Eco-Spirituality

This thesis examines the New Age spiritual movement in its relationship with Indigenous cultures. Indigenous spiritual traditions have been appropriated to support relevant New Age theories. It critiques New Age perceptions of Indigenous cultures as misinformed and argues this misinformation is proliferated through certain New Age practices. It argues that the New Age can achieve a sustaining, earth-based spiritual practice without resorting to the appropriation of Indigenous traditions. Neo-paganism holds many of the qualities that New Agers seek in Indigenous traditions and is a potential alternative avenue of spiritual solace to the appropriation of Indigenous culture. The embodiment of New Age goals can be understood within the context of environmental ethics philosophies. Alternative festivals that operate with a spiritual ethic are explored as evidence that the New Age can and in some areas, does operate in a positive, life-affirming manner. Importantly, the thesis argues that re-interpretation of Indigenous culture by the New Age is neither welcome nor necessary.

The principles that govern eco–spirituality were established between the 1960s and 1980s, coming from various currents and paradigms derived from the counterculture and the New Age movement, and its bases can be traced in philosophical currents of the 17th century such as pantheism and romanticism. On the one hand, eco–spirituality emerges as an academic, scientific and social discourse in pursuit of the construction of new alternatives in the face of the ecological crisis. On the other hand, it is constituted as a way to overcome the religious and spiritual
fragmentation of the post–industrial society of the 20th century: a path towards mystical and transcendental experience. This article examines the theoretical foundations of eco–spirituality and its implications.

"Australia’s popular calendar event of alternatives, ConFest (Conference/Festival), is a principal location for the (re)affirmation of alternative lifestyle sacra. Attending to Victor Turner’s “cultural drama”, this article draws on fieldwork and archival research to
circumscribe the complications of Self and Earth within this public event. After charting the manifestations of personal growth and environmental consciousness at ConFest, I demonstrate that, for the alternative lifestyler, the Self and the Earth are embroiled in a
complex ‘web of significance’. What I call the Self-Earth nexus – signaled by the ConFest theme “Heal thy Self - thy Planet” – is characterised by interconnection (a sense of profound interdependence) and responsibility (an ethical self-commitment). I give detail to on-site expressions of Neo-Pagan eco-spirituality which ‘dramatise’ this nexus."

Part V of a series entitled Sense of Place continues to name the state of urgency regarding human devastation of our planet. The series promotes reclaiming sense of place as a pathway to personal and ecological healing, both physical and spiritual.

PONENCIA.
[Introducción], p. 35.
1. Los Carmelitas Descalzos en Tortosa (desde 1590 a 1835), p. 36.
2. Demarcaciones: diócesis de Tortosa, provincia de Castellón (1789, 1833), baronía de Benicasim (1790), pp. 36-40.
3. El Convento de Carmelitas Descalzos del Desierto de Las Palmas (1694), pp. 40-46.
4. Los frailes del Desierto ante el cólera de Tortosa (1821), pp. 47-54.
4.1. El P. Mariano de Santa Teresa (1745-1821), pp. 47-54.
a) Necrológica del P. Mariano de Santa Teresa, pp. 48-52.
b) Necrológica del P. Manuel de la Santísima Trinidad, compañero del P. Mariano en Tortosa, pp. 52-54.
5. Los frailes del Desierto ante el cólera en Castellón y Benicasim (1834-92), pp. 54-55.
6. Las no-desamortizaciones del Desierto de Las Palmas, pp. 56-65.
6.1. Causas, pp. 56-57.
6.2. Situación, pp. 57-65.
7. Enrique de Ossó conoce el Desierto de Las Palmas (1859-60), pp. 65-78.
7.1. San Enrique de Ossó y el Desierto de Las Palmas (1860-1895). 1ª parte, pp. 66-78.
8. La Casa de Ejercicios del Desierto de Las Palmas, pp. 79-85.
9. Unión de las Congregaciones Española e Italiana OCD y el Desierto (1876), pp. 86-134.
9.1. San Enrique de Ossó y el Desierto de Las Palmas (1860-1895). 2ª parte, pp. 101-126.
9.2. Enrique de Ossó y el Desierto de Las Palmas (1860-1895). 3ª parte, pp. 127-134.

