Spiritual ecology at the heart of environmentalism

Centuries ago, the idea that humans could even be a separate entity to the rest of the natural world would be too alien to believe by ancient societies. Fast track to the modern world, and people are starting to realise that spiritualism and science can indeed go hand in hand and that the dualistic relationship humanity has with Nature is only a recent phenomenon.

Being part of a culture and religion which still has traces of ancient Indigenous spiritual and environmental wisdom present, Agrita has always felt drawn to the knowledge of the past which helped preserve the very landscapes that are now rapidly degrading. It's this strong sense of historical nostalgia which has urged Agrita to delve deeper into the history of the Indian culture she so proudly embraces to see where India went wrong with environmental stewardship and justice and how ancient eco-spiritual values can be revived to help solve India's ecological and waste crises.

This episode discusses the importance of spiritual ecology in rebuilding our broken relationship with Nature on the basis of compassion, altruism and stewardship, giving an in-depth example of the evolution of spiritual ecology within India and how the abandonment of the concept, through colonisation and the urge to become developed, has resulted in major environmental problems the nation is facing now. Agrita argues that spiritual ecology can help in reimagining environmentalism in India, for both religious and secular communities, by decolonising conservation practices and protecting Indigenous communities and environmental practices.