John Seed

Activist, facilitator, musician, and co-author of the seminal book “Thinking Like a Mountain” with Arne Naess, Joanna Macy and Pat Fleming, Australian John Seed is a pivotal figure in the Deep Ecology movement. To view his profile on this site, visit the post below.

  • Profile: John Seed

    Profile: John Seed

    John Seed  is founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Australia.  Since 1979 he has been involved in the direct actions which have resulted in the protection of the Australian rainforests. In 1984 he helped initiate the US Rainforest Action Network which grew out of the first  of his many US roadshows. In 1987 he co-produced…

Quotes from John Seed

  • The fundamental insight of deep ecology is that underlying all of the symptoms of environmental problems, there is the illusion of separation between human beings and the natural world”

    -John Seed
  • “once we realize that the nature within and the nature without are continuous, then we too may share and manifest the exquisite beauty and effortless grace associated with the natural world”

    John Seed

Books, essays and other resources

  • Interview: John Seed at Rebel Herbal Conference-

    “Deep ecology is a key to the change we need. To deep ecology, underlying all the symptoms of the environmental crisis lies a psychological or spiritual root – the illusion of separation from the rest of the natural world which stems from anthropocentrism or human-centeredness. Conditioned since the Old Testament to “subdue and dominate” nature,…

  • Interview: JOHN SEED on Deep Ecological Identity

    An interview with John Seed on the For The Wild Podcast https://forthewild.world/listen/john-seed-on-deep-ecological-identity98 What could our reality look like if we had not grown up in a society so deeply committed to an anthropocentric understanding of cosmos and planet? What would it mean to no longer identify as “the spider in the center, but as a…

  • Book: “Thinking Like A Mountain”, By John Seed, Joanna Macy, Arnes Naess and Pat Fleming

    Published in 1988, this seminal text by John Seed, Joanna Macy, Arne Naess and Pat Fleming outlines their collective vision for Deep Ecology process. Originally referred to as a “Council of All Beings” these group therapeutic processes aimed at healing humanities’ illusion of separation from the natural world, as a response to the multifaceted challenges…

  • Thinking Like a Mountain: PDF

    We ask for the presence of the spirit of Gaia and pray that the breath of life continues to caress this planet home. May we grow into true understanding — a deep understanding that inspires us to protect the tree on which we bloom, and the water, soil and atmosphere without which we have no…

  • Wild Earth, Wild Mind, Wild Heart

    In this video, filmed in the spring of 2005, John Seed performs some songs and poems. He also offers detailed introductions to some of the group processes he has developed and taken around the world.