

Book Launch - Stories of the Great Turning

Book Launch - Stories of the Great Turning What a great night, 120 people celebrating The Great Turning, Sydney Rocks!

See Full Photo Here

Amazon Link to the Book

Nov 22 2012

Raised over $6000 (see Oct 24 post) . Crowdfunding

Raised over $6000 (see Oct 24 post) . Crowdfunding rocks!
Chip in to help the locals protect Los Cedros in Ecuador
Thanks to >> Do Gooder. 

Oct 24 2012

stop invaders from destroying the Los Cedros Biological Reserve

Please help us to stop invaders
from destroying the Los Cedros Biological Reserve in the Amazon headwaters of Ecuador 

Sept 12 2012

AID/WATCH's 20th birthday

 Some reminiscences upon AID/WATCH's 20th birthday 
1980 documentary first eco-blockade in the world 

See PDF Here

Aug 25 2012

 John Seed and Megan Wallace marry.

 John Seed and Megan Wallace marry.

See The PDF Story and Photos here

July 16 2012

Can humanity find a way past the current global environmental and social crises?

 Do you think that humanity can find a way past the current global environmental and social crises?

GLOBAL CHORUS: See John's Contribution >> PDF


See Global Chorus Website:


June 28 2012

CLIMATE CHANGE, DESPAIR & EMPOWERMENT, JOHN SEED & RUTH ROSENHEK

CLIMATE CHANGE, DESPAIR & EMPOWERMENT,
by JOHN SEED & RUTH ROSENHEK Social Alternatives Vol. 31 No.1, 2012 See PDF: CLICK HERE

Also See: By Kelpie Wilson, originally published by truthout.org  May 25, 2007

June 8 2012

 Deep Ecology workshop at Mooncourt

After our great experiential deep ecology workshop at Mooncourt,
Glenys and Taffy recorded Child of the Universe which I had sung to accompany the Cosmic Walk .

June 4 2012

Funded tree planting in Kenya

Completed due diligence and funded tree planting in Kenya

See PDF


April 2012

 engaging with food security in Zimbabwe

 engaging with food security in Zimbabwe


Nov 22 2011

Council of All Beings in Taiwan

Council of All Beings to-day, my last event in Taiwan..
Yesterday keynote address to APNEC: Deep Ecology & The Conservation of Nature. Earlier, an Ecopsychology and Eco-Spirituality panel and before that Ecophilosophy and Council of All Beings at Providence University. Also delivered some money I raised for the aboriginal communities I met last time I was here, to stop the dams that threaten their lands and way of life.


Nov 21 2011

Keynote address to APNEC:
Deep Ecology & The Conservation of Naturein Taiwan

 keynote address to APNEC: Deep Ecology & The Conservation of Nature now posted to youtube. 



Oct 30 2011

uploaded a bunch of my music

I Uploaded a bunch of my music

July 16 2011

The revegetation of Arunachala

 

Watch Here: The revegetation of Arunachala, a denuded sacred mountain in S India

July 2 2011

UWS publishes SOCIAL ECOLOGY including my chapter The Religion of Economics

 UWS publishes SOCIAL ECOLOGY including my chapter The Religion of Economics

PAGE .244  The Religion of Economics: John Seed with David Wright
Also on Amazon Books

About John in this Book.
John Seed

John is the founder of the Rainforest Information Centre since 1979 he has worked for the protection of rainforests worldwide for which he was awarded in order of Australian metal in 1995. He has created numerous projects protecting rainforest in South America, Asia and the Pacific through providing benign and sustainable development projects for their indigenous inhabitants tied to the protection of their forests.
He has written and lectured extensively on deep ecology and co-authored, Thinking like a Mountain (towards the council of all beings), by new society publishers 1988.
For over 25 years he has lectured on ECCO philosophy and conducted experimental deep ecology workshops around the world.


May 8 2011

Deep Ecology Mandarin website

Deep Ecology Mandarin website
Note* Some of the links in th PDF have been removed


April 17 2011

Ecology or Extinction?

