Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World

by Karen Armstrong

A profound exploration of the spiritual power of nature--and an urgent call to reclaim that power in everyday life

Since the beginning of time, humankind has looked upon nature and seen the divine. In the writings of the great thinkers across religions, the natural world inspires everything from fear to awe to tranquil contemplation; God, or however one defined the sublime, was present in everything. Yet today, even as we admire a tree or take in a striking landscape, we rarely see nature as sacred.

In this short but 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. In bringing this age-old wisdom to life, Armstrong shows modern readers how to rediscover nature's potency and form a connection to something greater than ourselves

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy, Environment, Science

205 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2022

About the author

Karen Armstrong is a British author and commentator of Irish Catholic descent known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical Christian faith. She attended St Anne's College, Oxford, while in the convent and graduated in English. She left the convent in 1969. Her work focuses on commonalities of the major religions, such as the importance of compassion and the Golden Rule.
Armstrong received the US$100,000 TED Prize in February 2008. She used that occasion to call for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year.

Reviews

[Ymke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has little to do with recover the bond with nature or even discussing why we need to see nature as sacred. It's more a anthology of eastern religions to live more in the moment and therefore experience the world around you in a different way.
Also I was missing the other religions and their view on the bond with nature. For example: African religions have an amazing view on that and even try to cooperate this views into laws and Christianity/Islam to still connect with nature. Even Christianity itself have some nice views and new interpretations on the bond with the environment.
I still give it a 3 star review, because the religions and arguments that are included are good. The message although is weak. This work is not complete and a bit superficial in it's research.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s hard to even know how to review this book. It’s honestly much more of a summary of different religions than it is to do with reconnecting to nature. It explores how different dogmas believe the earth was created, and how ancient cultures connected to nature. However, like I said, it was much more of a general synopsis of religions and not much at all on what we can glean from these religions and how we can find that reconnection in ourselves. I would say this book is better suited for someone interested in philosophy or religious history than someone interested in a nature forward book.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I read about melting glaciers and the inevitability of rising water. Day after day, some report or study warns again of the trajectory we are on, how we have reshaped the world and set in motion it’s demise.

We have been warned about this for decades, for generations, and we continue our lives as usual, perhaps sorry, but complacent. If we don’t chose to change, we will be forced to in the future.

Karen Armstrong contends that the loss of humanity’s ancient respect for all things has contributed to our disassociation with the natural world. She shows how ancient philosophies and religions were based on an awe and respect for all things, a belief that all are connected, and the holiness of nature.

Sacred Nature is not a touchy-feely book, or a passionately angry book, like some I have read. Through the lens of ancient beliefs, Armstrong leads readers to practices that will reconnect us with the natural world, spurring a connection that will inspire us to change our lives.

Readers of this book will likely be sophisticated, urban, professionals, educated. People who use technology and take jet flights. People who are disassociated from nature, who don’t live with forests and meadows, the oceans and lakes. Who have air conditioning and city water and can pay for the rising costs as the world heats up. But money and privilege won’t protect us forever.

Each chapter summarizes an ancient philosophy: Confucianism, Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, early Judaism, and Christianity. She explains the ceremonies and practices of our ancestors. The common thread is a belief in the interconnectivity of life, encountering the holy in nature–the very experiences that we have lost in the modern world.

Armstrong ends the chapters with spiritual practices inspired by the ancient religions, learning how to practice gratitude, setting aside our self-centeredness for greater awareness.

Thanks to A. A. Knopf for a free book.

[Paula Abreu Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A profunda empatia dos jainistas pede-nos que tomemos consciência de que o mundo em que vivemos está em sofrimento e que tomemos nota dos danos que infligimos à nossa e às outras espécies. No Ocidente, a mindfulness tornou-se um exercício espiritual popular, mas costuma estar voltada para o nosso próprio bem-estar. Talvez a devêssemos alargar para cultivar uma consciência, como a dos jainistas, da dor que diariamente infligimos tanto aos outros humanos como à natureza.
Viver a vida jainista plena seria sem dúvida demasiado intenso para a maior parte de nós, mas podíamos ainda assim esforçar-nos por reflectir sobre o nosso comportamento. Devíamos contemplar a força vital de cada coisa que encontramos no decurso de um dia. Que tipo de existência desfruta esta árvore ou aquele insecto? Não terá consciência como nós a conhecemos, mas está vivo num modo misterioso e fascinante. O seu silêncio devia inspirar-nos a usar a nossa imaginação para entrar nas suas vidas e libertar-nos do nosso arraigado solipsismo."

