Beyond environment: falling back in love with Mother Earth
Jo Confino for the Guardian Professional Network
Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh explains why mindfulness and a spiritual revolution rather than economics is needed to protect nature and limit climate change.
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Move beyond concept of the “environment”
He believes we need to move beyond talking about the environment, as this leads people to experience themselves and Earth as two separate entities and to see the planet in terms only of what it can do for them. Change is possible only if there is a recognition that people and planet are ultimately one and the same.
“You carry Mother Earth within you,” says Thay. “She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment.
Thanks. I had not read this. It has now been added to my course for planning students this winter. I intended to discuss ecological services and the economic valuing of the environment. This will be a very useful counter to that and addresses our whole mindset.