Back in print: print and ebook copies available  now
Previously published by Harper Collins - this is a revised and updated new edition with an important introduction by Nora Bateson and Stephen Nachmanovitch

Publisher: Triarchy Press
Publication: June 2023
​List Price: £25 use code to save £5
Format: Paperback, 376 pages
Size: 23.4 x 15.6 cm
ISBN: 978-1-913743-79-6
Tags: Anthropology; cybernetics; systems thinking; ecology; psychology; linguistics; evolution; communication
About the author: Gregory Bateson
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-913743-80-2​
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A Sacred Unity
Further Steps to an Ecology of Mind

Gregory Bateson
Edited by Rodney E. Donaldson
​​​With a New   Introduction by  Nora Bateson & Stephen Nachmanovitch


In A Sacred Unity Gregory Bateson explores the interconnectedness and interdependence of various aspects of the natural world, human societies, and the mind.

Bateson argues that our understanding of reality should not be limited to isolated parts but should encompass the relationships and patterns that emerge from these interconnected systems. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing the complex web of relationships and feedback loops that exist in nature and society.

The book delves into diverse topics such as ecology, anthropology, psychology, and epistemology to provide a holistic view of the world. Bateson introduces concepts like "ecology of mind" and "pattern that connects" to highlight the intricate connections between different levels of organization.

Bateson also explores the role of perception and communication in shaping our understanding of the world. He examines the limitations of language and the ways in which our mental processes can either enhance or hinder our ability to comprehend the complexity of the world around us.

Overall, A Sacred Unity emphasizes the need for a shift in our thinking, urging us to move away from reductionism and embrace a more holistic and ecological approach to understanding the world. It encourages us to recognize the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of nurturing harmonious relationships within and between various systems.
Gregory Bateson died in 1980, but his work grows more and more relevant each year. In his wide-ranging, penetrating thought he illuminated many dimensions of human interaction and of our connection to the wider biological world.

One of the questions that runs through this book is “how to describe a living system without killing it?” This starts early with Bateson’s anthropological work on culture, and runs through into ecology, identity, change, evolution and learning. How to talk about these things – and organisms that are experiencing them – without resorting to typologies?

The sacred and its relationship to a description of ecology is foremost. As are the puzzles of being an individual in culture in a whole vast collection of biological relationships and cultural idea-relationships – and how to bring all of those into the field of ecology.
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The answer to the question “what is the world?” is “it’s what I perceive it to be.” And the question of what I perceive is only going to begin to have some looseness in it, when the question is asked: “Are you perceiving the world, or are you perceiving your perception?” Perhaps this question is the beginning of the possibility of loosening the matrix.

Readership

A Sacred Unity is a synthesis of Gregory Bateson's work over half a century. It's a wonderful and challenging introduction to his work and thinking for anyone whose ears might prick up at the words "ecology of mind". 

Reviews

“A Sacred Unity in this new edition comes at a profoundly consequential moment. Perceptual distortions–always with us–are now threatening humanity itself and the entire biosphere. In the face of such muddle and danger, Gregory Bateson provides deep wisdom, explaining how living things and their relationships connect to the whole. This is not an easy book but it is one that richly rewards the careful reader with fresh understanding of what it means to be human in a world of biological and natural systems.”
Jerry Brown California Governor, 1975-1983; Executive Chair, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, 2011-2019
"...a magnificent manifesto bringing mind and matter together. In this timely book of timeless wisdom, Gregory Bateson elucidates the existential truth of life: relatedness. We don’t have five disconnected fingers, we have four interconnected relationships! Read this groundbreaking book, it can help us to transcend division, domination, conflict and desire to control.”
Satish Kumar Founder, Schumacher College and Editor Emeritus, Resurgence & Ecologist
“This extraordinary collection of the thinking, life, and work of anthropologist and systems thinker Gregory Bateson has enormous relevance for today. A groundbreaking book for all time.”
Roshi Joan Halifax Abbot, Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, NM

Also available:
Small Arcs of Larger Circles