GreenSpirit ebooks Series

This is the introductory volume in an inspiring series of ebooks about green spirituality, a type of spirituality that fits into no particular category of religion or spiritual belief system and yet is fully compatible with - and draws millions of adherents from - almost all of them. Green spirituality is based on a love of the Earth, the intrinsic value of all life forms, and a deep respect for the integrity of ecosystems and for the importance of biodiversity. It includes a belief in the total interconnectedness of the cosmos and offers a sense of identity rooted in being part of - and interdependent with - 'all that is.' It regards Nature as a great teacher and as a revelation of the divine and holds ideals of peace, social justice, ecological justice, low-impact living and sustainability The book describes and illustrates, through the well-blended voices of thirteen writers, the basic concepts and expressions of this rapidly growing kind of spiritual attitude in today's world - what it is, where it comes from, who practises it and how and why. It covers a wide range of subject matter, from personal stories of spiritual awakening to scientific facts about the composition of soil and includes philosophical musings, practical suggestions, inspirational essays and poetry. It is edited, with commentaries, by Marian Van Eyk McCain, author of seven books who also edited the anthology GreenSpirit: Path to a New Consciousness (Earth Books, 2010) containing chapters by such well-known figures as theologian Matthew Fox, lawyer Cormac Cullinan, economist David Korten and Resurgence Magazine editor Satish Kumar. As human beings, our spirituality - whether consciously acknowledged or not - helps to shape our attitude to life, and this attitude deeply affects our behaviour, both as individuals and as members of society. It is only when we approach problems with the right attitude that solutions start to appear. The green spiritual attitude is the one that holds out to us the best hope of finding ways to solve our current planetary dilemmas and social and ecological crises, since it is the only one that can put us, perhaps for the first time in thousands of years, in complete harmony with the planet's ecosystems instead of in conflict with them. Subsequent ebooks in this series deal with the application of these green spiritual ideas to various aspects of our lives and society such as education, politics, economics, psychology, law, food and farming, travel, lifestyle, art & culture, social welfare, health and healing, crafts and music, science and technology, ecology, religion, celebration and ceremony.

The first ebook in this GreenSpirit series, 'What is Green Spirituality?' described a form of spirituality towards which more and more people are turning these days: one that is grounded in a deep love of—and reverence for—the Earth and of all Nature and which sees the emergence of higher levels of human consciousness as the growing tip of the ongoing evolutionary process. It is a spiritual attitude that is perfectly compatible with all the world's major religions and it goes hand in hand with people's increasing desire to halt the destruction of habitat, the loss of species and the over-use of the planet's resources and to live a satisfyingly 'green' and sustainable lifestyle. To this end, each subsequent book in this series looks at how the principles of green spirituality may be applied to one particular aspect of our daily lives. As its title suggests, All Our Relations' celebrates and honours human beings' relationships with all those other life forms who share our planetary home. How we treat these 'fellow-travellers,' how we perceive them and interact with them—and the extent to which we love and respect them—is a measure of our humanity and our spiritual evolution. The greater our appreciation for other creatures, the more they give to us, the more they teach us and the more joy and inspiration they bring into our lives. For we, too, are animals. And along with the other members of the animal and plant kingdoms, we make up the delicate web of life that makes this place liveable and beautiful. Whatever damage we do to that web, we do to ourselves, to each other, to our children and grandchildren and to all our relations of every size and kind. If they fail to thrive and survive, so do we. Contributors to the book include scientists, researchers, poets, authors, health practitioners and others. Here you will find discussions ranging from the merits of vegetarianism to the problem of linguistic 'speciesism.' You will read about dogs who know when their humans are coming home and be encouraged to rediscover your own inherent, animal 'knowing.' Above all, you will almost certainly delight in the first-person accounts of life-changing interactions with members of other species, from snakes to horses, from dogs to oak trees and from huge whales to baby frogs.

