Spiritual Ecology

 Spiritual Ecology

"Because for me it is not enough to say that we must respect the Earth. That the Earth is even sacred is not enough. We must understand that the Earth is a divine being filled with spirit that demands our engagement. "

The Radical Intimacy of Spiritual Ecology

A Talk by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee

There's a transcript also available at that link, as well as audio presentation. He is the editor of Emergence Magazine.

Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee:

 

If we have the courage to respond, to engage, to pick up that thread that was woven long ago into our very being, into the DNA and the fabric of our existence as human beings; if we have the courage to say, I remember you, I remember you, then a journey begins, a real practice of spiritual ecology.

Given at St. Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London in November 2024, this talk by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee concludes a series on the theme of spiritual ecology. It explores how an embodied practice of spiritual ecology is a radical act amid a culture that has forgotten the sacred nature of our relationship with the Earth. A remembrance of this intimate connection is the spiritual responsibility of our time, and when our hearts recognize and hold this reality, we can keep alive an essential connection through our darkening days and offer a practice of love to the suffering Earth.

The Radical Intimacy of Spiritual Ecology A Talk by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee

Dear friends, As the new year unfolds and our society travels deeper into a realm of toxicity and instability, I find myself increasingly returning to the essence of our relationship with the living, breathing Earth as a space to find ground amid uncertainty. Like oneness and multiplicity, that essence is part of the whole while also being a unique experience. This relationship is so individual and intimate that it is as much a part of us as our own breath, and we must each find our own way to honor it. In November, I gave a talk at St. Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London—part of a series given over the last two years on the theme of spiritual ecology. This talk is about how an embodied practice of spiritual ecology is a radical act amid a culture that has forgotten the sacred nature of our relationship with the Earth. It’s clear that we can no longer wait for our systems and institutions to lead the way. Instead, my belief is that it’s the spiritual responsibility of our time for each of us to awaken a primordial memory of the Earth as a divine being imbued with spirit. When our hearts recognize and hold this reality, we can begin the journey of remembering what it means to embody this relationship; of keeping an essential connection alive through our darkening days; and offering a practice of love to the Earth in the midst of Her suffering. As we each engage in our own spiritual ecology, a bridge between this moment and the future we know is possible can begin to form. Thank you for listening, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee Emergence Executive Editor  Here is a link to an audio from Emergence Magazine.  https://emergencemagazine.org/conversation/the-radical-intimacy-of-spiritual-ecology/?utm_source=Emergence+Magazine&utm_campaign=74ef53c215-Newsletter_20250119&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0be9b497cf-357088886 It also has a transcript of the audio presentation.