Group of people outdoors in a park, sitting and standing in front of large trees, smiling for a photo.

Returning to Kapwa

How do we return to ourselves, to each other, and back in circle with the Earth community?

Kapwa (pronounced /‘kap.wa/) is a Tagalog word meaning “shared identity”, “kindred”, or “fellow being”. Ka is connection, kinship, and relationship. Pwa (or Puang) is the space we share with one another and the wider Earth community. Together, the word describes someone who shares the same space with you, representing “the self in the other”.

Group of people gathered outdoors in a natural setting with trees, dry grass, and a dirt path, appearing to be participating in a social or community event.

Making space for what emerges

Welcome. Thank you for being here. I hope that, as you read this, life has been tender with you.

I’m still finding my way into this online space, so for now, this website is a little like the work itself: Emerging, evolving and taking shape as the work continues to grow.

There is more to come here: Deep Ecology workshops, Shambhala Warrior Series, Theatre of the Oppressed, facilitation, rituals, reflections, and the mystery of what wants to emerge next through the co-creative process that is life.

For now, I’m travelling between Countries and communities to listen, learn, facilitate and tend to the work of remembering our belonging to the living Earth.

The work is now taking me to Spain and the USA next.

John Seed (Australian Father of the Deep Ecology movement) and I will be heading to the USA in October 2026 to run a series of Deep Ecology workshops - John joining via Zoom, and me in person:

New York, 26 September
Oregon, 1–4 October
California, 10–11 October

The USA workshops are a continuation of John Seed’s 40+ years of Deep Ecology lineage (with a clear understanding that this is wisdom from all First Nations, who have continued to hold that unbroken line of wisdom since humans first sat around a fire), and also part of the evolving, emerging thread that many of us are carrying forward in our own way into The Great Turning. This process has also been a bit of a training ground for our 2027 Europe workshops… I must confess I am buoyed by the strengthening of these ‘Islands of Coherence’, and I do feel there is a stronger shift happening toward The Great Turning.

So, while there is still a little more to emerge here on this website, please explore the USA workshops, subscribe to stay connected, or get in touch.

For now, sending you warm hugs from my current location in Spain and a huge embrace to all your hearts.

Erika.

A woman with black, wavy hair smiling at the camera.
A woman with black, wavy hair smiling at the camera.
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About

  • "...thanks for such beautiful facilitation over the weekend. I honour the dimension in which you are focusing your energy, and excited to see what it provides."

    —Joel, Coach, Clarity by Design

  • "I've been to several Deep Ecology workshops with John and Erika on the NSW Central Coast in Australia. Each experience has helped me to connect with the natural world in a way I thought I had lost since childhood. That is I've refound basic connection as a life withinm a supportive ecosystem. This is beyond the physics of time and space, and touching on being a real and powerful part of life as it is. Very valuable."

    —Julian, Workshop Participant

  • "I just loved the whole evening. It was a true gift and I really really appreciate your holding and loving energy."

    —Professor Bronwen Morgan, UNSW Law School

  • "Erika is a beautiful soul - attended the Deep Ecology session at Narara with John, Erika and Hector - was an amazing 2 days - I look forward to catching up with you guys again soon at one of your sessions."

    —Andrew, Workshop Participant

  • "I'd like to express my heartfelt admiration and gratitude for your teaching. Your expertise, clear explanations, and genuine care for your students have greatly enriched my learning experience and deepened my passion for the subject. Thank you for all the dedication and effort you put into our education."

    —UNSW Student, IEST7500 Environmental Technologies, University of NSW

  • "Thank you John, Erika, Tema and Jim for leading me deep into my heart via the hands, tears, laughter and silence of my fellow earthlings. With your words, the light in your eyes, the notes given generously on your breath, the care in your showing up to lead this waterholing you have reminded me that I am part of a filthy rich biome. It is all more precarious, intimate, unfathomable and extravagant than I dared to remember. Thank you for reminding me."

    —Anna, Workshop Participant

  • "The Deep Ecology workshop hosted by John Seed and Tema Milstein, with support from Erika Aligno, initially brought me into contact with mostly complete strangers, mixed with a few new acquaintances. However, after a short two days, I left with the type of friends that neither time nor distance can alienate. Though I arrived with a heart hardened by the suffering of the planet and its beings, I left with a hope-filled sense of purpose and a means for bearing the pain that comes with the struggle from caring deeply. I highly encourage this workshop for all--the ambivalent, the curious, as well as the deep empaths."

