The Movement We Need ~ with Starhawk

Visit ⁠www.earthactivisttraining.org⁠ to learn more about Socially Engaged Permaculture and our Permaculture Design programs. Visit ⁠starhawk.substack.com⁠ to join a vibrant community of movement building with Starhawk

Visit www.earthactivisttraining.org to learn more about Socially Engaged Permaculture and our Permaculture Design programs. Visit starhawk.substack.com to join a vibrant community of movement building with Starhawk

🌀 MEDITATION for Grounding in Crises: The episode will end with a grounding meditation that I invite you to revisit whenever you need. Because in a time when we can start to feel defeated, we need to be grounded, resourced, and able to let joy in so we can continue our work. Today’s podcast is kind of a little emergency response to Trump and Netanyahu’s invasion of Iran that happened over the wee...

In this episode, I honor my friend and teacher, Dr. Elaine Ingham, who passed away last week. I share a little bit about how we first met, the impact she had on my work and teachings, and the legacy she leaves behind in the world of soil biology. I also offer some teachings about the world of soil biology ~ so grab a notebook, or simply enjoy this as you go about your day. The dirt beneath our fee...

Okay, I just couldn’t resist the temptation to rant some more about the Epstein files and all that they represent. And the simple summary is this: rape and sexual exploitation are not some fluke of the system, they are the essence of patriarchy itself, the necessary rewards for an ideology designed to get men to brutalize each other and be willing to get brutalized, with control of women as the re...

Buy me a coffee Support The Movement We Need on Substack This episode is less a conversation and more of a training to support us in navigating both collective and everyday stress. It includes helpful practices for those on the frontlines of active movements or those simply seeking more steadiness in daily life. You might want to: Listen with friends, partners, or affinity groups On your own, duri...

This is a sort of emergency podcast responding to the events of the last week, where we’ve seen yet another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, an out-and-out murder of a beautiful young man, Alex Pritti. What we’re witnessing is a great moral battle. Listen to the full episode as I share an excerpt from my book “The Fifth Sacred Thing,” where Maya tells a story during a ritual of scenes from many year...

This episode is a conversation with my co-teacher and long-time friend, Charles Williams, about the principles and practices of permaculture, and how they can address ecological and social challenges. We touch on the ethics of permaculture, including care for the earth, care for people, and fair share… and how these principles can be applied to create sustainable systems. To support my work - buy...

In this episode, I offer my thoughts after deep reflection on what has unfolded over the past 10 or so days around the U.S invasion of Venezuela, and the murder of Renee Good. For me, this has been enraging. It’s been upsetting. It’s been hard to even write about it because what do I say about it that hasn’t already been said a hundred times at this point? But I do want to say this… These are the...

I really hope the new year is going to be a better year than 2025. 2025 started off pretty rough, reeling from the impact of the election, going into it with a sense of tremendous dread about what was to come. But I am less fearful than I was a year ago that it’s going to bring a descent into all-in-one fascism. I’m more hopeful that it is going to continue to build resistance and build a movement...

I have recently started to develop a set of ideas looking at various permaculture principles and how they might apply to our current political situation. In this episode, I talk about a permaculture principle, "Feed What You Want to Grow," and its application to political and social systems as they relate to ethics and principles of permaculture, care for the earth, people, and future. P...

Please consider becoming a paid member of my Substack. Paid members ensure all of my content, writings, teachings, and podcast episodes remain free for our entire community. Your membership really is a membership for all of us. Thank you! In this episode, I share my thoughts on the pervasive influence of patriarchy and toxic masculinity, from connections through cultural narratives perpetuated by...

In this special conversation, I talk with two great friends, Jay Jordan and LM Bogad, who happen to be behind some very well-known actions! We talk about tactical frivolity and creative resistance, revisiting the history and impact of movements like Reclaim the Streets and the Clown Army . There needs to be humor, creativity, and community in activism, and they not only remind us of this… they mak...