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Karen Armstrong doet een poging om ons langs spirituele weg, via empathie en compassie te verbinden met de natuur en met elkaar. Zij rijgt de elementen van verschillende levensbeschouwingen met veel kennis van zaken aan elkaar en springt razendsnel van de één naar de ander. Voor mij als geïnteresseerde leek is dit too much en onnavolgbaar. Het blijft theoretisch en beschouwend. Het boek geeft daarentegen wel degelijk nieuwe inzichten. De vraag is of het op deze wijze lukt om ons te verleiden tot andere omgang met natuur en elkaar.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I'm more fuckin woo-woo than I care to admit. Generally speaking, I didn't take away much from this book in terms of concepts that were wholly new to me. I generally already live like this and have this type of mentality. Yeah. I know. I'm a big fuckin softy. I am one of those people that catches and releases insects rather than killing them, I feel deeply for plants and animals and I have a tendency to anthropomorphize all living things and treat them, if not like an equal, at least close enough to engage empathy and respect. This attitude thus facilitates a more empathetic view of other human beings also. A view that leaves one slower to judge and quicker to forgive. I think if more people behaved like this, the world would be a much more compassionate and empathetic place. A book like this one could help in that regard, and for that reason alone I recommend it.

The book uses religious myth and teachings as a sort of justification for the idea that "were naturally this way, and we need to go back to being like this again". However if you arent particularly religious, this isn't terribly convincing. It's neat, but not a very compelling argument. If you don't have tendencies in this direction already, I doubt it would do much to convince you otherwise. That being said though, it's a short and easy read, there no reason not to, at least, give it a try.

[John Kaufmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. I was a little disappointed -- I had my hopes up after hearing a podcast interview with the author. The critique of how the Judeo-Christian tradition came to separate God from the natural world was interesting. But the chapters dealing with how Daoism, Islam, Hinduism and other religions consider nature were, in my mind, too academic (i.e., too long-winded and detailed) and basically redundant (the subtle differences may have resonated with scholars of comparative religion, but they all sounded essentially the same to me). And the book didn't cover the Native American perspective.

[Tom LA · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Wall Street Journal article published today (Sep 17th, 2022) exposes Ms. Armstrong’s hyper-detailed superficiality. I’m sorry that so many readers do not realize that. And I’m not surprised at all that, with her famous bias, she ignores Christian environmentalism (i.e. “Laudato Si’”, by pope Francis) and launches absurd generalizations in favor of Islam and against “the West”. I wish people took her books a little less seriously, just the way she treats historical and theological accuracy.

[hawk]

I loved the sound of this book when I came across it, but I didn't get past the introduction! 😯

I generally appreciate listening to authors read their own work, but I wasn't sure about Karen Armstrong as reader, there is something that catches uncomfortably in her voice for me.

things that turned me away :
it felt repetitive, and abit limited - very much a North Western European perspective, referencing tribal peoples... talks of explorers rather than colonisers... what we can take from indigenous communities and/or traditions... and also saying we can't learn what we need without saying why.

maybe I'll try again another time... 🤔 maybe not... 🤔

accessed as an audiobook from RNIB library, read by the author.

[Sandra Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sacred Nature” is a reflective and timely work that blends spirituality, history, and environmental awareness. Karen Armstrong explores how ancient beliefs once rooted humans deeply in harmony with the natural world, and how rediscovering that sacred connection might be the key to healing our planet today.

