Books by Tariki Trust Tutors and
Students
‘Ecotherapy in Practice’ by Caroline Brazier (core tutor)
In Ecotherapy in Practice (the accompanying book to our Ten Directions training programme), Caroline brings to bear her experience and knowledge as a psychotherapist, group worker and trainer over several decades to think about therapeutic work outdoors in all its forms. The book presents a model of ecotherapy based on principles drawn from Buddhist psychology and Western psychotherapy which focuses particularly on the relationship between person and environment at three levels, moving from the personal level of individual history to cultural influences, then finally to global circumstances, all of which condition mind-states and psychological wellbeing.
‘Ecotherapy in Practice’ and Caroline’s six other books on psychotherapy, Buddhism and ecotherapy are all linked to below.
Brazier C 2017 Ecotherapy in Practice: A Buddhist Model Routledge
Other Titles by Caroline Brazier
Brazier C 2003 Buddhist Psychology Constable Robinson
Brazier C 2007 The Other Buddhism: Amida Comes West O-Books
Brazier C 2009 Guilt: an exploration O-Books
Brazier C 2009 Listening to the Other O-Books
‘The Moorfoot Tales’ by Stephen McCabe (core tutor)
Stephen McCabe has been wandering the area of Moorfoot in Scotland and reading ancient texts like a folklore detective. The result is a collection of folk tales based on myths and legends that some locals told him probably wouldn’t exist. Above all, he has written a book entwined with a deep love and respect for nature. Even within the darkest tales, the beauty of our Earth Mother is ever-present. The book is also illustrated with the beautiful, dark work of Lily LeMaire, a former Tariki Trust student.
Welcome to the magical land of Moorfoot: a land of psychic trees, witches and faery stones, shared through the dream-like visions of a persecuted woman, accused of witchcraft.
(Illustration from The Moorfoot Tales by Lily LeMaire.)
‘Uncovering Mystery in Everyday Life’ by Bob Chisholm (former tutor)
Bob Chisholm taught on Tariki Trust’s psychotherapy course, which ended in 2022. This book is about psychotherapy. Written as a collection of tales about encounters between a therapist and his clients, it reveals why many people would turn to therapy for help, what they might look for and what they might actually find.
For Bob Chisholm, a therapist who draws on Buddhist psychology in dealing with his clients, helping someone find self-insight has less to do with understanding their life diagnostically than it does with appreciating their experience existentially – that is to say, in all its inherent mystery.
The idea that uncovering mystery could be a way of freeing someone from their psychological misery may seem almost magical: like consulting a ouija board or gazing into tea leaves. But it is in the details and happenstance of a person’s life – in the suspense of the everyday world – that the actual mystery of a person’s life is sure to be found. Finding that mystery, and helping people come to terms with it, is what this book is all about.
Chisholm RJ Uncovering Mystery in Everyday Life Triarchy Press
‘The Wisdom of Not Knowing’ by Bob Chisholm and Jeff Harrison (former tutors)
“We often find that the state of not-knowing can be a precursor to moments of rich discovery which possess a dynamic, transformative power that exceeds any prior expectation.” From the Introduction
In daily life, when we see, hear or touch something that we don’t recognise, we are instantly at our most alert. In that condition of ‘not-knowing’ we are in a state of alive, lithe awareness: asking questions, inviting input, open to learning, looking for significance and meaning…
These essays, most by practising psychotherapists, some of them Buddhists, take as their starting point the idea that not-knowing is fundamental to conscious reflection and the desire to know must always arise in the first instance from the self-awareness of not-knowing.
Bob Chisholm and Jeff Harrison both taught on Tariki Trust’s Other-Centred course in psychotherapy, which came to an end in 2022.
Chishom, C & Harrison, J (eds) 2015 The Wisdom of Not-Knowing, Triarchy Press
‘Not For Us: A compilation of poems and writings by lovers of nature’ by Claire Wirsig, Charlotte Venkatraman and more (guest tutors)
Not For Us is a collection of poems and writings by those with a deep love of nature and all her workings. The authors are therapists, ecotherapists, Buddhists, shamanic practitioners, practitioners of modern witchcraft and of other nature based spiritual practices.
The works reflect intimacy, contemplation and relationship with the natural world and its effect on one’s overall wellbeing. The majority of the authors included are not professional writers but transcribe from the heart and with reverence for Nature.
All authors have links with Tariki Trust, either as tutors, team members or past students. The book is dedicated to Perry Isadore Igoe, who left us far too soon. He was part of Tariki, modern witchcraft and shamanic communities with a common thread of respect and love for the world around him.
The name chosen for the book comes from a conversation with his friend about all the trees he was planting in Portugal. When reminded that the trees would take twenty years to reach maturity, he replied, “they’re not for me.’
‘Wildlife Whispers’ by Gerry O’Brien (former student)
Wildlife Whispers is an immersive adventure with integrity and inspiration at its heart. It's a book rooted in presence, written with reverence for the more-than-human world. Through his worldwide travels, Gerry celebrates the diversity of life on Earth taking you the reader along with him. Following his intuitive impulses he finds himself in the right place at the right time - led not by maps but by a deep listening to the land. What unfolds is a series of quiet yet powerful encounters that invite reflection, wonder and a renewed sense of belonging.
‘Poetrees’ by Rolinke Bremer (guest tutor)
Originally Dutch, Rolinke Bremer lives with her husband and her several animals in the rolling hills of rural Scotland. Limited in her moves during the pandemic of 2020-2021, she started walking the land on her own, and regained a deep listening to nature within her and around her. The trauma of the several lockdowns made her write down her thoughts in original poems with an honest and personal touch, speaking of a deep reverence for the sacredness of life.
Finally, in 2025 she dared to publish them, hoping they might call people back into awe and wonder. The invitation to explore all aspects of nature ourselves is clearly written in her first book of poems.
‘To Hear the Trees Speak: Adventures in Listening’ by Olivia Sprinkel (former student)
To Hear the Trees Speak: Adventures in Listening blends nature writing and personal memoir, inviting readers into a deeper relationship with the natural world. Olivia Sprinkel was working in New York as a sustainability consultant when she heard the call to listen to the trees and learn from them. She set off on a transformative journey across five continents, to visit ten trees, from the birch tree in Finland to the banyan tree in India to the giant sequoia in the United States.
This book offers readers a gentle yet profound invitation to hear the voices of the more-than-human world. Olivia shares her experiences of learning to listen to trees in different ways. At the end of the book, she offers nature connection practices for readers inspired by each of the chapters. To Hear the Trees Speak is both a call to action and a path toward inner stillness—reminding us that in listening deeply to nature, we may just find the guidance we’ve been searching for. Find out more here.
‘Hummingbird Medicine’ by Erja Järvelä (Guest tutor/former student)
What if your greatest challenge was actually your invitation to become who you truly are?
In this powerful and soul stirring book, Erja Järvelä - holistic health coach, ecotherapist. and neuropsychiatric coach - invites you on a transformational journey that bridges ancient Andean wisdom with modern-day healing practices. Inspired by the Medicine Wheel and the spirit of the hummingbird, this book is a roadmap for navigating life's challenges, reconnecting with your authentic self, and dreaming your life into being.
Through raw personal stories, practical tools, and spiritual insights, Erja gently guides readers to uncover their inner wisdom, heal from within , and find clarity, purpose and joy.
Find out more and purchase online here.