Join me for a deep dive into this profound body of work by renowned master herbalist, earth poet, bardic naturalist, deep ecologist and prolific award-winning author of 25 books, the late Stephen Harrod Buhner. Stephen was a radical systems thinker, polymath and synthesiser whose work continues to have a deep and lasting impact on Plant People and Deep Ecologists all over the world.

I have read Plant Intelligence dozens of times (as well as most of his other books) and consider Stephen to be one of my primary teachers on the topics of Plant Medicine, Animist Living Earth Perception, Gaian Systems and Earth Sentience, Deep Ecology, and Eco-Soul Poetics.

According to Stephen, 'Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm' offers a "sophisticated theoretical foundation for contemplative animism." It provides an accessible philosophical framework combined with simple yet profound exercises to help us open our perception towards a living, breathing and dreaming earth. This will be my 5th time guiding this 10-week dive into his work.

"The world is alive, intelligent, aware, communicative, and filled with soul...we are not alone...we are part of something much larger than ourselves...we are companioned by millions upon millions of related life-forms; and that the dead, mechanical world we have been taught about in school does not exist.... and never has."
~Stephen Harrod Buhner
---------------------------------------------------------------

Schedule:

*Note that the time will change from AEST to AEDT in early October. Participants are responsible for tracking how this will affect them. This round is EU Timezone friendly.

August 25th -Intro session 5pm-7pm : Group intros, Overview of the Course, Agreements and Intro of first Assigned Chapters and Supplement Materials

September 1st -Session 1 5pm-7pm: ch 1-3 The Doors of Perception and Reclaiming the Invisible

September 8th - Session 2 5pm-7pm: ch 4-6 Everything is Alive, Deep Gaia and The Pattern that Connects

September 15th - Break for online classes and time to catchup on reading and assignments

September 22nd -Session 3 5pm-7pm: ch 7-9 Inextricable Intertangling and the Role of Psychotropics in the Ecosystem

September 29th - Session 4 5pm-7pm: ch 10-12 Golden Threads and the Sea of Meaning

October 6th - Session 5 5pm-7pm SHIFT TO AEDT): ch 13-16 Deep Earth Perception and the Imaginal World

October 13th - In-person workshop for Melbourne-based participants (10 am-3 pm venue TBC)

October 20th -Session 6 5pm-7pm: Ch 17-19 The Ecological Niche of the Human and Becoming Barbarian

October 27th - Integration Session 5pm-7pm: Integration, Feedback and Farewells

Includes:

• x8 live Zoom calls, all 2 hours. Calls will be recorded and made available if you miss a class or two, but there is a strong preference for those who can attend at least 6 of the 8 live calls. The success of this group is dependent a majority live attendance and active participation in the study and calls.

• x1 pre-recorded intro video and x6 pre-recorded presentations of the chapters covered before each live call

• Pre-recorded home practice invitations and reflection questions

• Optional supplemental resources to deepen into the topics that Stephen opens up in Plant Intelligence

• The live calls will include whole group discussions of the material and home practice, deeper explorations and reflections in breakouts and some live group practice. All live calls will be recorded and shared with participants.

• WhatsApp community chat group for everyone to stay in contact, share reflections and ask questions in between the live calls

** X1 5-hour, in-person workshops for Melbourne-based participants who purchase the relevant ticket option

We are working to create an ongoing alumni-led practice community. While this isn't guaranteed, we are aiming to create some form of community-sustained continuity of practice.

Expectations for Attendees:

This is a live study group, not a passive online course to be watched via recordings… the success of this space is dependent on the attendance of the weekly Zoom calls (at least 6 of the 8 calls ideally) and active participation in those calls. We create the vessel for this co-exploration together, and that involves committed attendance, loving attention, generously offering yourself into the space through the sharing of your stories and reflections and witnessing others with both warmth and curiosity. The witnessing is especially important, as we are attempting to create a safe space for perceptual change to take place, which can feel very vulnerable, especially if this is new territory.