From Indigenous teachings to Eastern philosophies and early Western thought, it shows how different cultures have understood the divine presence in nature. Her approach is both scholarly and deeply compassionate, making complex ideas feel accessible and profoundly relevant.

The book isn’t just about faith; it’s about perspective. Karen Armstrong challenges modern society’s detachment from the environment and urges a return to reverence, mindfulness, and responsibility. Each chapter flows with her characteristic depth and calm, filled with examples.

Overall, “Sacred Nature” is an inspiring and thought-provoking call to reawaken our spiritual connection to the Earth. It’s less a lecture and more a meditation.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read a handful of books addressing climate change, but what I enjoyed what Karen Armstrong did with this book is to strip it all back down to the basics. There are many root causes to our climate crisis and other social injustices, but one point that Armstrong focuses on here is that, over time, humans have not only disconnected from nature, but changed the hierarchy in how they view themselves in relation to nature. Through the lens of a variety of religions, Armstrong goes back in time to how they each individually worshipped, connected with, and treated nature. Unfortunately we have lost a lot of that as we progressed with the advancement of technology, etc.

For instance, in my former religion, one of (there were many) reasons that I stopped believing from a young age is the very obvious hierarchy it preached - God > Man > Woman > Animals/Plants. For me, I have always viewed the world from a perspective of synergy, so it was never going to be a good match for me.

It can be a little mind numbing going through different passages and historical stories from each religion, but I did appreciate that at the end of each chapter, she would suggest how we can move forward and apply those lessons to today.

If the relevant people in society don't change their attitude towards and how they view nature, it's going to be really difficult to get our planet back to a healthy state. Humans don't care for what they don't value, so this book is a good reminder of why we need to.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

De inleiding was heel sterk en eigenzinnig en dat was het dan eigenlijk (los van een paar jaïnistische keizers in hoofdstuk 9).

[Alison S ☯️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded down. I thought I would like this book much more than I did, having enjoyed The Spiral Staircase by the same author, and being very much attuned to the idea of a spiritual connection with nature. I loved the Introduction, and the exploration of mythos and logos in the first chapter. Unfortunately it was downhill all the way after that. For me, it became a rather dry rehash of various theological ideas, where the author seemed to lose sight of nature entirely at times. Each chapter ended with a section called The Way Forward, which was basically an extremely preachy list of shoulds and oughts. Not the best way to encourage an emotional or spiritual connection with nature, and the suggestions were often very vague or impractical. The title of the book was misleading, as, rather than being about the spiritual aspects of nature, it was more like an account of the views certain (mainly Abrahamic) religions hold about nature.

[فاروق]

reviewed for the Chicago Review of Books: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2022/09/...


As I sit down to write this, approximately one third of Pakistan is underwater due to devastating floods from monsoon rains. Before going on, I must ask you, reader, to sit for a moment and try to ponder what it means for a third of a country to be underwater. Over 1300 people are dead (and the number is likely to climb). Livelihoods, crops, and homes have been destroyed. Food and medicine are difficult to access. Recovery will take months, maybe longer, if ever—but what does recovery even mean when life as one knows it can be swept away by unstoppable currents of water that materialize in a matter of days?



****



A staggering 33 million people have been internally displaced in Pakistan. Because climate change is likely to have played a role in the heavy rains, the displaced can be considered “climate refugees”— a term that the novelist Fatima Bhutto urges us remember, as we will all be impacted by climate change, and many of us will become migrants as a result, if we haven’t already.

Much has been written about developed countries’ outsized impact on climate change through their unrelenting burning of fossil fuels, and the disproportionate consequences that poorer countries, like Pakistan, which accounts for less than one percent of global carbon emissions, will face as a result. But in Sacred Nature: Restoring our Ancient Bond with the Natural World, Karen Armstrong, a prolific author of numerous books on religion, shifts our focus on the causes of climate change from the material to the spiritual.