Written by Greg Morter and Niamh Brennan. Everyone has a story that tells us who they are, where they come from and how they came to be. Cultures, too, have their stories. Many of these we know as myths, as ancient ways of explaining how our world and its creatures came into existence. Throughout history, each cultural group has had a creation story or myth. These stories, all down the ages, have acted as guides by which a person could navigate through life’s uncertainties and difficulties. Our creation stories serve an important function because each one reflects the beliefs and value systems that a particular cultural group holds dear and those in turn help to shape the personal beliefs and values of all its members. Stories have a unifying effect and without them we can feel lost, both as individuals and as societies. For us in the modern, Western world, those ancient mythical stories no longer have any useful meaning and we have come to see them as nothing more than a set of interesting fairytales. But that means we have no effective creation story of our own. This lack of a unifying story has left us fragmented and adrift, with no deep sense of who we are or where we have come from, let alone where we might be going. Such a disorientation has led to mindless destruction of the ecosystems that sustain us on this planet. Religion has tried to fill the gap but in an increasingly secular society that alone is no longer enough. Today the need is for a new creation story, one that is both mythical and based on fact, that transcends religion but can incorporate it, that can explain things scientifically but express them with the vision of the poet and speak to people with the power to awe them back into life. What our world has lacked is a unifying story that will inspire humans everywhere to join forces in caring lovingly for our precious Earth. The story being told in this book IS that story. This is the story of the Universe. It is also the story of Earth, of life, of the human and of the power of conscious thought. The Universe does not exist ‘out there’ in space, it is in us, part of us, as we are part of it. But this is knowledge that we are only newly acquiring and it is the people of this century who can combine the information from the sciences with the intuitive awareness of all the world's wisdom traditions to speak for the first time in history about this amazing Universe in which we live. Through the pages of this little book, we are taken on a journey that spans billions of years, from the original fireball that became our planet to the slow shaping of its contours and the even slower emergence and gradual development of life forms, from the simplest to the most complex. And finally, it speaks of the evolution of human consciousness and what form the next phase of human evolution might take. As the authors describe it: "The story of the Universe is the epic unfolding of the world, an evolutionary tale of awesome scope. It speaks of unity and diversity, of desire and curiosity, of wonder and awe. It speaks of creativity and imagination, of death, destruction and transformation. It is the story of science. It is the story of spirit. It is the story of all beings, extinct, present and yet to be born. It is a sacred story that, once known, has the power to inspire our species into becoming the species we were born to be."

By now, it should be apparent to all of us that if life on this planet Earth is to thrive – or even to survive in any recognizable form – we all need to use fewer resources, take up less space and make various changes in the way we live. There is an urgent need for us all to start living more lightly, conserving resources, repairing, re-using, recycling, downshifting from extravagant, wasteful lifestyles to something simpler and a lot more sustainable. Humans are already exceeding the carrying capacity of Earth and altering its natural cycles in potentially catastrophic ways. So either we all learn to live lightly or the game is up. The planet will survive, even though it may well end up as dry and barren as Mars, but we human beings certainly won't and neither will most of the other organisms that currently make up our living world. However, living lightly is not a chore or an imposition. Far from it. It is in fact a path towards greater delight and day-to-day satisfaction. The more lightly you live, the more closely aligned you are with the natural world around you, the more you will feel this. Many people have reported that living lightly and living more deeply tuned to the rest of Nature – in other words, living green – brings with it a joyous sense of lightness and freedom and a deeper sensual pleasure in being alive, day to day, moment to moment. You may already be living more lightly on the Earth than many people you know and paying more attention to how the daily choices you make will impact the planet as a whole. If you love this planetary home of ours and you care about its wellbeing and factor that into every single decision you make, every day of your life, you are certainly one of those caring folk who are already living the way we all should live and helping all life to survive. But that is not all. Beyond simply living green there is yet another step to take. The other most significant work we do is the work we do on ourselves, on our attitudes, on the way we define who we are and who and what Earth might be. For there is an even more radical way to live. And that is to understand, with your entire mind and body and soul, that you are not simply 'on' the planet, you are an intrinsic part of the planet. You already feel a sense of responsibility for our Earth's wellbeing because you really get it that your personal wellbeing and that of the planet are one and the same thing. As above, so below. What is good for the Earth is also good for us. But our Earth is not a chunk of inanimate matter: She is one large living, breathing organism and all Her parts are interconnected and interdependent. You may believe that intellectually, but can you feel it? For when you can truly know and feel yourself not as something separate from the Earth, but as a living part of a greater living organism, a cell in the body of that great living organism that many of us like to call Gaia, you touch into an even deeper level of awareness. And not only to know and understand that but to live your entire life out of that humble knowing, that is deep green living, and that is what this book is about. Deep Green Living is the path of sustainability, spirituality, a sense of permanent and eternal belonging and of deep, abiding joy.