After having done several of these groups now, I can confidently say that the more we give to this space, the more we receive in return.

So, for clarity, each week there will be a study component (chapters to read and a video to watch) and a practice component that you will be asked to undertake in your own time. We then come together to share our practice stories and study inquiries with others and lovingly witness others in their expression. The time you dedicate to your study and practice will be entirely up to you. You are not expected to complete the book or the practices during our ten weeks together; you are only asked to make a consistent effort to turn towards our the material and practices, let them really stir you and to feed the space with what is arising in you as a result of that.

Testimonials:

"We all have those events in our lives that mark a before and an after.
This course was that for me.

Reading Buhner for the first time felt like a remembering rather than a learning, it was relearning.
Skye is a magnificent facilitator, weaving in poetry, art and all the different modalities she has worked with throughout her journey. She brings in so much depth and experience, all in service of the work, always allowing space for the group to move organically to where the material takes it. She really lives and breathes this work, it's been inspiring to be learning from her and alongside her. I would do this course again and again and again. And so should you."

~ Debi Azubel

~•~
"THIS IS THE BEST COURSE THAT I HAVE EVER COMPLETED IN MY LIFE (and I have completed MANY courses). It gave me the theoretical understanding of who I am and my relationship to the earth as well as the practical experience of how to connect to the more than human world. Through frequent application of the exercises offered in this course, I experienced a deep sense of BELONGING to the land - something that I have been seeking and longing for all of my life. Therefore, if you desire a sense of belonging like I did and want to learn how to communicate with the more than human world, I strongly recommend this course. Additionally, Skye is a highly intelligent, passionate and humble guide - I couldn't choose a better teacher for this journey."

~ Regina Kousal

~•~

"The name 'study group' doesn't do what Skye has put together justice! - It has been sooo much more than that for me. It's been a great opening of awareness & heart. A big sense of belonging to something which I have always felt but didn't have the understanding for that I wasn't alone or the vocabulary to describe my experiences. I can't thank her enough for seeing the importance in putting this work together, giving us so much material to refer back to, exercises to keep the work alive & a platform to discuss everything that's moving within us."

~ Lou Taylor

~•~

"This work has been a light of deep truth shining through the muddle that is our mixed up world! Creating lasting growth and connections inside and out! Calling in like-hearted and brilliant-minded humans to explore and practice with, the community Skye is building around this epic body of work is exceptional!

This "take at your own pace" study group was so beautiful to digest, whether I had an hour just to watch her pre-recorded summaries or days spare to dedicate to reading the chapters and going through the extra resources. Skye invited us into the world of Stephen Harrod Buhner in her engaging videos filtered through her own inspiring mind, in candid and connected ways that bring the subjects covered literally into your life!

Combined with the invitation to practice developing skills of perception as well as the call to reflect on them.I cannot imagine a better translator and space holder for this work and all the shifting and opening that it brings."

~ Tanya Hawkes

~•~

"If you've ever wanted to explore a little further beyond the doors of perception and a little deeper into the dreaming of the earth, I can't recommend highly enough the journey with Skye through the study group surrounding plant intelligence and the imaginal realm, the work of the late Stephen Harrod Buhner.

I must warn you though, if you choose to enter this portal, you will not come out the same on the other side. And this may stir you in ways like never before and may challenge your very ways of perceiving. You even may, if you’re so lucky, find yourself on the wild edge of a new horizon. One made of wonder and felt rather than seen, fresh perspectives. You might even become barbarian in the process!
If you’re considering this journey and would like to deepen your deep-earth perception by following the tingling of a golden thread inviting you in, I say follow that impulse.
Thank you for your beautiful work Skye and for honouring Stephen in such a way."

