The Hoop and the Tree: A Compass for Finding a Deeper Relationship with All Life

by Chris Hoffman

Overview

The "tree" is the vertical dimension of aspiration, deepening, individual growth, and spiritual development. The "hoop" is the circular representation of our relationship with humanity and the earth. Using examples from Native American and other ancient traditions as well as modern psychology and systems science, Chris Hoffman shows readers how to develop both parts of the whole to help people lead lives of balance and fulfillment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781641604963
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Chris Hoffman has facilitated human and organization development in a variety of clinical and organizational settings, including for Naropa University, several community mental health programs, and a Fortune 500 energy company. He now devotes most of his time to volunteer climate protection work and writing. A widely published poet and retired licensed professional counselor, he holds a BA from Yale University, a Masters degree from Northeastern University, and an MBA from University of Colorado. He lives in Colorado. See more at his website, www.hoopandtree.org.

Table of Contents

1. THE SHAPE OF THE MODEL 3The Shape of the Model (7)
Evidence from around the World and throughout History (12)
The Hoop and the Tree in Our Own Lives (24)
Can It Really Help? (28)
Setting Off (29) 2. ALL MY RELATIONS: THE HOOP 33 "No Man Is an Island, Entire of Itself" (36)
The Interpersonal Ring of the Hoop: The Social Atom (37)
The Wider Hoop (40)
The Ecological Ring of the Hoop: The Ecological Atom (44)
Building and Maintaining Relationships (51)
A Hoop of Many Hoops (54)
How is Your Hoop? (78) 3. THE HOLY TREE 81 An Ancient, Widespread, and Potent Image (84)
This Tree Grows Within You (86)
"Comfort from a High Place" (88)
The Tree-and-Hoop Process of Development (103)
A Modern Tree Story (106)
"Support from a Low Place" (108)
The Tree Centers the Hoop (134)
How Is Your Tree? (137) 4. THE HOOP AND THE TREE: THE DEEP STRUCTURE OF THE WHOLE SELF 141 The Hoop-and-Tree Process of Development (144)
Growing to Wholeness in the Ecological Hoop (148)
Two Forms of Intelligence (152)
When the Hoop is Undeveloped (154)
When the Tree is Undeveloped (157)
Addiction and Codependence (160)
Working towards Psycho-Spiritual Wholeness (163)
The Fully Developed Self Is Ecological (169) 5. GO IN BEAUTY 177 Our Current Situation (180)
The Deep Structure of the Healthy Society (182)
Bringing the Hoop and Tree into the World (189)
The Individual's Journey (197)
Paths to Wholeness (199)
Who Are You, Really? Really? (202)
Go in Beauty (206) Notes 211 Acknowledgements 230

Editorial Reviews

The Hoop & The Tree: A Compass For Finding A Deeper Relationship With All Life is a ground breaking treatise offer the reader a practical integration of psychology, spirituality, and ecology. Chris Hoffman draws from world mythology and scared traditions that include elements of Native American teachings, Taoism, Kabbalism, Sufism, Druidism, Buddhism, and contemporary psychology. Highly recommended reading for students of metaphysics, spirituality, psychology, and personal growth, The Hoop And The Tree makes clear that there is a direct relationship between human psychology and environmental ecology, and that the mature self is necessarily ecological in nature.

"Groundbreaking…Highly recommended." —The Midwest Book Review

"A persuasive view of balance, focus, and personal and global wholeness." —NAPRA ReView

"Therapeutic, enlightening, and a joy to read." —The Bloomsbury Review

"Gives us tools to heal our psyches and bring us closer to experiencing the deep inter-connectedness of all life." —AHP Perspective (Association for Humanistic Psychology)

"All those interested in ecopsychology, as well as anyone concerned with therapy, mythology, spirituality or personal growth, will find rich and rewarding material here.  I recommend it highly."  —Elizabeth J. Roberts, Ed.D,  co-editor of Prayers for a Thousand Years, Earth Prayers, and Life Prayers

"I loved it. An integrative, life-sustaining, eco-spiritual point of view and practice. This book helps us to widen the boundaries of our compassion." —Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., author of Green Psychology

"Compelling, grounded, full of hope… can be easily followed in our daily activities." —Marc Bekoff, author of Strolling With Our Kin, Minding Animals, and The Ten Trusts (with Jane Goodall)
 

From the Publisher