Many of us have heard about the science of climate change. How climate change brings with it turbulent weather conditions, particularly flooding. But what can we do about this? And how can we inspire change? This project is about hearing people’s personal stories of flooding produced by turbulent weather conditions. And how, by listening to people’s experiences, we become aware that the problem of climate change is immediate, affecting us today. Also, by listening to people’s positive experiences of downshifting, we can learn that combating climate change can be a rewarding experience, leading to a more fulfilled life. This is because downshifting (reducing our income or circumstances to a lifestyle that is more fulfilling) can result in reduced carbon emissions and therefore a lifestyle that has less impact on the climate. CONTRIBUTORS: Lynne Jones, Hazel Beck, Mary Dhonau, Graham Styring, Marian Van Eyk McCain, Jane Faith, Claire Appleby and Sally Lever.

In ‘Rivers of Green Wisdom’ the author shares personal reflections on Christian, Yogic and Earth-centred wisdom and key stages encountered on his own spiritual journey. This book unveils central teachings about the sacredness of Earth and Nature, covers both past and present understanding about our interdependent relationship with the natural world, and how various teachers have looked for East-West fusions for deeper and more responsible living. There are important insights within the five detailed chapters, along with informative passages about contemporary prophets and mystics who have been influential in promoting relevant wisdom for our times. Overall, ‘Rivers of Green Wisdom’ highlights essential challenges we need to embrace in order to move forward skilfully and build a harmonious and sustainable Earth community that compassionately cares about the diversity of life our Earth-Mother has sought to celebrate. CONTENTS: Preface, Introduction, 1. Pursuing Meaning and Purpose, 2. Opening to Greater Awareness, 3. Deeper Encounters, 4. Embracing our Earth Mother and Responding to Her Call, 5. Mending the Broken Pieces, Bibliography, About the Author. REVIEWS: “Overall, this is a heart-warming book where I learnt a good deal about Earth based spirituality through the lens of different traditions. I felt that my spirituality is not some made-up modern quirk but something that is deeply rooted in, and belongs to, the ongoing spiritual evolution of our collective human journey.” ~ Ian Mowll, Interfaith Foundation Minister and the coordinator of GreenSpirit. “From his many years of deep immersion in the Yogic, Christian and Earth-based traditions, Santoshan skilfully expresses in this book, the feeling tone of each of these three spiritual movements. He explains how they blend, how they relate to each other and how they share a common thread of love and the sanctity of all life. Seldom do you find such practised clarity in revealing the wisdom of Spirit.” ~ Sky McCain, Vedantist and author of ‘Planet as Self: An Earthen Spirituality.’ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston) studied world religions at King’s College London, is a OneSpirit Interfaith minister, a member of GreenSpirit’s publications team, and an author, coauthor and editor of over a dozen books, including ‘Spirituality Unveiled’ and ‘Realms of Wondrous Gifts’. THE GREENSPIRIT EBOOK SERIES: GreenSpirit is a registered charity based in the UK. The main contents/written material, editing, design and promotional work for its ebooks is done on a purely voluntary basis, or given freely by contributors who share SpiritSpirit members’ passion for Gaia centred spirituality.

‘Pathways of Green Wisdom’ covers teachings and practices that promote honouring and compassionately caring for Nature. It brings together numerous reflective and informative pieces by contributors to GreenSpirit magazine spanning a period of 11 years, along with especially written new material. Contributors include progressive and insightful writers from scientific, educationist and eco-activist backgrounds. Each of them writes skilfully while displaying a wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of green wisdom found within a specific tradition. Each offers an enriching well for eco-spiritual readers to draw some nourishment and appreciate numerous Earth-centred dimensions of a particular path. CONTENTS: Publisher’s Preface / Acknowledgments / Introduction / 1. Namaste: Reverence for the Elements (poem) – Marie Miller / 2. On Christ – June Raymond / 3. Judaism and Deep Ecology – Vivienne Cato / 4. Pagan Ethics: An Interview with Emma Restall Orr – Marian Van Eyk McCain / 5. Daoism: The Natural Way – David E Cooper / 6. Hinduism and Ecology: A Reflection – Jean Hardy / 7. Spirit Dance: A Modern’s Encounter with the Indigenous Mind – Donna Ladkin / 8. Earth as a Mosque – Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston) / 9. Buddhism, Society and the Planet – Jean Boulton / 10. The Relevance of Jainism – Aidan Rankin / 11. Creation Spirituality and God – Chris Clarke / Appendix I: Green Spirituality as a Model for Future Environmentalism – Chris Philpott / Appendix II: Quotations through the Ages – Various Authors and Teachings / About the Contributors / Other Titles in the GreenSpirit Ebook Series. EDITOR: Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston). THE GREENSPIRIT EBOOK SERIES: GreenSpirit is a registered charity based in the UK. The main contents/written material, editing, design and promotional work for its ebooks is done on a purely voluntary basis, or given freely by contributors who share SpiritSpirit members’ passion for Gaia centred spirituality.

