martin johnson head , cattleya orchid and three hummingbirds, 1871

We cultivate relational awareness through ethical storytelling, poetic imagination, regenerative ecologies & collective healing.

We envision planetary health, flourishing bio-cultural diversity and peaceful communities thriving with the animate world.

Emergent Literacy through Language Green

Language Green embraces global challenges and societal transformation through the intersections of creativity, consciousness, science and ecology.

For well over a decade, we have recognized the need for a profound realignment of our capacities and with a deeper understanding of the narratives that shape our cultural identities. The stories we live by and the meanings we create inform how we think, speak and act; while the power of semiotics, language and communication are integral to our mutuality and reciprocity. Our human development and evolution requires a keener sensitivity and ethical approach.

As many stand at the threshold of change and with new levels of uncertainty, we understand that meaningful conversation, embodied presence, appreciative inquiry and healing are desperately needed to meet the complexities of the world. With reverence for our roles as storytellers, listeners and witnesses, we uncover the deeper, powerful questions that live in the hearts and roots of our creative imaginations.

Through a holistic process, our services are designed to meet individuals, communities and organizations seeking to activate deeper participation as local leaders. Our belief in living systems, deep ecology, aesthetic sensability and contemplative practices are the pillars of a new and remembered literacy.

Meanwhile, our ability to understand the dual nature of digital technologies and our media ecosystem is critical for our privacy, agency and trust. We envision a world where spiritual and environmental responsibility sustains planetary health and an abundant ‘green’, now and for future generations.

Origin of Name

In remembrance of the troubairitz (female troubadours) whose lyrical poetry, song and music was coined the Language of Birds or Green Language (le langue des oiseaux and langue verté), we honor the poly-vocal nature of language as our intrinsic, intuitive memory and in divine communication with the animate world. This symbolic language was revered for its alchemical power and spoken as luminous, subversive acts of the heart.

While the history of female troubadours remains ambiguous and with very few pieces of music archived, the belief that a sacred communion with birds exists today and across numerous spiritual traditions. The ‘Conference of Birds’, a famous Persian poem written by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar, continues to receive much acclaim and remains the story of our times. In ancient Egypt, hieroglyphics were scribed ‘The Alphabet of Birds’. This symbolic art form, a marriage of sign and image, mirrored a sacred conversation between human, animal and plant life. Through the visible and invisible, these intertwinings are integral to poetic speech and sensuous thought. Our current day ‘re-wilding’ is a similiar conversation that restores balance, morphology, cosmology, and bio-cultural diversity.

In kinship with numerous indigenous cultures and wisdoms, Language Green begins with image, word, memory, place (landscape) and spirit as the keys to our hidden wholeness. We are also captivated by questions pertaining to memory, cultural identity, belonging, soul retreival and the process of greiving. Beauty and truth are two golden threads that awaken epic stories, visions and voices.

"Maybe you are searching amongst the branches for what only appears in the roots“ ~ Rumi

Hilary Bragdon Cline is the founder & creative director of Language Green. Her professional background in the non-profit sector, therapeutic and literary - visual arts informs her holistic approach to leadership, organisational development and collective healing.

Through Hilary’s studies in ecopsychology, neuroscience, linguistics, feminist and earth-based philosophies, art theory / expressive arts, creative writing, somatics and trauma informed leadership, she guides others in a process of rediscovery and reauthoring. With attention to fragmentation and integration, she explores transparent communication, authentic participation, ethical responsibility and a deeper foundational relationship with the interiority of our lives. Her love for language, visual communication and story are integral to her work.

In addition to her roles as a consultant and coach, Hilary is also a writer, artist, educator and curator. Hilary holds certifications in: Non-Profit Leadership Management, The Art of Conversational Leadership, Ecopsychology and Participatory Leadership (Hosting Meaningful Conversations that Matter). She is a graduate level educated coach from Fielding Graduate University, and in the process of earning her ICF (International Coaching Federation) credential.

She has a degree in Women’s Studies with a concentration is French Feminist philosophy, literary critism, gender & aesthetic expression, and indigenous modes of storytelling.

“The essence of work, after providing for our simple survival, is an intimacy between two seemingly opposing poles: an interior closeness to a foundational sense of self, and the longing for some recognized outer horizon to which we dedicate our endeavors.”

~ David Whyte

Nyards Karin Bengtsson, Swedish Contemporary Artist ~ Untold Stories

“Your soul is waiting for you to speak the untold stories that live behind layers of perceived separation. The one story that only you can tell.” hilary bragdon cline