Nature and Environment

Introduction

In this collection, we spotlight submissions in which students seek to grow and to articulate spiritual roots in the natural world.

Selected Artwork and Writing 

Seeking Inner Wellness by Embracing Oneness with Nature

In "Thoughts While Sitting on a Log in the Okanagan" (Spring 2016 pg. 18), Andi Antal writes, “I am alone but not secluded. The wind murmurs in the language of the universe and the leaves listen, swaying in agreement. They are free. We are all connected to the earth in the same way: our spirits must sway, whistling with the wind, in order to be free. I call to the birds and they respond because they know who I am. Together, on this rock, we spin around the sun, soaking in her rays and breathing to her rhythms.” 

Sarah Needles says “We are not separate from the Earth. We are the Earth, in all its chaos, balance, and cruel beauty”  (“Divine Songs” Nov. 2007 pg. 2).

In a poetic essay inspired by mythology and creation stories, Jonah Dabora writes, “Nature’s whole course is an integrated, interconnected and interdependent system of immense complexity. Just as the fish circle each other in the river, as the dragon and phoenix dance in the heavens, and as the sun and moon chase each other in the sky, so too are you constantly in flux. Rather than chase the person you were yesterday, release the frustration or ecstasy and breathe. Root yourself in the Now. Feel the Dragon inside you: the strong, the positive, the bright. Feel the Phoenix inside you: the weak, the negative, the dark. And find the balance you need to be the person you want to be” (“Philosophical Magniloquence,” Spring 2018 pg. 8-9).

In a prayer-like poem that imagines a return to a simpler, more selfless relationships with nature, "Our Arboreal Habitat" (Spring 2016 26), Lucas Garrett writes:

 

To that island in the west, then,

where the sun once set

into ancient cedars,

and years passed by

unnumbered,

in every nameless grove,

 

when we were new,

before the individual had been invented,

together without identity

in primordial anonymity,

effortlessly,

before the trees met the fate

of becoming substrate

for consumable contemporary text,

 

through every effort

to there may we return.

 

Wisdom Gleaned from Heritage and Rituals

In "Smudging" (Winter 2017 pg 6-7), Jean Stevenson explains meanings within smudging rituals: “When we Smudge, we bring the smoke over our heart - lots of love for ourselves; we bring the smoke over our head - so that we may think good thoughts and use our mind in a good way; over our eyes - so we can see what we need to see; over our ears - so that we can hear what we need to hear and that it be helpful; over our mouths - so that we can say good things. We Smudge the left side of our body (feminine side) and the right side of our body (masculine side).” 

Vita Azaro shares fascinating perspectives of the mountains they can view outside their window at home in Italy, which were once home to an ancient prophetess in "Pagan Lore" (Mar. 2014 pg. 15-16). Vita is enchanted by the natural beauty and a sense of the supernatural elements and mystery of this special place. They write: “It should be noted that the Sibylline mountains rest on fault lines and strong magnetic points. Their magnetic energy is for the most part positive. You can actually feel this when living there. Although the zest and energy you feel is due to the clean air, abundance of nature, pure spring water and many other joys that come with mountain living, it is more than just that. I am convinced that it is this magnetism that drew the Sybil in the first place. It is that energy that still calls spiritually to all around. It may also be that energy that draws stronger electrical and elemental forces. It is not at all hard to imagine how medieval peasants always viewed the mountains as deadly, dangerous and magical. It is not difficult to imagine a prophetess crouched in her grotto, in a mountain crowned by clouds. When you see the first evening star rise just above Mount Sybil every night, and you feel the majestic presence of those mountains every day, it is not hard to sometimes sink to your knees, facing them, and pray to the Sybil, to the mountains themselves, to the elements and to nature’s magic.”

Advocating for Spiritually-Conscious Relationships with the Earth

Many students have sought to apply religious wisdom and frameworks and their spiritual insights to envision a better world and ethical relationships between human and the earth in their submissions.

In "How to Mix Plants and People" (Apr. 2003 pg. 4), Evan Forward discusses humans' unique needs to use resources from nature to adapt to their environment, and questions about the limits of appropriate use. “Clearly," he writes, "as humans we need to have a certain degree of separation from nature, even if only in the form of a coat and long johns to protect us from her harsher elements. But has this separation gone too far? After too many days spent in comfortably climate-controlled cars and buildings, it can be easy to forget the earth that provided it all for us.”

Shalom Spira shares how Jewish wisdom can be applied to creating frameworks for thoughtful environmental stewardship: “The continuing ecological degradation that is transpiring across the face of our planet presents a matter of pressing urgency in the eyes of many scientists. Although the attention of the news media has recently been diverted toward the struggle between the West and "terror", there is no gain saying the fact that the environmental dilemmas of yesteryear are still waiting to be addressed. I believe that the values of Halakha (a system of Jewish religious law) can potentially help humanity handle the pollution crisis it currently faces.

“Firstly, as a prerequisite to effectively handling the present crisis, it is essential to develop a sound perspective on the environment. The Torah furnishes us with precisely such a multi-dimensional perspective*. There are at least six facets to the Judaic perspective on nature, namely that nature (1) represents the Creator's handiwork, (2) serves as a ritual vehicle for the praises man ought to offer the Creator, (3) serves as a source of moral instruction (4) is completely divorced of any sacred or deified status, (5) is the raw material that man is charged with being industrially creative and productive with and (6) serves as the theatre in which man must exercise protective stewardship.

“From these points it emerges that the environment must be appreciated and not recklessly abused, but at the same time some degree of human intervention in nature is expected. Human craft is an intrinsic component of nature's beauty (see Psalms 104); thus, a careful balance must be struck between caring for the planet and promoting the human mission to subdue the planet" (April 2003, pg. 6-7).

Laura Gallo shares thoughts about pantheism--including how to define it, and how it might provide an alternative and compelling means of motivating responsibility and care for the earth in "In a Perfect World, We'd all by Pantheists" (Apr. 2003 pg. 4): “Modern Pantheism is often misunderstood, as it is not theistic, nor is it atheistic. Pantheism does not involve a belief in deities, spirits or any supernatural powers. Instead, Pantheists believe that what is divine is right here on earth; in fact, it is earth. Pantheism’s central tenet is that the universe, the earth and nature are divine and so they should be treated as sacred. So although modern, or scientific, Pantheists don’t believe in supernatural deities or powers, they do believe in the divine greatness of the earth, and that is why the earth is so deeply revered. In place of worshipping the supernatural, Pantheists venerate what is natural. This may seem bizarre to the Western world, as what is usually considered divine lies above and beyond this earth. So here is the Pantheistic worldview in a simplistic equation: God = Universe.

“Due to the fact that greatness lies within this very earth, Pantheists believe that it should be loved, valued, protected and revered. In this way, Pantheism is a religion that promotes environmentalism.”

In "We Should, We Can, We Must" (Spring 2016 pg. 27), Julian Paparella discusses how in Catholic thought, compassion for other people is an important focus in good steward for the earth : “For Pope Francis, caring for our environment also entails caring for one another. How could we care for the family home without caring for our brothers and sisters, and vice versa? ‘We are always capable of going out of ourselves towards the other.’ We must concern ourselves with ‘caring for things for the sake of others,’ restraining our consumption ‘to avoid the suffering of others or the deterioration of our surroundings.’ Spurning self-centeredness and self-absorption in favour of ‘disinterested concern for others… [is] essential if we truly wish to care for our brothers and sisters and for the natural environment’.”