Armstrong locates our very capacity to willingly inflict so much violence on the natural world in the severed link between nature and the divine, which developed in early modern European Christianity. While the medieval Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas asserted that God is not just a being but Being itself, “present everywhere in everything,” not just confined to a supernatural heaven above, later theologians and philosophers began to understand the divine in strictly rationalist terms. Francis Bacon argued that humans can discover the laws governing the natural world, giving humanity not just the opportunity but the obligation to control and subdue the earth; Rene Descartes believed matter was lifeless, godless and inert, and thus nature could not tell us anything about the divine; and Isaac Newton defined God’s essential characteristic as dominatio (“dominion”), a concept which would reduce nature to a resource to be exploited. By Armstrong’s account, Newton believed God was simply a larger and more powerful version of a human scientist, what Newton described as “a voluntary Agent” who was “very well skilled in Mechanicks and Geometry.” Decoupling the natural world from the divine reduced it to phenomenon to be controlled and exploited and removed the spiritual safeguards that otherwise could have prevented the destruction of the environment.

This evolution was not only a break from earlier Christian theology, Armstrong writes, but is an anomaly among other major world religions. Confucianism and Daoism, Islam, Hinduism, and other religions all still hold nature to be sacred. It is from this essential premise that Armstrong builds upon through the rest of the book, surveying other religious traditions to explore how humankind has understood the relationship between nature and divinity, to provide a way forward to mend our broken relationship.

In Confucian thought, qi is the ineffable essence of the universe, neither wholly spiritual nor wholly material, that pervades all life, “harmoniously linking the plant, animal, human and divine worlds and enabling them to fulfill their potential.” The Confucian scholar Tu Weiming described this continuous relationship between heaven, earth, and humanity as “anthropocosmic,” collapsing the divisions between human beings and the divine as the two share the same reality. In Islamic thought, nature itself is not divine, but one of God’s greatest signs. Each verse of the Qur’an is called an ayah—a sign of God—and so too is each phenomenon of nature. So not only is the Qur’an a divine revelation, but the rhythms and pulses of the natural world itself are a constant theophany to be pondered and immersed in, just as one would with scripture.

But simply reading the doctrines and ideas of other faiths is not sufficient, Armstrong argues. One must also expand the ways in which we come to know things in the first place. There are two main ways of acquiring knowledge about the world: logos and mythos. Logos corresponds to objective facts and is the pragmatic, rational mode of thought that powers our decision making and allows us to function. As successful as logos has been in producing scientific advancements for the benefit of humankind, it cannot answer questions pertaining to the meaning or purpose of life, or the nature of beauty. Mythos, on the other hand, begins at the limitations of logos, venturing inward into the deepest facets of the human experience, concerning itself with meaning and value. Mythos cannot be conveyed by rational proof, but its insights are intuitively felt and known, like the impact of reading a tender poem. This is not to say that mythos is irrational, but that it extends beyond the limits of rationality and opens the door to knowledge that rational proofs cannot perceive; it is the type of insight Ralph Waldo Emerson was speaking from when he proclaimed “beauty is the mark God sets upon virtue.”

This mythical knowledge is only unearthed when cultivated and embodied in ritual and practice, and ritual plays a central role in the religions Armstrong analyzes. The idea of ahimsa, translated as “harmlessness,” is crucial to social and spiritual life in many Indian religious practices, but particularly in Jainism. In order to reach spiritual liberation, Jains taught, one must cultivate empathy with every living being through a program of asceticism in which their bodily actions reshaped their minds: the spiritual aspirant had to walk with extreme caution, lest they accidentally step on an insect or plant; one could not pluck fruit from trees, but had to wait for fruit to fall on its own; and twice a day should stand before one’s teacher and repent for any unintentional harm they may have caused. In Hinduism, priests devised what is now known as the Five Great Sacrifices. To help the faithful develop habitual attitudes of compassion, gratitude, and practical concern for others and the natural world, the Five Great Sacrifices call for placing a small bowl of food outside for hungry or sick animals, welcoming and honoring both invited and uninvited guests, remembering both the deceased and Hindu deities with offering of rice, grains or fruit thrown into the family’s fire, and performing a daily study of scripture. Each chapter of Armstrong’s book concludes with a brief section of suggestions on how to incorporate these teachings in one’s own life, whether or not one embraces the religious traditions they are derived from.

