Spirituality and Nature - Book Report/Review Example

?Journal Entries: Spirituality and Nature Nature Walking The book that I have just finished reading is Nature Walking which is a combined work of Emerson’s Nature and Thoreau’s Walking. In the book the authors have given a clear and beautiful description of Nature from American perspective. What I find most admirable is the way the authors have observed and felt the essence of nature. I felt Emerson’s attempt has been to redefine Western philosophy through the lens of nature, and has given a whole new logic to the belief that states existence of God. Thoreau has used a more subtle manner. He has been less philosophical but no less profound than Emerson. The essays I feel are beyond comparison and the book itself is pleasant to read. The book starts with an enlightening introduction by John Elder. He has beautifully explored the works of the authors and has expressed how Thoreau was inspired by the precise and shimmering language of Emerson to write his book on nature. The passages in this book has encouraged me to contemplate the reason why human beings feel connected to nature and appreciate the virtues of random walking with no fixed destination. The authors are pure representatives of transcendentalism according to which God presides in the inherent goodness of nature. Emerson states that humans are manifestation of creation and hence have the key to the mysteries of nature. It is through nature that one can understand the divine power. As a lover of “uncontained and immortal beauty” (Emerson & Thoreau, 8) Emerson believes that only by walking into the heart of nature one can feel separate from the material world. Nature substantiates the feeling that God is omnipresent, and so men become struck with wonder when having whole new view of familiar features of nature. Expounding this spiritual aspect of nature, Thoreau has defined the experience of walking as directionless wandering. Humans today are so indulged in materialistic lifestyle that they are deprived of walking in the proper spirit. Thoreau states that the path to be walked on should symbolize the ideal world of an individual’s choice. Theoreau propounds Emerson’s definition of nature as he says that only by separating the self from the confines of the materialistic world one can experience the true essence of directionless walking in the lap of nature. The Wilderness World Another book that has inspired me in recent times is The Wilderness World by John Muir. It is one book of Muir that I consider to be the most enthralling one. As a nature writer, his love for the wilderness has left its impression in his works and only establishes his fondness for “wild places and wild creatures” (Muir, 3). The poetic style of writing about nature and its beauty has captured my attention from the very first page. His inspirational form of talking about nature has revealed his analytical mind that gives attention to details. Muir was an adventurer and through his writings he can provoke the imagination of readers. The fact that the book has focused entirely on plants and animals has made it even more interesting and enjoyable. This book is Muir’s biography and compilation of his best writings that describe his experiences in the wilderness world. It is a collection of the memories of his youth, ecstasy in the valleys and wildlife of Sierra, explorations in the Far Western forests and Indian villages in Alaska. His writing style is powerful and gives exact observations of animals, birds, mountains and plains. However, the most inspirational part of the book is the final chapter The Philosophy of John Muir which emphasizes on the relation between man and nature. His philosophy is to reach the heart of nature by interpreting the language of nature by being an observant listener to all elements of natures like birds and waterfalls, storms and avalanches. A Sand County Almanac I have read many books that talk about conservation of nature and the future perils of mankind’s wasteful use of lands and water bodies. There is however one book by Aldo Leopold that has captured my attention through its sincere attempt to awaken man’s conscience towards his role in preserving land and its environment. The title of the book is A Sand County Almanac and is a wonderful writing by the author. Through his writings his sensitivity towards life and his profound understand of it has been uniquely portrayed. He has penned down the description of life with poignant phrases. His views and values are strongly relevant today. The book is a classic work of a conservationist. The first part of the book focuses on the survival technique of plants and animals through mutual interaction. The second part describes his enthralling journeys in various places. His emotional affection towards living beings gets reflected in his sorrow over destruction of life of any form. An oak tree struck by lightening saddens him but he sees it as a natural process that has good purpose as he mentions “lightning had bequeathed to us three cords of prospective fuel wood” (Leopold, 30) The main theme of the book makes the final part of the book which talks about a new philosophy of land ethic. Leopold puts forward the idea that although land and its resources can be used by man but they should not be judged only by their economic factors. He has defied the inherent belief of man that land and animals are there only to serve mankind and therefore an infertile land has no value. He has emphasized on the integral significance of land instead of its resources that can be exploited by man. He has expressed that animals have equal right like humans to survive on this earth. Leopold has used a lucid language in this classic to state the need for ethical and political consideration of land and animals. Bringing it to the Table Another book that I will like to talk about is Bringing it to the Table: On Farming and Food by Wendell Berry who is a food conservationist and an environmental activist. This book is a compilation of essays