In this third Science & Wisdom LIVE dialogue, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Stephan Harding, and Dr. David Loy discuss the urgent topic of the climate emergency and environmental crisis. This Dialogue is a collaboration between Science & Wisdom LIVE and The Global Tree Initiative.
As scientists and activists warn us about the potential dangers ahead, new paradigms are emerging to help us navigate the challenges of our times. Deep Ecology invites us to experience (and act from) a deep feeling of our interconnectedness with the natural world. Similarly, contemplative practices (such as mindfulness and meditation) can deepen our sense of oneness with the living universe around us.
Does a skilful response to the environmental crisis follow spiritual development and a more mature awareness of our interdependence with nature? And how can we act in the world without becoming depressed or feeling powerless in the face of climate emergency?
Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Stephan Harding, and Dr. David Loy discuss the outcome of the recent COP26, how we can understand the climate emergency as a dysregulation of Earth’s self-regulation, and how the environmental crisis reflects a deeper crisis of values in Western civilization. They advocate a shift from a mechanistic understanding of the world towards a deeply spiritual science, inspired by the feeling of deep connection with the Earth, and talk about the kind of spiritual practices that help us cultivate our sense of belonging to the living planet and act selflessly, without attachment to the results of our actions.