Mandalas allow us to contemplate simultaneously a web of interwoven relationships.  This series of drawings approaches reverence for life as having four major dimensions:

(1) Reverence for the life that unfolds within me (all my strengths, virtues, awarenesses and abilities

(2) Reverence for the life that unfolds between us and within you

(3) Reverence for the life that surrounds and sustains us

(4) Reverence for the life of the Earth and Universe, of which our lives are expressions.

Might it be possible to order our liturgical expression in such a way that it could better serve the earth community, including a recognition and celebration of our own interconnectedness and interdependence within a living eco-web? I am thinking of an Order of Celebration that in a formative way would redress our moral compass, clarify our human role within the natural order, and deepen our faith journeys as earth citizens awakened to a world imbued with sacramental value.

This action research case study is an exploration of values within contemporary plural society, with the aim of identifying approaches that can effectively bring diverse people into meaningful conversation around values and sustainability related themes.  The literature review is twofold:  in part an investigation into values, how they influence behaviour, and theories around how and why they are formed; followed by a study of several established methods for  stimulating group engagement as well as an Indigenous model of participatory dialogue.
The research component involves a case study wherein voluntary participants from a small Canadian community engage in a two day session conversing about values and waste. Three approaches were practiced in the sessions for the purpose of evaluating efficacy. Data collected via surveys, observation, interviews, and questionnaires provided insight regarding effective methods for community engagement in an Education for Sustainability (EfS) learning context.  Findings and recommendations for EfS include: supporting World Café, Open Space Technology, and Circle Council as effective methods to engage meaningful conversation around complex topics such as values; exploring the integrative use of these methods as three phases of an ongoing process; mentorship initiatives for new facilitators; and, deeper awareness of personality and psychological dynamics when designing values oriented initiatives for EfS in adult and community learning.

Luke, D. (2015, January). Wixaritari: The world’s oldest psychedelic tribe and their fight to save their spiritual ecology. Invited talk and film screening for Cinematters film series, Passing Clouds, Hackney, London, 18th January.

The Wixaritari (Huichol) are a prehispanic shamanic tribe from Mexico who resisted conquest and outside incursion for 500 years and have continued their magical pagan traditions, connection to the land and consumption of the psychedelic peyote cactus for millennia. They are one of the world’s oldest unbroken psychedelic tribes and yet their way of life is currently under threat from foreign mining interests that seek to destroy their sacred lands and their culture with it.

Wixaritari mara’akame (shaman) Paritemai and psychedelic researcher Dr David Luke discuss the Desert of Wirikuta, the Renovation of the World and Shift of the Times. There will also be an exclusive screening of a new documentary film about the Huichol nation.

"The Dieties have talked, and they said that is the time for the human kind to renew the World. Takutzi Nakawe the Goddess that gives life in Earth has told the Ceremonial group to begin with the task, as our ancestors did. First in the 5 cardinal point of the Wixaritari Cosmology, then in the "Fire Belt" of Central Mexico (Volcanoes) and the Pyramids and Ancient Temples which are aligned to the belt, and the Ancient Temples of other Countries of the World. The Deities, our Father Sun, Mother Earth, Grandpa Fire, Ancestors, The Deer... they are going to shift too, and they are looking forward to "talk a new language"; New ways of existence, They are asking us humans too first do a unification of the entire humanity, then and finally do the Ceremonies of Renovation of the World; The old (candles) offerings that our ancestors did are about to end...”

Mara’akame Paritemai (Don Santos Lopez) is the previous Governor of the Tateikie Huichol community (San Andres Cohamiata) North of Jalisco, Mexico. He spent 5 years as the leader of the Ceremonial Centre in San Jose Tesorero. Marakame Paritemai has over thirty years of experience as a medicine man and healer.

Dr David Luke, psychologist, is a lecturer, researcher and writer focusing on anomalous experience and altered states, especially transpersonal psychedelic experiences. He has published over 100 academic texts in this area, including co/editing and co-authoring four recent books. He also co/organises various events such as the Ecology, Cosmos and Consciousness Salon, Breaking Convention and Psychic Lysurgery.