~ Michael from Today Dreamer Podcast
~•~

With gratitude, I offer a heartfelt recommendation for Skye’s Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm study group. Stephen Harrod Buhner is a mystic, a man of transcendent perception, and his book is an initiation into the deepest wisdom of Life–the exact Medicine of Reconnection we humans need for this moment on Earth. The journey through each revelatory segment of his book is amplified by Skye’s delicious treasure trove of support materials. Sharing and listening to others’ perceptions and insights in the Zoom calls and WhatsApp groups allowed a community of heart-seeing to blossom. I am awed by Skye’s expert facilitation: her cognizance of the material, listening kindness, insightfulness, and communication skills are dazzling. This class cleared the dust from my eyes, reawakened a sense of connection with the Sacred Web of Life, and trust in her power to Live. This offering is a very deep well of beauty and truth.

~ Sara Carson
~•~

I took Skye’s Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm course and from the beginning it filled me with new wonder and fresh excitement for the world around me. Questions that I had pondered over my life began to fall into place. The discipline of deep practice enhanced an already alive world and created a profound sense of belonging to the world, belonging for all beings. I feel a sense of relief and peace after just dipping my toe into this work and I am truly excited to walk further through the door that has been left ajar for me now. This work is life changing. If you are seeking more richness and connectedness in your life, this is the wok. And Skye weaves a web of safety and wisdom in which to explore these teachings. Thank you Skye I am so grateful to have been part of this group.

~ Caitlin Pheasant
~•~

Skye has created an engaging framework for experiential learning and communities of practice, which honours the trailblazing work of Stephen Harrow Buhner, and weaves in a rich tapestry of resources.
She holds space with deeply embodied integrity, and facilitates in a way that enhances inclusion and co-creativity, and traverses the sacred and mundane.
If you are drawn to deepen your connection with nature and experience yourself wildly woven in the web of animacy, this course is for you. It’s more of a journey than a study group. Opening to Gaian perception is a way of life – sacred activism that is so very needed in these times.

~ Chloe Farmer

~~~
Once you open your heart to this work, you become forever woven with the living worlds around us and within yourself. Skye creates incredibly nourishing spaces to explore Buhner’s work in relatable ways. Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm is a masterpiece of research and inspiring stories. It offers the door into mystery - renewing and transforming animist perceptions and deepening feelings of belonging. Studying under Skye’s wing is a lifetime opportunity. Through plant connection and dreaming practices she guides you into the deeper inner landscapes of our Earth, softly touching the aliveness of everything around us. You manually practice how to open sensory gates that are typically presumed to only be accessible through entheogenic and psychedelic experiences. This work has become balm to my tender heart by dissolving feelings of separation. It has supported my repair process towards deep belonging and has offered a rooted understanding of how to engage with my feeling sense daily. I am deeply grateful for such a transformative experience.

~With Gratitude,
Ruth Shaw

Tickets (prices are in Australian dollars):

Concession for low-income (online only): $300
Concession for low-income (includes in-person workshops): $350
Regular (online only): $400
Regular (includes in-person workshops): $450
Solidarity ticket: $550 (this supports me to meet my needs while also offering more concession and scholarship places for those who need it to access my work)
%50 off the regular ticket price for repeat attendees
x2 Scholarship spots available, please reach out if you feel this should be you
Payment plans are available upon request

Giving Back:

10% of the proceeds will go to the Melbourne Rainforest Action Group (MRAG) and their incredible efforts in supporting Indigenous Grassroots Activists in protecting their territories within mega biodiverse Old-Growth forest in the Ecuadorian Amazon, which is currently under threat from both Australian-owned and Multinational mining companies who are creating open-pit copper mines to supply the new electric car market.

~•~

Refunds:

A 90% refund is available until 14 days before the start of the event. No refunds are available beyond that time. If I need to cancel this workshop for any reason, 100% refunds will be given.

~•~

Head here to learn more about Skye and her work an Experiential Deep Ecology facilitator, Grief Ritualist, Animist Healing Arts practitioner and Folk Herbalist 💚