To mark Earth Day, we're sharing a few book and podcast ideas for rejuvenation and hope in relationships with the earth.
Books:
Sacred Nature by Karen Armstrong
"In this deeply powerful book, the bestselling historian of religion Karen Armstrong re-sacralizes nature for modern times. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the world's religious traditions, she vividly describes nature's central place in spirituality across the centuries: from the Book of Job to St. Thomas Aquinas, from Lao Tzu to Wordsworth, and from the Stoics to Jainism and beyond. Throughout, she reveals how we have lost our sense of the divine, and how we can get it back."
Less is More by Jason Hickel
"We need to change how we see nature and our place in it, shifting from a philosophy of domination and extraction to one that’s rooted in reciprocity and regeneration. We need to evolve beyond the dogmas of capitalism to a new system that’s fit for the twenty-first century. But what about jobs? What about health? What about progress? This book tackles these questions and offers an inspiring vision for what a post-capitalist economy could look like."
The New Climate War by Michael E. Mann
"Mann argues that all is not lost. He draws the battle lines between the people and the polluters-fossil fuel companies, right-wing plutocrats, and petrostates. And he outlines a plan for forcing our governments and corporations to wake up and make real change...This book will reach, inform, and enable citizens everywhere to join this battle for our planet."
Podcast Episodes:
The On Being podcast's episode, "Ecological Hope, and Spiritual Evolution," an interview with Christiana Figueres. She discusses how despair and grief can transform into spiritual strength and meaning-making, and how the upcoming generation of activists are fortifying themselves through consistent rest and replenishing activities.
The Ten Percent Happier podcast's episode, "What to do About Eco-Anxiety" discusses how we can use meditation to engage more effectively in the kind of action needed to move the needle on a systemic level, and how to use meditation and deep breathing to handle eco-anxiety.
You might also enjoy the podcast Climate Change and Happiness, which is "for people around the globe who are thinking deeply about the personal side of climate change, particularly their emotional responses and their feelings."
