Pat Fleming is a deep ecology facilitator who co-authored Thinking Like a Mountain (1988) with John Seed, Joanna Macy, and Arne Naess. She has conducted experiential deep ecology workshops for over forty years.
Born in England to a Northern Irish family, Fleming holds British-Australian nationality and currently resides in northern Lutruwita (Tasmania). Her background includes mental health counseling, conservation botany, organic farming, and environmental education. She holds an MA in Psychology from Edinburgh University and an MSc in Botanical Conservation from Plymouth University.
Fleming studied Zen Buddhism with Robert Aitken Roshi, co-founder of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Her facilitation work integrates contemplative practice with ecological awareness. She co-created the Council of All Beings ritual practice with Seed, Macy, and Naess in the 1980s, developing methods for participants to speak from the perspectives of other species and ecosystems.
For seven years Fleming taught deep ecology at Schumacher College in Devon through the year-long ‘Call of the Wild’ program. She has also worked with the Eden Project in Cornwall and facilitates Work That Reconnects workshops internationally. Her work combines botanical knowledge, Buddhist practice, and ritual development.
Key Concepts
- Council of All Beings: Ritual practice for speaking on behalf of other species and ecosystems
- Thinking Like a Mountain: Adopting perspectives beyond human timescales and concerns
- Experiential Deep Ecology: Embodied practices for developing ecological consciousness
- Buddhist Ecology: Integration of Zen practice with environmental awareness
Essential Works
- “Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings” (New Society Publishers, 1988) - ISBN 978-0-86571-133-7 - With John Seed, Joanna Macy, and Arne Naess
- “A Wild Love for the World: Joanna Macy and the Work of Our Time” (New World Library, 2020) - ISBN 978-1-60868-684-8 - Contributor
Selected Quotes
The Council of All Beings allows us to step aside from our human identity and speak on behalf of the other species and ecosystems with whom we share this Earth. — Thinking Like a Mountain (1988)
When we think like a mountain, we begin to understand the patience of geological time and the wisdom of ecosystems. — Thinking Like a Mountain (1988)
Further Reading
Key Books
- Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings (New Society Publishers, 1988) - ISBN 978-0-86571-133-7
- A Wild Love for the World: Joanna Macy and the Work of Our Time (New World Library, 2020) - ISBN 978-1-60868-684-8
Related Resources
- Work That Reconnects Network
- Schumacher College deep ecology archives
- Council of All Beings practice documentation