We are always navigating through this life in relationships…
Hello and welcome to the
Institute of Relational Being
Here we explore what it means to be a Relational Being. An ecocentric journey of remembrance…
Embracing Our Relational Ecological Be-ing
Many individuals in contemporary Western societies, particularly those in the Global North, are grappling with a profound crisis of context. Navigating reality from a human centered perspective and dominant story in which our species is detached from the rest of nature, and in most cases, believing they are in charge of everything. A shift is needed where humanity moves away from an ownership belief system towards a companionship way of thinking, living, and being. Where we humans humble down and appreciate that we are nature, too. From there we open ourselves up to navigating reality with awe and reverence, in active relationships and collaborations with the rest of this living world.
The Institute of Relational Being and the ReBe App offers platforms and frameworks for nurturing and merging holistic practices and processes which help recombine humans with nature, and culture. Our goal is to honor, highlight, and celebrate the profound interconnected entanglement that binds us all. This is a journey we embark on together with our more-than-human companions. Where every breath is enriched by our awareness and reverence for the multi-species, ecological community we are a part of.
Grounded in relationships, our mission is to embark on a vulnerable exploratory process of reorientation and remembrance. Involving practices rooted in a devotion to being present. Through this process, you, as a human being, can gain a clearer understanding of your place as part of this shared journey, not only as a human being, but also as a Relational Being. Our goal is to encourage mindful and caring engagement, in collaboration with the shared ecology you are intimately intertwined with. From an eco-centric framework, moving outwards, this allows you to embrace the magnificent relationships you have all around you that exist beyond the human-centered realm. Through navigating reality in this way, ideally you are better able to see that you belong as part of this living planet, along with the rest of nature.
More-Than-Human?
There are many concepts and phrases being explored by academics, activists, herbalists, artists, and people from various backgrounds who are trying to make sense of this reality. The more-than-human term was first coined by David Abram and points toward the vast communities of beings that are not human people, but are people nonetheless. Here at iORB we will frequently use that term, as well as Earth-mates, Earth-dwellers, and any colorful terms/phrases to help bring humans back into the fold of our shared reality and ecology we are intrinsically connected to.
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Relational Being?
By now you may have a bit of a feel for what this Relational Being business is all about, but we assure you, we also are making this up as we go so bare with us as we continue to embark on this journey together of finding our way back into a more holistic, authentic, and humble place in the greater ecology of wherever we may be.
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Making this up as you go?
Oh, yeah. That’s worth elaborating on, isn’t it? If we’re being honest here – and we’re trying to be – then it is important to appreciate that there are always a multiplicity of perspectives and that everyone navigates not only their own version of reality, from the standpoint of their lived experiences, but also that no matter how many years of schooling, badges, certificates, degrees, and credentials anyone may have, none of us, and I mean no one, really has a good grasp on what is going on here.
And so, we live and navigate through this greater project with an underlying motto that is simply: “I don’t know”
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Sincere & Silly?
This is a process moving from an ego to eco centered way of navigating through, and with reality. A decolonizing, post modernity, post humanist exploration and shared journey with far reaching implications.
iORB recognizes that humanity, and the world at large is in the midst of a meta/poly crisis that contains extreme forms of hatred, polarity, animosity, violence, war, and countless terrible ecological and environmentally destructive activities which continue to take place and that we humans (some not all) are largely responsible. This can be bleak and make finding the joy through all of what is unfolding rather difficult, and messy. We recognize this and are in surrender to the challenges this presents all of us with.
So, yeah. Let us acknowledge we’re absolutely sincere in this process and are vulnerably attempting to share practices, processes, inquiries, and opportunities that have holistic, multi-species, environmental, ecological, regenerative value. And importantly, that we are coming at this largely from a western civilization/modernity lens, attempting in part to meet the collective popular cultural consciousness where it’s at. We honor and recognize Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and those amazing humans who are connected to indigenous cultural lifeways and wish for this work to be done in tandem with those efforts. Celebrating and illuminating them all along the way wherever possible. We commit to doing our best with this. And again recognize that this too can be challenging and difficult as there is so much reckoning, healing, and justice that still needs to be done as we collectively attempt to weave back together all of humanity with the rest of this exquisite living world.
And with all this noted, we really and truly also want to make sure we’re not taking ourselves too seriously and bringing joy, silliness, awe, and wonder into this process wherever possible.
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Remember to Breathe
This is the key to it all, isn’t it? Subjectively at least, we believe this to be true. Objectively, we cannot be sure though. Regardless, we encourage you to regularly take deep, glorious breaths. It’s perhaps the best advice we’ll ever provide…