Our filming day at Schumacher College in Devon started very unpromisingly with torrential rain.
The plan, now under threat, was to film from a drone as part of our coverage of Dr Stephan Harding’s unique Deep Time Walk. Stephan wants to help us “fall in love with Gaia, our living planet”, and has developed an ingenious way for us to physically feel our way into her extraordinary life story.
Fortunately, just in time, Gaia decided to take a kind view of our efforts, the rain cleared, and everything came together. Particularly, as you’ll see, with the extraordinarily powerful – and surprising – final step of the journey:
There is a way to experience the walk yourself – using an app developed with Dr.Stephan Harding. It enables anyone to participate in a 4.6km Deep Time Walk anywhere in the world with your smartphone.. You can find out more at deeptimewalk.org and on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/deeptimewalk.
Let us know what you think in the comments!
SO good Peter, gave me tingles! Really brilliant work to capture the concept so well
I really like it!!
I guess I have three main points for feedback (all of which might not be relevant when the video is put into context).
Fleming ‘appears’ (or is named) but only as someone who was also concerned about climate change and Gaia theory – it sounds a bit like an ad, unless there’s more on why we are mentioning him?
It would be lovely to slow down the pace a bit (to really give the idea of how long the walk is), maybe have more silences here and there as they walk, and wider shots of the path they have walked (not sure if this is possible?), maybe even a brief shot of a map with the track drawn on it?
Will there be some sort of introduction to who these people are / how they joined the walk / where the walk is taking place / whether others can join?
Which takes me to my very last question… WHEN CAN I DO THIS WITH HIM??
i love everything about that. Was the train planned? Amazing serendipity if not.
@elena Thanks for these constructive comments. I agree with all of them. These tasters have to be short and pithy to work well in Facebook. When they are stitched into the final documentary they will be longer and we will certainly aim to set them in the context you talk about. And, yes, we did take a very wide shot as you suggest, but for some reason the drone failed to record it. Pity. Perhaps if we go back…As to taking the walk yourself, I could only suggest you contact Dr. Stepan Harding at Schumacher College.
I work on finding ways that people can fall in love with the earth in an agricultural context. It’s clear that industrial agriculture has had one of the biggest impacts on changing the face of the earth and it definitely deserves mention in this brilliant documentary. Thank you for making these! ❤️
Yes, just brilliant. I thought I was already pretty familiar with the timescales involved, but this clear depiction certainly helps the mental visualisation, and adds to the drama, and seriousness, of the issues. Like the others, I much look forward to the full movie.
Very inspirational❣️ I would love to guide walks like this, including Taking people to experience and meet tree, a rock etc to re-connect with Gaia. Lovley co-incidenCe with the steamtrain
I enjoyed it thinking of Mother Earth being describe with such detailAnd the steam from the train was on time
A person to include: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blairlee/the-science-of-climate-change-a-hands-on-course
Fabulous! I love this “walk” to clearly show the time line and brevity that we have existed only to do such damage. I hope the mention of animal agriculture as the number one contributor to global warming today is emphasized at some point. Our food choices are so crucial in turning this tragedy around.
Yes, keep on! Telling a story so important, and managing such complexity with a small scale, must be impactful! Looking forward to more, more, more.
Custodians of Earth arise!
Very insightful….Earth has come along way to house us humans and it’s taken such a short span to be so destructive. We really need to do better….But how can we change the minds of so many on a global scale?
Wow this was a great video. Hope to see more , would be good if more people could see this and see how destructive we are as a spieces.
Love the concept of walking time, very powerful, totally love mother earth xxxx.
Amazing, Stephan Harding is the best teacher I had in my Life. I remember the deep time walk I did with him and it was mindblowing. This video put me right back to this very precious moment in my life. Thank you, it’s an awesome video
They left out the last 100years where BIG dairy farming and animal agriculture took off After WWI. The methane, deforestation for land animals and dead zones in the sea due to run off from the animals farmed for food. Pretty important information.
Please keep captioning/subtitling these videos ~ i want to keep track of this ❤ Such important work being done here with this information. Im Deaf and want to continue being kept in the loop with access of information via captions/subtitles especially with topics like this. Many thanks!
Wonderful project. So important to cultivate opportunities for people to fall in love with the earth. For it is only when we love a living being that we take responsibility for it. We are not just a part of nature, we are nature, and this type of remembering helps us awaken in the awareness that we are Gaia saving herself. I would love to talk more about possible collaborations – this is at the heart of the work we do at The Gaia School of Healing & Earth Education. Green blessings!
I loved this and I hope to see the next segments. Your so right that trying to comprehend 4,600 million years ago is just hard to grasp. This walk through just the video was amazingly helpful and Really hit’s home how we Humans caused so much harm in such a short period of time. I love the Gaia consciousness. This is a fabulous documentary and I truly want to see more. There are so many great ideas, but I would really like to see some answers given about what we can really do and how we can really pull all of us together to change things. We have ruined so much in such a short period of time. I just don’t think we have time to sit around and vote for this and that and wait for others who aren’t aware or don’t believe to catch up on just how close we are to losing everything. We need to start GLOBAL changes and FAST!!! Man has to evolve now, do the right thing NOW, not later. If we don’t we will have killed her and ourselves.
