An essential principle of ecological spirituality is multi-disciplinary wisdom. It is a phrase that sounds academic and not particularly spiritual. Other words we might use for the same idea are interconnection and interdependence. It means that the path to flourishing for people and the planet has been laid by many hands over thousands of years. It is not just the product of many scientific disciplines but also traditions and generations. It means that everything is our teacher—our elders past and present, plants and animals, and each other.
We have entered a time when we are uncovering the many intersections of wisdom we may have thought were mutually exclusive and impermeable. Each new connection contributes to an ongoing evolutionary becoming—in our physical world but also in our consciousness. And contrary to what you may have been taught, new knowledge does not necessarily make older knowledge irrelevant. In fact, anymore it often reinforces and reaffirms ancient wisdom. I experience this as a beautiful kaleidoscope of perspectives that enliven our understanding of creation, ourselves and Creator.
A multi-disciplinary approach is the natural response to our growing awareness of our interconnected and increasingly complex world.
An essential principle of ecological spirituality is multi-disciplinary wisdom. It is a phrase that sounds academic and not particularly spiritual. Other words we might use for the same idea are interconnection and interdependence. It means that the path to flourishing for people and the planet has been named by many voices over thousands of years. It is not just the product of many scientific disciplines but also many traditions and many generations. It means that everything is our teacher—our elders past and present, plants and animals, and each other.
We have entered a time when we are uncovering the many intersections of wisdom we may have thought were mutually exclusive and impermeable. Each new connection contributes to an ongoing evolutionary becoming—in our physical world but also in our consciousness. And contrary to what you may have been taught, new knowledge does not necessarily make older knowledge irrelevant, instead reinforcing and reaffirming ancient wisdom. I experience this as a beautiful kaleidoscope of perspectives that enliven our understanding of creation, ourselves and Creator.
A multi-disciplinary approach is the natural response to our growing awareness of our interconnected and increasingly complex world. This approach sets the stage for creativity and adaptability. It invites us to collaborate just like healthy natural systems.
What have we learned?
Silos, fragmentation and disconnection are not desirable and often harmful. When we view the world in discrete categories, we miss the beauty and the interactions of the whole and we often miss important insights. When we view our world in a binary way and spend our time looking for the one right answer, we often miss important truths. This requires us to unlearn the lessons of the old scientific method that suggests that all of life can be disassembled into individual and self-sufficient parts. It forces us to let go of this notion of the self-sufficient, independent and individual life and lean into the beautiful complexities of relationship. The research of people like Suzanne Simard and Robin Wall Kimmerer have shown us the power of networked living systems that thrive on mutuality and reciprocity. They invite us to reconsider how we might live.
How shall we cultivate healthy systems that are reciprocal and not transactional?
Let us include and transcend as we savor the reemergence and affirmation of ages-old wisdom, particularly about our relationship to all of creation. As we awaken our understanding of kinship versus dominion—our concern and respect for all creation grows. It reveals unexpected paths forward to address the challenges of our time such as the climate crisis, isolation and polarization.
Nurturing our spiritual lives must be a priority. We have believed this, but now research affirms that there are many dimensions to human thriving, and one of them is spirituality. The work of Dr. Lisa Miller (see p. 5) and others has shown us what we have long intuited—a healthy spirit is essential to a healthy life. And in fact, a healthy spiritual life provides powerful protective factors against despair. The practices and community that are part of an intentional spiritual life can help us be more resilient, compassionate and hopeful in a challenging world.
The circles of wisdom close as we learn anew how nature heals us. Forest bathing and time in green spaces have measurable physical effects. Awe is an antidote to despair. Time in nature offers us the opportunity to connect with the ingredients that create the experience of awe and wonder—vastness and mystery.
“Open our eyes of wonder.”
— Yuria Celidwen
Mystery is good. Let us recognize the limits of our human understanding and rational knowing. Let us use our curiosity to examine and reweave our stories about meaning, the nature of reality and our place in it. Let us use eyes of wonder to navigate a non-binary world, where certainty is not our goal.
Recognizing the wisdom of many offers all of us the opportunity to reawaken our childlike curiosity. And then let us ask ourselves: What are we called to do? How shall we engage in this life when we recognize our place, as Richard Rohr says, as a beloved one and also part of the many? We are more than passengers in this life.
We do not need to discard what has gone before, but instead weave it forward in a more complex and luminous garment. Ecologically we all belong—the person, the plant, the place. We are woven into the very threads of existence. Wisdom speaks to and within all of us—not just sages in a cave. Follow the questions, not the certainties. This is where the greatest possibilities lie. Live with and explore the mystery. Trust in the evolutionary becoming that reflects God’s ongoing presence and abiding love.
—Leslie Wright
tree roots image by Freepik