that reflects the perspectives of a small farmer. The writing is simple and has a logical flow that has compelled me to take a different look at our narrow control over agriculture. This book is an inspiration for all who advocate sustainable agriculture and local cuisine. Berry has depicted a great understanding of agriculture and talks about the best and worst aspects of our food system. I would suggest this book as a wonderful introduction to everyone who is not yet familiar with Berry’s books. Coming from a farming background, Berry has expressed the scenario of current form of agriculture and how rural culture has declined in America. He also describes how farming has reached the current stage of specialization. He expresses grief over the concentrated ownership of land and wealth, and how major portions of farming values do not reach the hands of farmers and rural communities. He emphasizes on the need of a more sustainable farming where land ownership is more dispersed. The concluding essay The Pleasures of eating talks about the role of city dwellers in food chain. He says that city people should “eat reasonably” (Berry, 282) as he considers eating as an agricultural act. According to him “eating ends the annual drama of the food economy that begins with planting and birth” (Berry, 282). His essays reflect both personal experience and interviews of farmers. Berry provides logical reasons why there should be a blending of traditional systems of agriculture and modern technologies. Stolen Harvest Next book that I want to write about is one which belongs to similar genre as the last one and that is Stolen Harvest written by Vandana Shiva who is an Indian philosopher and environmental activist. She focuses on industrial agricultural and global corporations that are fast exhausting the natural resources and destroying the earth’s biodiversity. As solution she proffers the principles of ecological agriculture. The book is meticulous and is written more for education than entertainment. It is beautifully written and I admire Shiva’s honest views of the biotechnology industry. She has provided some irrefutable evidence of the destructive impact of globalization on people, environment and nature. There is one weak point that I will like to mention. Her over-emphasis on traditional methods of farming does not take into consideration the fast growing population. Although population growth in most third world countries can be attributed to artificially grown food, it is however undeniable that increased demand of food can be met by industrial interventions. Shiva has talked about the three kinds of food revolutions that have drastically affected the overall state of welfare. One is green revolution that artificially increases food production, second is aquaculture that is raising fish in controlled conditions and finally white revolution which is dairy farming that has turned milk deficient nation like India into the largest milk yielding country of the world. As a result of green revolution, Indian government has banned domestic production of mustard oil to encourage imports of soybean seeds. Since soybean oil is not suited to Indian needs therefore although large corporations benefit by its import, the overall impact is unfair on the poorer population. Next, she compares the modern industrial approach of fish farming with traditional methods and how the latter has existed for generations while protecting the ecosystems. Finally, she talks about emphasis on imported cattle that has resulted in decline of indigenous cattle. She draws attention to its disadvantage since foreign breeds need more feed while indigenous cattle “provide organic fertilizer for fields and thus enhance food productivity” (Shiva, 58). In the final section of the book, Shiva shows some optimism because of the increasing consciousness among people regarding controlling power of giant corporations. Replenishing the earth Another book that talks about the dire consequences of environmental destruction is Replenishing the earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the World by Wangari Maathai who was a Kenyan environmental activist. She was the founder of Green Belt Movement (GBM) and this book focuses on the core values of this movement whose principle goal is to awaken the spiritual consciousness in mankind towards creating a nurturing and protective relationship with the earth. She has written in a translucent language with pointed examples of indigenous African culture. Like Leopold, it is also stated by Maathai that earth’s resources should not only be weighed by its economic value. This is a wonderful book that inspires the readers to take care of the earth selflessly. In the first chapter, Maathai writes about the introduction of the GBM that started with simple tree planting but moved on to incite self-confidence within the downtrodden communities so that they can “rediscover their authentic voice and speak out on behalf of their rights” (Maathai, 14). In the second chapter she describes how earth is wounded by expounding the forests of Congo Basin which is known as the world’s second lung. It helps in maintaining balance in ecosystem and so needs to be protected. In the second part of the book she has urged the readers to look at earth from three different angles. Firstly, she says to look at earth as if from space which will give rise to a sense of divinity. Secondly, she tells us to consider earth through its timeline of existence and how we are just a tiny speck on its timeline. Finally, she tells every individual to consider local ecosystem. All these will make us aware of our role in maintaining equilibrium in the environment. In the final section of the books she writes about his optimistic views gathered through 30 years as she has seen governments understanding the values of compassion and equity over monetary values. The book is spiritually inspirational and I would recommend it for everyone who is concerned about the future of the earth. Dharma Gaia The book Dharma Gaia: A Harvest of Essays in Buddhism and Ecology explores the circumstances under which Buddhism coincides with ecology written by Dalai Lama and 30 others Buddhists and ecologists. The writings are nicely edited by A.H. Badiner and is a must read for everyone who strives to become more compassionate to achieve a peaceful heart. The different perspectives of the writers provide spiritual approach towards conserving the ecology through Buddhist philosophies. Although a pleasant read being different from other books on Buddhism and ecology, I consider it a little dated since I find it difficult to see compatibility between the ongoing global terrorism and negative impacts of industralization on climate with Buddhist ecological theme. The book advocates the teachings of Buddhism which states that by looking deeply at existing circumstances one can bring end to his suffering. Only by practicing Buddhism we can reach the state of fulfillment and happiness. With increasing pressure on earth caused by reckless activities of mankind has created growing awareness regarding the impending eco-crisis. To create a link with Buddhism, the essays in this book state that it is possible for man to reform his character in order to save the earth from destruction. Buddhism reminds us that it is mankind’s responsibility to fight pollution by planting trees for survival since “The Earth does not need to change in order to survive-she will survive with or without us. If we are to continue, it is our values that need to change” (Badiner, xiv). India’s earth consciousness A short article titled India’s earth consciousness written by Christopher Key Chapple has brought forward the different levels of consciousness and spiritual awakenings shared by different Indian religions. Chapple has used myriad sources ranging from ancient scriptures to modern associations led by Indian activists to emphasize that the traditional religious principles of India can be used in a resourceful manner for environmental protection. I love the anthology of frank and fluent testimonies by environmentalists, eco-theologians, and native peoples. The article focuses on a single universal theme as to mankind’s position as a species on earth. The World we have After finishing the above book, I remember reading a very lovely book on Buddhism titled The world we have: a Buddhist approach to peace and ecology written by Buddhist scholar and environmental activist Thich Nhat Hanh. The pace is smooth and language is lucid making it a delightful read and comprehendible by all kinds of readers. Here, Hanh talks about how human beings remain so engrossed in their daily lives that they ignore the perils of their abundant use of earth’s limited resources. It is an interesting book on union between Environmentalism and principles of Buddhism. Hanh’s simple suggestions reveal a path that is at the same time obvious and difficult. In this era of land erosion, frequent earthquakes, floods, global warming and pollution it is high time that we recall the Buddhist approach that Hanh has been asserting for years. It is time we evoke our awareness and learn to live in the manner so as to secure a clean and healthy environment for our future generations. For this he suggests the five mindful trainings that he mentioned in his book. He has stated that all beings are interlinked since they share the same natural elements and so the manner in which each individual conducts his life affects the overall welfare of the earth. But, the way we exploit earth’s resources are leading us to “inevitable death of our civilization” (Hanh, 106). This realization can cause panic and so to achieve inner peace Hanh has suggested us to accept the fragility of life and to start playing our roles in changing the global economical situation. He said that to conserve energy one must not react in anger since “the energy we need is not fear or anger, but the energy of understanding and compassion” (Hanh, 142). The Historical roots of Our Ecological Crisis In the article The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis, Lynn White Jr has blamed religion for people’s wasteful use of natural resources leading to environmental degradation. I really enjoyed reading this article and I support most of his views. I too feel that we should loosen our grip on religions to find answers to our problems. I think modern science and technology are able to explain the why and how of most things. White states that religion has preached nature exists only to serve man. This belief has induced us to become careless with natural resources. There are many existing religions and most of them have historical ties with Christianity, and it is this religion that insists man can exploit nature for own benefit. As solution White has stated we should modify our religious beliefs and forget the notion that man is above nature since our contribution towards nature “depends on our ideas of the man-nature relationship” (White, 5). Works Cited Badiner, Allan Hunt. Dharma Gaia: A Harvest of Essays on Buddhism & Ecology, Parallex Press, 1990 Berry, Wendell. Bringing it to the Table: On Farming and Food, Counterpoint, 2010 Chapple, Christopher Key. “India’s Earth Consciousness.” 145-150. In The Soul of Nature, eds. Michael Tobias & Cowan Georgianne. Penguin, 1996 Emerson, Ralph Waldo & Thoreau, Henry David. Nature Walking, Beacon Press, 1994 Hanh, Thich Nhat. The world we have: a Buddhist approach to peace and ecology, Parallex Press, 2008 Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac, Ballantine Books, 2001 Maathai, Wangari. Replenishing the earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the World, Doubleday, 2010 Muir, John. The Wilderness World of John Muir, Mariner Books, 2001 Shiva, Vandana. Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply, South End Press, 2000 White, Lynn Jr., “The Historical roots of our Ecological Crisis”, Science 1, 2003, accessed from: http://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/ENV-NGO-PA395/articles/Lynn-White.pdf Read More