    —Gwendolyn Inocencio, Ph.D., Department of English, Texas A&M University

  • "I wanted to thank you again for all of your teaching contributions to IEST7500 over the term. Your leadership and capacity to effectively manage students online was outstanding."

    —Dr Colin Salter, Convenor, IEST7500 Environmental Technologies, University of NSW

  • "Thank you very much for your Shambala Warrior work, initiative and hospitality in hosting us last night. Also your kindness."

    —Ann, Workshop Participant, The Farm Cottage

  • "Another wow weekend of ritual and connection, as we collectively honoured our pain and celebrated the Earth. Deep Ecology is the most powerful medicine journey I have had the privilege to witness. I have taken this journey many times now and it never ceases to blow my mind. Participants open like flowers and shine bright. Authentic connections and friendships are brought into being."

    —Sally, Deep Ecology Co-Facilitator, Community Care Organiser, Rising Tide

What is Deep Ecology?
What is Deep Ecology?
About John Seed OAM
About John Seed OAM
About Erika Aligno
About Erika Aligno
USA & Australian Workshops
USA & Australian Workshops
  • Three people standing outside on a cloudy day, with trees and a building in the background. They are smiling and posing for the photo.
  • A group of ten diverse women and men are gathered outdoors near a tree, smiling and engaging in playful poses. Some are sitting on the grass, while others stand around, touching the tree or each other, enjoying a joyful moment together.
  • Two people, a woman in a pink dress and an older man with a white beard, smiling and hugging outdoors during daytime, with a group of people in the background and a cloudy sky.
  • A large group of people gathered outdoors under a wooden pergola with string lights, posing for a group photo. Some are sitting on sofas, others standing behind. There are trees and greenery in the background, and a fire pit in the foreground.
  • People participating in a spiritual or healing ceremony outdoors, with some sitting on the ground and one person massaging a woman's feet in a metal basin, under a colorful shade cloth with trees in the background.
  • Group of people practicing Tai Chi outdoors in a park with lush green grass and tall trees under a partly cloudy sky. An elderly man is seated on the grass in the foreground observing others.
  • People sitting on the floor listening to a speaker in a living room. The woman standing is speaking, gesturing with her hands, wearing a brown shirt and shorts. Others are seated cross-legged on the floor, some taking notes or listening. The room has wooden floors, a whiteboard, bookshelves, and a firewood stove.
  • Two women smiling, one holding a 'Speak for the Trees' sign featuring a blue animal silhouette, outdoors on a sunny day with trees and other people in the background.
  • Group of ten people gathered indoors, some sitting and some standing, smiling and holding various objects including jars, a leaf, a feather, and a basket, with a large abstract painting in the background.
  • Group of women sitting in a semi-circle, smiling and engaging in conversation in a kitchen or communal space.
  • A colorful event poster featuring Erika Aligno, promoting a multicultural climate showcase on March 16th from 5 to 8 PM, supported by the Multicultural Leadership Initiative and Climate Action Week Sydney, with ticket tickets and an image of Erika smiling.
  • People sitting in a circle on rugs and blankets, participating in a group meditation or mindful gathering outdoors, illuminated by string lights with trees and a building in the background.
  • Two women sitting on a forest floor next to a large tree, smiling and talking during daytime. They are in a lush, green forest with tall trees and sunlight filtering through the canopy.
  • Group of people sitting in a circle in a wooded outdoor area, participating in a gathering or meditation session, with some seated on chairs and others on the ground, and a table with a cloth in the center.
  • A woman speaking into a microphone during a presentation, standing next to a blue banner that reads 'We Need to End the Destruction.' She is wearing a yellow sleeveless top and orange skirt, with a tattoo visible on her left arm. The room has white walls, and there is a computer monitor and other electronic equipment on a desk in front of her.
  • Group of smiling people outdoors on a cloudy day, standing in front of trees and a wooden railing.
  • Two women smiling and posing in front of a white banner with green and purple writing that says 'Community Care,' in a forested outdoor setting.
  • Group of women sitting on cushions and chairs in a circle on wooden floor, candles and water bottles, with prayer flags overhead, in a room with warm lighting and a framed black-and-white photo of a woman on the wall.

Get in touch

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