It is insufficient to view the collapse of the environment as a purely physical phenomenon— we must look at the spirituality, or lack thereof, that produced human beings capable of such pillaging. If we fail to do so, we remain vulnerable to the same destructive tendencies that created our circumstances in the first place. Through Armstrong’s exploration, it becomes clear that a cohesive theology of oneness, harmony, and reverence for the natural world is central to humanity’s collective religious expression. And from this theological wellspring emerged rituals and ethics for how to engage with and be in the world. It would be a mistake to adopt a passive spirituality confined to contemplating nature without acting to restore and preserve it. And a theology of oneness naturally encompasses how we interact with humanity at large, too. So, taking nature as our guide, it is just as essential for our dealings with each other to be perfumed with reverence and dignity, and to commit ourselves to undoing and repairing the injustices that humankind inflicts on its own members. This is, according to our spiritual traditions, what the natural world not only teaches us, but demands of us. Armstrong’s book makes a vital contribution to discussions on climate change because what is required from us as a species is not only a technological transformation, but also a spiritual one.

Additionally, it is important to recognize that this is a non-specialist, non-academic book. Armstrong makes strong claims regarding epistemology, the development of Christianity, and major world religions, all of which are likely contested within academia. But her efforts and intentions here are simple: this book is not a rejection of Christianity or Western spirituality, but a rejection of the spiritual outlook that keeps us from seeing the natural world as a part of ourselves.

Spirituality itself will not offer quick-fix solutions to the climate catastrophe, but quick-fix solutions themselves are emblematic of strictly rationalist thinking. If we take nature as our guide, our transformation will resemble a flower as it blossoms: slow, subtle, almost invisible— but once it blooms, its beauty and impact will be undeniable.

The devastating impact of climate change is undeniable, evident in the aftermath of the monsoons in Pakistan. In the face of catastrophe, Armstrong is urging us to return to the spirit.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armstrong brings her usual erudition to this short survey of how adopting the teachings of different religions can help us better address the challenges of climate change.

[Stephanie Barko]

This is the February 2024 selection of South Austin Spiritual Book Group.

[Jan Vernieuwe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessant boek en eens een boek van haar dat leesbaar is en geen turf van honderden bladzijden waar je je weg in verliest.

Karen Armstrong geeft een mooi overzicht van de diverse (theoretische) religieuze houdingen tov de natuur (en gelijkenissen ertussen) met telkens een reflectie naar onze tijd en wat wij kunnen doen aan de teloorgang.
Dit blijft m.i. wel allemaal teveel een individuele verantwoordelijkheid. De oplossingen die ze aandraagt zijn mager, vooral omdat ze maar 1 element belicht: wat wij zelf kunnen doen, individueel, maar nergens duidt ze de maatschappelijke verantwoordelijkheid, laat staan structurele of politieke oplossingen.
Dit bevestigt het beeld van de oosterse filosofische stromingen die enkel op individuele bevrijding gericht zijn en geen maatschappelijke wijzigen willen doorvoeren.

Er zitten wel mooie citaten van teksten of gedichten die de moeite waard zijn om over na te denken.

Een mooi theoretisch en meditatief begin, maar de echte oplossingen zullen we wel zelf nog moeten uitwerken en vooral toepassen.

[MKF · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would have liked more nature and a lot less religion. The author of course ignores the bad parts of religion to try and convince us on how religion can help rekindle the divine in nature.