 Ecology or Extinction? Raise your voice! Nothing short of a revolution in consciousness can now prevent the demise of the Cenozoic Era and all of complex life. Is it really that bad? Find out. Check out Chris Hedges, This Time We're Taking the Whole Planet With Us Derrick Jensen, Beyond Hope Clive Hamilton, Requiem for a Species John Greer The Long Descent and Reg Morrison Plague Species. What to do? I reckon its time to get annoyed,
I'm organizing a series of Climate Change, Despair and Empowerment workshops around Australia and see who else is feeling annoyed. And you?

Mar 31 2011

 Taiwan tour

 John 2011 Deep Ecology tour of Taiwan, photo essay

March 21 2011

Sydney action against the Borneo timber Mafia photos

Sydney action against the Borneo timber Mafia photos


Feb 28 2011

Writing an article about my great few days with kick-ass activists at the Southern Forests Convergence in Tassie.

Writing an article about my great few days with kick-ass activists at the Southern Forests Convergence in Tassie.
See the PDF

Jan 25 2011

 Played music with my son Bodhi at the most excellent Rainbow Serpent festival.

 Played music with my son Bodhi at the most excellent Rainbow Serpent festival. Also gave some deep ecology talks and workshops and sang the World Bank song. Loaded some of my music to Reverbnation. A friend made a slideshow to Word to the Mother. Getting ready for gigs in Tasmania next month and Taiwan in April.

Aug 2010

A few Updates from the past

Great news: following the 3000 emails which you sent to environment minister Jairam Ramesh, news is in today that Vedanta's controversial bauxite mine on Dongria Kondh tribal land at Niyamgiri in India has been stopped.
You can see the story in The Guardian or the Ministry of Environment and Forests decision itself on the ministry website. Furthermore, Ramesh has been quoted as saying that Vedanta had committed very serious violations of environment act and forest right act, and that his department was looking at taking punitive action against the company. The news sent Vedanta shares down 6%.

For more on this issue, see the amazing 10-minute film: Mine: Story of a Sacred Mountain or this great 5 minute clip and a couple of recent articles one by Arundhati Roy

A great new painting for Arunachala (the sacred mountain we've been reforesting for 20 years) .

First music gig in 20 years with my son Bodhi.

Draft chapter The Religion of Economics for Handbook of Social Ecology.

Indian Journal of Ecocriticism interview with Swarna

3rd exhibition of The Two of Us my sculptures along with paintings by my mother Judy Cassab, Canberra July 31 -Aug 2010

Brenda Niall's Speech about Judy Cassab

Recent interview on ABC Radio National The Spirit of Things

Have you been wondering what the Maoist insurgency in India is about. Great article by Arundhati Roy and interview by Tehelka.
Article in the Guardian


2009

 film to protect the largest remaining wild population of Asian Elephants

 John Seed produced this film to protect the largest remaining wild population of Asian Elephants whose survival in the wild was threatened by two separate developments in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.Watch the Video Here


2008

 EARTH-SPIRIT-ACTION: Deep Ecology

 EARTH-SPIRIT-ACTION: Vandana Shiva, Starhawk, Matthew Fox, Ruth Rosenhek and John Seed speak about Deep Ecology, Living Democracy and Revolution in Consciousness Watch the Film Here


Jan 2003

 John Seed produces “On The Brink”

 A 35 Minute File  Watch it Here


1992

 John Seed talks with Ram Dass

Clips of Ram Dass, Terence McKenna, and John Seed

From where John Seed talks with Ram Dass

From where Terence McKenna talks with Ram Dass

June 1992

John Seed No Planet, No Business
(You and I are the Rainforests 130 million years on)

Interview June 1992
By City Visions 2 of San Francisco, Ca.
Link-Up for Transformation
Remembering the Earth with John McLean
John Seed interviewed in a California TV show,
Link up for Transformation about rainforests, rainforest conservation and deep ecology.
Click for Full video:
John Seed  No Planet, No Business (You and I are the Rainforests 130 million years on)

1986

a history of the Australian environmental activist movement in the 1970s and '80s

EARTH FIRST: John Seed co-produced this film for Australian ABC TV, a history of the Australian environmental activist movement in the 1970s and '80s, focusing on the Terania Creek, Franklin River and Daintree rainforest blockades.
Click for video:

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