Council of All Beings
The Council of All Beings is a group ritual in which each participant sets aside the human role and speaks on behalf of another life-form, such as an animal, a plant or a river. It was created by Joanna Macy and John Seed for rainforest activists and is part of the Work That Reconnects. Wearing masks they have made, the beings meet in a circle, say what is happening to them, address a small group of humans directly and finally offer the humans their particular strengths.
Facilitation script
- 1
Welcome, explain the origin and sequence of the practice, confirm that taking part and speaking are voluntary, and open with silence or a short invocation.
10 min - 2
Solitary time in silence, outdoors if possible, to be chosen by a being.
20 min - 3
Silent mask making with the materials provided.
30 min - 4
Practise moving and speaking as the being, then introductions in groups of three or four.
15 min - 5
Council round one: each being introduces itself and tells what is happening to it. The circle acknowledges each speaker.
25 min - 6
Council round two: a few people at a time unmask and sit in the centre as humans while the beings address them. Rotate.
20 min - 7
Council round three: the beings offer their strengths to the humans.
15 min - 8
Thank and release the beings, ground the group, deal with the masks, and hold a short human-to-human check-out.
15 min
Tips
Describe the format honestly in the invitation, including the masks and the ceremonial tone, so that everyone who comes has chosen to.
Offer the speaking prompts as an invitation rather than a duty; a participant who sits silently behind a mask may be more affected than one who speaks at length.
The second round can bring up grief and anger about environmental loss, so plan the closing and the release of roles as carefully as the opening and do not let the session run out of time before them.
In secular or corporate settings, replace the invocation with a few minutes of silence and say plainly where the practice comes from.
Common pitfalls
Springing the ritual on an unprepared group: people feel coerced into something that conflicts with their beliefs or sense of dignity and withdraw from the rest of the programme
Letting people choose a favourite or impressive animal deliberately: the council turns into performance and the less visible beings, where the surprising statements come from, are missing
Skipping or rushing the release of roles: participants leave carrying strong emotion with no transition back to ordinary conversation
Stopping after the second round: the group is left with accusation and grief, and the offering of strengths that turns the session towards action never happens
Borrowing ceremonial elements from Indigenous traditions without permission or context: this causes real offence and undermines the facilitator's credibility
Variations
The source describes a one-hour version without masks: in groups of four, a short guided reflection lets each person be chosen by a life-form, and each then speaks in turn about its nature, its present difficulties and what it can offer humans. The full ritual can fill a day or a weekend when combined with other Work That Reconnects practices. Large groups of around 40 can be split into several delegations. A remote version is possible with cameras on, a mask or object held up to the screen and the facilitator calling speakers, but the solitary time outdoors beforehand matters even more.
Where it fits
When to use it
A group working on environmental or sustainability questions has stayed on the level of data and targets and wants a felt connection to what is at stake
A retreat or multi-day programme has enough time and trust for a ritual with role-taking
Participants have chosen to attend knowing the format, for example in a Work That Reconnects workshop
A systems or stakeholder analysis has left out the non-human parties affected by a decision
Activists or community members need a shared way to express grief and renew motivation
When not to use it
Attendance is mandatory or the group did not sign up for a ritual; use Inviting Non-Human Stakeholders or a stakeholder map with a seat for nature, which give the perspective without the ceremony
You have less than an hour or no time for a proper closing; a short perspective-taking round is safer
The group is in open conflict or trust is low; build safety first with Council Practice or a simple talking-circle
Participants are in acute distress about climate or loss and no experienced facilitator is present; this practice can intensify those feelings
The setting would turn it into a costume game, for example as a quick energiser at a conference
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Council of All Beings?▾
The Council of All Beings is a group ritual created by Joanna Macy and John Seed in which participants speak as animals, plants or parts of the landscape. After time alone and mask making, the beings meet in council, describe what is happening to them, speak directly to humans and offer them their strengths. It belongs to the body of practices called the Work That Reconnects.
How long does a Council of All Beings take?▾
The Work That Reconnects description gives a range from one hour to a whole weekend. A full version with solitary time, mask making and three council rounds needs around two and a half to four hours. The one-hour version drops the masks and works in groups of four.
Do participants have to make masks?▾
Masks are part of the full ritual because they help people step out of their usual identity and speak more freely. They can be very simple, made in half an hour from card and markers. The short version described in the source works without them.
Can the Council of All Beings be used in a company workshop?▾
Only with care. It is a ceremonial practice from deep ecology, and it needs voluntary participation, enough time and a facilitator comfortable with strong emotion. For most corporate sustainability workshops a lighter method that gives non-human stakeholders a voice in the discussion fits better.
What is the difference between Council of All Beings and Council Practice?▾
The names are similar but the methods are unrelated. Council Practice is a talking-circle format with a talking piece, in which people speak as themselves. In the Council of All Beings participants speak in the role of another life-form within a three-round ritual.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Joanna Macy and John Seed, Work That Reconnects.