We are in the midst of a dynamic cosmic process reaching through the stars, galaxies, and the Earth into the most intimate depths of our being said the speakers at Antioch University’s recent event, Vital Issues: Deeptime Principles and Birthing the Ecozoic Era. This presentation was hosted by Antioch’s Office of Continuing Education with Deeptime Network and the Individualized Master of Arts program.
In their presentation, the president and founder of the Deeptime Network, Jennifer Morgan, and Stephan Martin, an astronomer, educator, author, and director of the Deeptime Leadership Program, explored how Deep Time Principles could support an Ecozoic Era. “Ecozoic” is a term that means the emerging era where we humans have transitioned from the destructive industrial dream of consumption and materialism to becoming a sustainable and mutually enhancing part of the life systems of the planet. Morgan says that a deep-time perspective, in principle, is about bringing more life and more capacity, and we can do that by understanding the history of the cosmos and the varied perspectives of cultures within our shared world. She questioned, “What will happen if leadership starts with loving and understanding our universe?”
Stephan Martin says the universe transforms itself, and we need to transform in relationality with the system we’re a part of—which means the entire community, all the peoples around the Earth, caring for the ecosystems, seeking to help the whole. We can’t be healthy in a sick ecosystem, says Martin. “We have these incredible examples of cosmic relationality, transformation, genesis—these deep time perspectives are all around us, but remember that the Earth is also a part of the cosmic system.”
The presenters shared images of our universe and attendees had an open discussion of how deep-time perspectives impacted each person attending. Attendees left the presentation excited about the cosmos, our positionality, and the actions we can take to care for our world—and, by extension, the universe.
Video of the full event is available on YouTube and embedded below.
