“All of us are descended from people who experienced the world as alive.  We have the capacity to give life to that way of thinking, feeling, and being again.  And this holds the potential to heal our planet, our culture, and our lives.” This philosophy guides the work of Sumner’s Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue, and lies at the heart of the series of talks he will be giving on Tuesday nights in Norway starting on Sept. 9.

O’Donoghue is an author, poet, herbalist, and mythworker whose work weaves together insights from herbalism, ecology, neurobiology, history, Irish traditions, and his own lived experience.  He is the author of The Sliver Branch and the Otherworld: Forest Magic With Plant and Fungi Allies  and Courting the Wild Queen.

He has given workshops and spoken at conferences on herbal medicine and Earth-based spirituality throughout the country.  Prior to becoming an herbalist, he worked as an organizer in movements for peace, justice, and liberation and as a journalist documenting the human and ecological impacts of U.S. policies in Latin America.

Each of his six talks will focus on different aspects of culture and consciousness:  “Human and Wild,” “Rewilding Time,” “Rewilding Our Senses,” “Rewilding Our Sense of Self,” “Psychedelic Animism,” and “Animist Ancestors.”

While the ideas they feature will be new to many, the talks will be accessible to anyone with an open heart and an open mind.   While those who attend the whole series will have an especially rich experience, each installment will also make sense on its own.

The talks will take place on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. from Sept. 9 – Oct. 14 at the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy at 447 Main St. in Norway.   A suggested donation of $5-$20 is appreciated, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.   No registration is required.