This is the ninth title in the GreenSpirit Book Series. ‘Awakening to Earth-Centred Consciousness’ shares personal stories, engages thoughtfully with green topics, and provides insightful teachings about our interconnected relationships with the natural world. A wide range of major subjects are covered such as green burials, veganism, raising green awareness in the Amazon, elephant protection, ecopsychology, and how Nature can heal us. This book encourages us to embrace an inclusive, compassionate and mindful spirituality – one that leads to interacting with profound levels of life and Nature, of which we are all wondrously interwoven and a part, and the essential obligations this brings for responsible Gaia-centred living. CONTENTS: GreenSpirit Book Series Preface / Introduction – Santoshan (aka Stephen Wollaston) / PART ONE: INTERACTIONS WITH NATURE / 1. The Old Woman and the Sea – Erna Colebrook / 2. The Black Mamba – Amelia Kinkade / 3. Earth Activist Training, Permaculture, and Simple Techniques for Saving the World! – Jonathan Furst / PART TWO: BALANCE AND HEALING / 4. Living on the Edge: A View Through the Lens of Complexity – Jean Boulton / 5. Healing Our Cities – Marian Van Eyk McCain / 6. The Healing Garden: A Personal Tribute to the Work of Pioneering Transpersonal Therapist Jenny Grut (1955 – 2006) – Richard Adams / 7. Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing: Animal Poetry and Ecopsychology – Victoria Field / 8. The Paws that Heal – Margaret Lee / PART THREE: IMPLEMENTING GREEN WISDOM / 9. Project Green Hands – Katie Hill / 10. Elephant Protection: An Interview with Susan Canney – Ian Mowll / 11. Spirituality and Veganism – Piers Warren / 12. Down to Earth: An Eco-Friendly Burial – Jean Francis / 13. Eco-Restaurant in the Amazon Jungle: An Interview with Nicola Peel – Ian Mowll / PART FOUR: NATURE’S POWERS AND WONDERS / 14. Living in the Paradox of Destruction and Creation – Chris Clarke / 15. The Oak Child – Nigel Lees / 16. The Hurricane – June Raymond / GREENSPIRIT RESOURCES / About the GreenSpirit Book Series and Other Resources CONTRIBUTORS: Richard Adams, Jean Boulton, Susan Canney, Chris Clarke, Erna Colebrook, Victoria Field, Jean Francis, Jonathan Furst, Katie Hill, Amelia Kinkade, Margaret Lee, Nigel Lees, Marian Van Eyk McCain, Nicola Peel, June Raymond and Piers Warren. EDITORS: Ian Mowll and Santoshan (aka Stephen Wollaston). THE GREENSPIRIT BOOK SERIES: GreenSpirit is a registered charity based in the UK. The main contents/written material, editing, design and promotional work for its ebooks is done on a purely voluntary basis, or given freely by contributors who share SpiritSpirit members’ passion for Gaia-centred spirituality.

While bringing together a collection of articles published mostly in GreenSpirit magazine, ‘Dark Nights of the Green Soul’ highlights insights about facing difficult times, alongside reflections on our interactive relationship with Nature and our shared responsibilities. The book’s four main parts present various perspectives about working with darkness and ways in which we can creatively move forward. The first section considers different types of darkness as well as its benefits. The second and largest section includes further wisdom, along with personal stories about times of difficulty people encountered, and how each of the storytellers found new meaning and growth by either connecting with an animal friend or in Earth-centred spiritual awakenings and teachings. The seven articles in the third and final sections reflect upon the state of the planet and offer practical views for the times in which we live and ‘the great work’ we need to embrace. CONTRIBUTORS: Joan Angus, Grace Blindell, Alex Brianson, Christine Connelly, Gail Davidson, Caroline Rosie Dent, William Fulford, Malcolm Hollick, Marshall Wayne Lee, Marian Van Eyk McCain, Sky McCain, Ian Mowll, Mary Jo Radcliffe, June Raymond, Trevor Sharman, Nicola Smalley, Mary Reynolds Thompson and Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston). ABOUT THE EDITORS: Both editors are Interfaith ministers. Ian Mowll is also co-editor of GreenSpirit magazine and the compiler of ‘The Rising Water Project’. Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston) is the principal graphic designer for GreenSpirit publications, and an author, co-author and editor of over twelve books, including ‘Spirituality Unveiled’. THE GREENSPIRIT E-BOOK SERIES: The GreenSpirit Book Series is low-cost series. The main contents/written material, editing, design and promotional work for the books are done on a purely voluntary basis, or given freely by contributors who share SpiritSpirit members’ passion for Gaia centred spirituality.

