Becoming Forest is a bold, imaginative tale that serves as a handbook for psychological and spiritual resilience in the face of imminent climate collapse. It is a moving vision for new ways of dwelling on the earth. Combining Michael Kearney's professional experience as a palliative care doctor and his Irish cultural background as a lover of nature and all living things, he invites us to embrace the wisdom of the forest. This engaging and timely work is a must for all readers committed to radical environmental change.-
Mary Robinson, 7th President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner of Human Rights and former UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Climate Change, founder of the Mary Robinson Foundation-Climate Justice, and author
Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable FutureThis beautiful book is a powerful allegory for our time, and, as well, a remarkable story of a spiritual journey that is also timeless. Written by Dr. Michael Kearney, the renowned and beloved palliative care physician, the reader is taken into the heart and life of what it means to be wise, courageous, and resilient in the face of enormous adversity. This book will inspire hope and strength in any reader.
Roshi Joan Halifax, Buddhist teacher, anthropologist, author, pioneer in the field of end-of-life care, and author of
Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage MeetBecoming Forest is filled with awe, love, and appreciation for this phenomenon we call tree. I love how tree, in its own right, is appearing as this call to sanity for humanity in this moment. That we have tree - how this improves our chances! -
Joanna Macy, environmental activist; scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology; and author of,
World as Lover, World as SelfHow do we hold hope and despair in one hand? How do we live honestly into the future of our planet-our home-all the while tending our mounting and accelerating losses? Well, it turns out, there is a way, and it could not be more urgent or accessible. In a book for the ages, for all ages, Michael Kearney's latest, we learn how to look death in the eye and choose life, and all just in time.-
BJ Miller, hospice and palliative medicine physician, author and speaker, best-known for his 2015 TED Talk, What Really Matters at the End of Life (15 million views)
When people don't remember who they really are, they forget what is actually important. When people forget what's important, they're not sure what to do. But when people remember who they are, they know what is important, and then they know what must be done. By pointing us towards reconnecting with Mother Earth,
Becoming Forest helps us to remember who we really are.
- Wolf Wahpepah, second generation in his family to carry a traditional Native American inter-tribal fireplace that receives all people for the benefit of all life. With his wife, Lisa Wahpepah, he leads a community-based nonprofit, Descendants of the Earth, whose mission is to preserve the integrity of traditional Native American culture.