As the seasons make their inexorable transitions, this time from Summer to Autumn, the hours of daylight decrease and we are reminded that permanent change is a fundamental feature of the laws of nature and that, no matter how stable or permanent something may seem, it is only temporary. There is, perhaps, no season where this sense of change within the cycle of life is more clearly felt than Autumn.
For many of us here in the eeai, this time of year provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the vitality with which the warm summer sun has left us and for the darker months to come. It is of course ‘harvest time’ and we are thankful for this year’s ‘crop’ of new members and subscribers who brought with them their presence, new ideas and new strength.
This change can also be felt socially and politically with phrases like eco-awareness and climate anxiety being heard more frequently in the media and the connection between mental health and the health of the natural world being felt more and more clearly. Climate change and biodiversity loss are now widely acknowledged as being among the greatest modern threats to our physical and mental well-being. Of course, the distribution of the burden is wildly uneven globally. Even so, it is at times of reflection, such as the Autumn, that one can really appreciate the value of giving and receiving hope for the future and, here at the eeai, we are very proud to work with, and for, people doing just that.
We hope your autumn season has involved lots of opportunities to be outdoors to observe the brilliance of the light at this time of year. As the sun’s relative height at our latitude drops, it’s rays become more angled. This, coupled with the autumn leaves’ annual senescence (their death resulting in being shed), makes this time of year truly golden.
Here’s hoping that this is reflected in your experience of it.
Announcements
New Committee Meeting
We are thrilled (and relieved) to finally be able to announce that we have secured a date for the first ever meeting of the members of the new eeai committee! (Believe us, it is tricky to get a bunch of busy, self-employed people from all around the country to agree to come to one place on one date, but we did it.) The date in question is Sunday December 1st. The brief? Gather together to get to know each other and to dream… dream about what the eeai could and should be and about how we can maximise the potential impact of ecopsychology and ecotherapy in Ireland and generate the best outcomes for us and for our land. This would, of course, be with a view towards making concrete decisions about the steering of the eeai. Any suggestions, requests or dreams from any of our members that they would like to be included in the agenda should be sent to chair@eeai.ie by Monday, 25th of November. The outcome of this meeting will be communicated to all members and subscribers.
Research & Development
In terms of our own continuing commitment to Research & Development here at the eeai, we are delighted to offer a community research submission by Therese O’Driscoll, a new eeai committee member and a much-valued volunteer. This newsletter also features a blog post from Rob Lewis, our chairperson, on the psychophysiological benefits, for the brain and nervous system, of braving the cold weather.
We hope you enjoy the Autumn Newsletter, and the season which brings it. The eeai is continuing on its upward trajectory and we greatly anticipate finding ways in which we can actively empower people to effect change within their communities as well as in themselves. Thank you to all of you!
The Team.
eeai | Interim Committee