A meditations book of profound and inspiring quotations on green spirituality. Drawing from a variety of GreenSpirit publications, this little book of reflections gathers together numerous key insights in nine essential categories that can be seen as the core of Earth-centred wisdom. ‘GreenSpirit Reflections' is the tenth title in the GreenSpirit Book Series, which is a low-cost series on Earth-centred spirituality, sold at production price only. Passages are by contributors and editors of numerous articles, and authors of titles published by GreenSpirit. The book also includes some wonderful images. Compiled by Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston), who studied world religions at King’s College London, is a member of GreenSpirit’s publications team, and the author and editor of over a dozen books.

This is a collection of poetry written by people who are spiritually green, expressing their love of Mother Gaia and the community of the Natural World. The book is loosely arranged in sections to represent different aspects of Earth-centred life and death. The poems were lovingly gathered from the poets’ personal collections and from some previously published in GreenSpirit magazines, as well as those contributed by friends and family. It is a book for browsing or dipping into; thought provoking, uplifting and meditational. ABOUT THE COMPILER: Joan Angus grew up in the Yorkshire countryside, roaming the hills when she wasn’t at school. From an early age she felt she belonged to Nature’s community. She went to college in Liverpool where she trained to become an Occupational Therapist and moved south following her husband’s job opportunities. They raised their two children in Hampshire, where she now lives with her second husband and their collie dog, at the edge of the South Downs. After retirement she became interested in genealogy and has self-published three novels based on the family history of her paternal grandmother. She has been a member of GreenSpirit for around twenty years, much of that serving on the Council. THE GREENSPIRIT BOOK SERIES: GreenSpirit is a registered charity based in the UK. The GreenSpirit Book Series is a low-cost book series in paperback and eBook format. The main contents/written material, editing, design and promotional work for the series is done on a purely voluntary basis, or given freely by contributors who share SpiritSpirit members’ passion for Gaia-centred spirituality.

A small inspirational self-help book on an increasingly popular topic – how to simplify one’s life in order to achieve better health, lower stress, greater enjoyment, satisfaction and spiritual growth. This timeless book, originally published by Findhorn Press, and now republished and redesigned as the twelfth title in the GreenSpirit Book Series, is written in an autobiographical style by someone who has experienced, at first-hand, a number of different versions of ‘the simple life’ and discovered for herself, over many years, the immense joy and pleasure that is gained by living simply, sustainably and close to the Earth. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally a social worker and then a transpersonal psychotherapist/workshop leader/health educator with an MA in East-West Psychology, Marian Van Eyk McCain officially ‘retired’ in 1996 to concentrate on her writing. A member of GreenSpirit for many years and co-Editor of GreenSpirit magazine, she is the author of seven books, and editor of the anthology ‘GreenSpirit: Path to a New Consciousness’ (Earth Books), plus several other books in the GreenSpirit Book Series.

Thirteenth title in the GreenSpirit Book Series, which is a low-cost series that offers ebook editions ‘free’ for members of GreenSpirit. A collection of profound and inspiring quotations from one of the most important voices of our times: the late Thomas Berry, author, geologian, cultural historian and lover of the Earth. It includes several quotations from work that Berry co-authored with cosmologist Brian Swimme. All the quotations were selected and arranged by June Raymond especially for GreenSpirit publication. Along with her introduction, June has included her suggestions on how the book may be used as a tool for meditation. This small but immensely rich in content book demands a permanent place on every eco-spiritual reader’s bookshelf. It was first published by GreenSpirit Books and later made available with design changes in our GreenSpirit Book Series. CONTENTS: Introduction / 1. Creation’s Beauty / 2. Diversity / 3. Interiority / 4. Community/ 5. To be Human / 6. Human Destruction / 7. A New Vision / References / Acknowledgements / GreenSpirit Book Series and Other Resources ABOUT THE COMPILER: June Raymond, who is a sister of Notre Dame, read English at Oxford and served as a long-standing member of the GreenSpirit Council. She lives in the north of England.