The veil is thin. In this episode, I share some reflections on the intersection of spirituality and politics… and how this season of Samhain, Halloween, All Hallows’ Eve, and Día de los Muertos can be a profound teacher. As we approach this year’s Spiral Dance on November 1st, I also look back on the early days of this now 47-year-old ritual and how it’s woven together community, activism, teachin...

Why is Planning a Ritual Like Planning a Protest? In this episode I look at low-risk actions, like No Kings Day, in building a broad base for activism that we can all take part in. And, as we near this year’s Spiral Dance, I talk a little bit about fostering renewal and community through the intersection of political action and ritual. Want to join The Spiral Dance on November 1st ? Gather with us...

If we are going to organize and mobilize the movement, we must work together effectively. Humans are complicated, but we can do remarkable things when we collaborate as communities of care and action. So, what does it mean to be an organizer? In this episode I talk about some of the core problems that can fracture a well intentioned group of activists, as well as offer solutions so we can create t...

In this conversation with Alfred Decker, we talk about the potential of permaculture and refugee support. Alfred shares about the initiative ‘Permaculture in Palestine,’ sharing more about the historical context of migration and the importance of integrating people care into permaculture practices. We were also joined by Sherry Maran, who is part of the steering committee for the Gaza Freedom Flot...

I am back home and settling in after a full summer’s teaching schedule in Europe and have a few stories to share from my time away. In this episode of The Movement We need , I reflect on some of the collaborative success stories I witnessed while visiting eco villages in France and Ireland… as well as past experiences in the Ukraine. Together, we will look at flexibility in our values, autonomy an...

Meet José and Rafaela, two visionaries transforming a rural community in Portugal into a thriving cooperative and eco-village. I speak with José and Rafaela about the inspiring journey they have been on of hope, innovation, and a call to action for a sustainable future. Their example, faith, and efforts are a blueprint of a future that is possible. Learn more and connect here: Instagram - @Centro_...

This episode, recorded during my summer travels and teachings, explores stories of displacement and belonging across Palestinian, Jewish, and German communities. My guests are Tabea Tabazah (Palestinian/German) and Larry Faust (German) . Through their stories, they offer perspectives that invite us into deeper listening and understanding as medicine for these times. This was a truly hear connected...

In this moving episode, we hear directly about the raw and heart-wrenching challenges faced by Ukrainian youth amidst the ongoing war. I spoke with Alexandra Chernomashyntseva and Marharyta Kurbanova, two women from Ukraine, who share their experiences working with young people in the war-torn regions. We learn about a new kind of resilience and courage in these youth as they navigate trauma and d...

In this episode, I talk with my co-teacher, Hiinahcit, Petrina Dezall , where she shares her work with plant medicines and the concept of Future Ancestors . Hiinahcit is of the Hesquiaht Band, of the Nuu Chah Nulth Nation, and in this conversation, she offers important teachings, insights, and lessons from her work with O.U.R Ecovillage … inviting us to consider our roles, presence, and consciousn...

Over the next few months, I will be traveling to some amazing parts of the world and will be doing something a little different on The Movement We Need Podcast. As I visit, work, and teach with a number of intentional communities and eco-villages, I’ll be speaking with teachers, friends, and collaborators about their experiences and expertise in community building. In this episode, I interview my...

In this episode of The Movement We Need Podcast, I continue to look at permaculture principles as effective tools to guide our outlook and experiences in movement building. Observing nature can inform effective strategies for social change, particularly through the lens of protests and nonviolent movements. 🌱 Protests are a great example. They impact so much more than what we immediately see, inc...

In this conversation, I ask the question: What if we had taken a regenerative approach to conflicts in the Middle East? As we enter this new vision of The Movement We Need Podcast , I look at permaculture ethics and principles for a regenerative approach to understanding and addressing conflicts. As always, your support makes it possible for me to continue offering this work for free so all may ac...