Very nice video! Studying Environmental Sciences here is Durango and this is a very nice piece to show newcomers of the environmental movement! Thank you for the video!
It is phenomenal, I think ABC should broadcast this daily. People need to change. We need to do things better. We know better. I love this!
You people really fall for the Gaia crap ? and falling in love with the earth again ! . .. an inanimate object ?
Gaia will continue, we just may not be along on that ride with her.
Lovely. Short, clear explanations that most people can easily understand. Thank you so much!!
I can’t wait to see this!!!
Did you know? Much of this subject about the earth and humankind is a part of elementary education in Montessori schools. But knowledge of the planet begins when a child much younger inquires and the adults who love them begin to connect with them. Children ponder their discoveries and together bring adults closer to observe the details.
I’m looking forward to it. Humans need to be exposed to more truths that they should be aware of and take responsibility. I’m not sure what I can do to help with the documentary though, not knowing what kind of help they could be after.
Amazing how relatively recently all of the pollution has begun. If anyone wants to share the theme of our connection with the living earth with their children (roughly 9-12) years old, there is a short story at this link which might help to do that. It’s free, by the way. It’s called “The Earthman”…https://www.innerpeacenow.com/inner-peace-blog/the-earthman
Thank you, beautiful way of putting it. Very clear. Of course I am a fan of Harding 😉 Things to add: Planetary boundaries Rockström, AEMS – Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems summer school (amazing contributors/contributions), meditation as a way to connect, connecting with trees, ecosystems perfectly rational chaos (IIASA research), climate change resilience of ecosystems vs. humans, the wolves that restore ecosystems in the Yellowstone park, the link between spirituality and science is essential here (please dig deeper into this, it would be amazing to show that tree huggers, yoga teachers and climate scientists or alternative economists are not at odds but actually working towards the same purpose). There is just so much! (and the dinosaurs were forgotten but I guess it was not the point).
I had never heard of David Fleming, so thank you so much for sharing his work in this way. I will now go and find his books. I really look forward to watching more of this documentary when it is finished. (Helen, New Zealand)
The deer was really cute. The walk was interesting. I liked the carnival. (David, aged 6, New Zealand)
Inspirational and a way forward – Thank you. In my opinion gathering input from the general public before making the film is an absolutely wonderful idea. Giving snipits of film to motivate and enthuse people is a great way to get feedback. It creates an air of possitiveness, growth and learning which can inspire ideas that people may have never voiced let alone contributed to a film maker.
I loved the way you described the interaction in the woodland by putting into words that feeling of belonging and connection with our natural environment. Some people sampling this on video may then be stimulated to think and look at the bigger connections with nature when they are next out in the open. This intern maybe passed on to others. Achieving then a steady growth in awareness about the future and our planet.
What a great learning environment for looking into the age of the earth and going over its evolvement! What would I give to have been on a walk like that, and in turn to facilitate a walk like that! It makes me excited to see other people trying to develop new ways of facilitating learning and opening up people’s minds to the real world. A real opportunity in helping us go forward with changing this world in a positive way.
An item that could be added in my opinion would be on the subject of learning ( changing it from the now existing education system). Look into SOLEs, learning facilitation & motivation and all the great projects / people that could help if we just permanently changed our schooling systems.
Good Luck with it all and thank you for sharing it with us.
Not a scientist but since my 20’s I have percieved the differenve between knowing something and knowing “about” something. Knowing is intuitive and reaches the essence. Knowing about gathers many facts about the surface. .
This situation that we have put our planet into since the industral revolution is shown with shocking clarity. An amazing speaker who feeds his students with questions.
Wonderful project! The ending is so neat too! I would love to have is to have a version with subtitles for non-native speakers and Englgish language learners.
I liked your face book submission and the premise behind it. I want to say that ‘luck’ is not involved. It’s a matter of presence. You don’t have to wait for an experience of ‘no time’. It is ‘you’ who is waiting for an external source to be your catalysis. The issue is, if you are waiting for something, then there is a rejection of what is – the ‘isness’ you might say. “No time” is part of the isness – I’m sure this makes sense to you and it doesn’t have to be with animals, you can see the miracle in a plant or flower. No doubt this wouldn’t make an engaging film but maybe that doesn’t matter. Is your art and inner calling not to reveal or I should say experience the experience of your True Nature and and know your Self’ in this way and know the Oneness of everything….
I wish you well in all things… in all ways
lucas
I feel an impulse to mention my sister in law who was a documentary film maker. She died July 9th. Her name is Michka Saal
I really loved this clip. It is refreshing to know that there are still people on this planet who understand our responsibility to the creatures we share this planet with. Too much ‘noise’ is being made around us in the world we live in that drowns out our inner voice. We need more who are tuned into that voice to help us ‘hear’ again.
These are the feelings that I encountered as I got to know my horse……… one can learn much about himself and the world around us when getting to know a horse.
Have you considered interviewing mycologists, Paul Stamets?
This is the website for the associated Deep Time Walk app – which Stephan is also the Science Director and co-script writer for. For those interested, you can take a 4.6bn year Deep Time Walk anywhwere in the world with this app. http://www.deeptimewalk.org
nice, especially the connection with animals – its not a question of anything special – its question of a feeling of equality – i have had many connections with wild animals which others tell me are not possible – a injured canada goose stayed with me for several days – badger – car accident, took him home in my rucksack – peed all down my back but he was taken in by a badger sanctuary in Devon and became a wonderful character – connection is only possible if you can equate – if you can do that then you can really go places.
and yes i do make films too
cheers from Norway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74bkj4fWKPM
I am in awe at the simplicity and power of this clip. Working in the European Commission, DG Environment for more or less 32 years now, it would be a pleasure for me to help send you information on the EU’s work to halt the destruction of this beautiful planet of ours.
Sincerely,
Carol Mc Hugh
DGEnvironment,
European Commission,
Rue de la Loi 049 Brussels,
Belgium
Keep up the good work for our sakes and for the generations to come☺
Hi Carol, I’d be interested in chatting with you to learn more. I’m at Rob@deeptimewalk.org if you could send me a mail so we can connect. Rob
This segment absolutely needs at intervals a drone overhead shot to show how far they have walked, in order to lend a sense of scale. Def worth going back to reshoot the drone footage, as the scale is what makes all the impact.
This clip reminds me of my first experience with Ayahuasca. The plant showed me in tremendous fast forward the evolution of life on the planet. Long time with insects. A fair amount with reptiles. The pace began to slow, in order to allow me to perceive, at the very end for just a few moments…the appearance of mammals. Humans were not a flash in the pan, barely a blip. A feeling of tremendous reverence accompanied this witnessing. The plant then communicated to me how all these countless beings gave their life, for us, to bring us into being here at this moment, this very generation, which it impressed upon me, was very, very important, decisive and much awaited, long planned for in our planetary history…though it did not tell me why. It was tremendous and deeply humbling to experience all that, as well as the powerful sense of innate worth in every life form that has lived on this planet, the incredible gift and offering of each individual existence, in such a visceral way.
I am really compelled to refer you to Stephen Harrod Buhner’s work. For two reasons. First, it was very arresting to note the professor say that Gaia as a self-regulating system was born with the bacteria. Mr. Buhner’s theory, gained by deep Gaian communion, is that Gaia created humans in order to be vectors in its reproductive cycle (all living beings seek to reproduce, don’t they?). How? By seeding massive quantities of bacteria into the solar system. Bacteria being for many reasons, the backbone and largest component within the Gaian system, even responsible for such fundamental factors as precipitation. Very interesting stuff!
Even more interesting was his method of receiving this information, which greatly resembles this idea of Encounter, and is the reason I came by the website in the first place to comment, having seen the deer clip on fb. If this type of gnosis interests you and is something you’d like to understand and perfect, you must absolutely 1000% cross reference Mr. Buhner’s book “The Secret Teachings of Plants”, which goes into tremendous theoretical and practical detail of exactly how to unlock this state in a way that is both reproducible and available to anyone. The state of encounter has to be the very nearly the most powerful way to achieve direct, precise, complex, lived understanding of other lifeforms, entire ecosystems as well as the earth as a whole, with infinite mundane and global applications. In fact, the state is in itself a paradigm changer, and to the extent that it becomes a widely known and utilised method of interacting within a system, has the potential to revolutionise our culture, our very thinking, and of course our technology, essentially bridging the gap between intuitive and indigenous methods of understanding and the scientific. This book changed my life, I cannot recommend it more highly, for the intelligence and quality of its writing and research, for its practical usefulness, and for its tremendous beauty and poetry of language. While I don’t know if he is aware of Flemming’s work, Buhner might definitely be someone to interview. There is a powerful tie in here really worth exploring to enrich the larger messages of the documentary and the body of work that is the legacy of the man at its centre.
very interesting way of interacting with the world
I was especially moved by “Encountering Another Being” because I’ve had the honor of many such encounters over the years with other lifeforms. We try on our radio show to give the listeners a sense of all life on Earth being of equal value, but given how anthropocentric us humans are (and how indoctrinated) our efforts often reflect a certain disdain for the status quo. Be that as it may, I always have my poetry to fall back on, to help me process the tragedy of our own making, and hopefully give some inspiration or, better yet motivation, to anyone who may encounter my work.
https://levellerspress.com/store/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=777
I like the “deep time walk”. It is show me how Gaia created and live vividly. I appreciate to the earth planet more. But also I feel frustrated what human have done to the earth during last 200 years :(.
I like the”encountering another being” as well. I totally agree with what Dr. Shaun Chamberlin said. In my understanding, “encountering” is communicating with another being to feel the vibration and connection bettween each other, and to create the sense of wholeness. Then realize that we are no different from each other, because we are made of the same material(atom) by the source/power of the universe. We are “ONE”.
Awesome work, I just Love all the videos left here as a taster to the movie “The seed beneath the snow” …I Love the name too….and I didn´t knew David Fleming work, but just by watching this I feel so interested that I already ordered the last book based on David´s work! Go ahead, I believe the movie has everything to reach millions of people! Grateful for the share! 😀 <3