[Luz Forero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naturaleza sagrada, de la autora Karen Armstrong, quien se ha especializado en escritos aspectos religiosos, nos presenta en esta oportunidad comparaciones de como la espiritualidad en diferentes culturas ha llevado a una construcción de la contemplación e interacción sagrada con el mundo.
El problema esencial actual parte que hemos estado en un camino de alienación, de los unos con los otros y con lo que nos rodea. En esta era tecnológica de hiperconexión virtual, estamos viviendo en un mundo simulado, en el que nos gusta tomar fotos y guardarlas, pero no nos detenemos a contemplar a aquellos y aquello que nos rodean, en otras palabras, estamos peligrosamente distanciados. Cada vez alejamos más de nuestras mentes y nuestros corazones los murmullos de la naturaleza y hemos sido participes de manera indirecta o indirecta en crímenes antinatura, que al ser cotidianos se nos hacen triviales y no les damos importancia.
Es obvio que esta desconexión con la naturaleza es uno de los principales orígenes de los problemas de salud en la población humana, reflejado en las dificultades de comportamiento, desarraigo, desapropiación, desconocimiento de las conexiones con la naturaleza, estrés, soledad, pasividad…
Parte de la crisis ambiental en la que estamos inmersos es por la incapacidad de fomentar un sentimiento de veneración hacia la realidad natural y tomar conciencia que somos inseparables. En ese orden de ideas, construir una nueva mentalidad, pero que retome la sacralidad de aquellas “cosas” que conforman la naturaleza, es la invitación para dar un nuevo orden a las prioridades y contribuir desde cada una de nuestras individualidades, potencialidades, posibilidades y esferas de interacción a garantizar la paz y la integridad de este planeta, que es nuestro hogar, buscando ir más allá.
Lo divino, una esencia inseparable de la naturaleza, esta es la premisa de comparación de la autora; por ejemplo, el confusionismo habla del “qui” (ying y yang que interactúan en continua transformación) como esencia fundamental del Universo, que impregna todas las formas de vida y une armónicamente los mundos en una continuidad y nos invita a tratar a los demás como quisiéramos que fuésemos tratados para descubrir de esta manera un camino corto para la realización de lo humano. En el caso del taoísmo nos presentan el “de” como la energía sagrada que hace que todas las “cosas” sean lo que son y deben ser, y hasta la más diminuta cosa existe por la actividad creativa del Tao, una energía sagrada que lo impregna y lo vivifica todo.
Por otro lado, los indoarios presentan a los “Devas” o “brillantes” como fuerzas ocultas que pasan a formar parte de cuanto hay en el mundo y entran a través de la naturaleza oculta con “Rita” o fuerza sagrada que nos lleva al Brahman que se halla presente en todo y cada individuo hasta la punta de las uñas, es decir la ubicuidad de lo sagrado.

En el caso del catolicismo en esta línea de pensamiento nos referencia a Tomas de Aquino “Dios no se halla recluido en el cielo sobrenatural, sino esta presente en todo y en todas partes”, aclarando que es obvio que esta visión cambio y se nos muestra un Dios en el cielo, en otra esfera alejado de la humanidad con una naturaleza para ser explotada a su servicio.

Llamo de manera particular mi atención el jainismo, la cual es una religión no teocéntrica, nos invita a cultivar un estado de atención alerta con el fin de percibir el dolor que infligimos diariamente tanto en los demás humanos como en la naturaleza, reflexionar sobre nuestra conducta y tratar con cuidado lo que nos rodea. Contemplar la fuerza vital de todas las cosas que cruzan a lo largo del día y ver lo que nos rodea de una modo misterioso y fascinante de una manera sacral, frágil y singular, por ende, con respeto y esto es un día tras otro. El jainismo nos dice “este mundo es suficientemente grande para darnos cobijo a ti y a mi”, nos invita a comportarse con modestia.

Quizás el mensaje final que se deduce de las anteriores doctrinas religiosas es volver a descubrir la sacralidad del mundo natural, lo cual exige un grado de quietud, silencio y soledad que es difícil de lograr en nuestros días… Puedes sentarte calladamente, escribir poesía, usar el arte como ritual, entre otras, ya que es hora de propiciar una transformación intelectual y espiritual, que nos permita reparar esta delicada red de la vida, de la cual hacemos parte y prometer volver a la llevar a las siguientes generaciones a vivir en la naturaleza de una manera armónica y que lleve a la placidez de nuestra propia mente.

[Hester]

Armstrong betoogt dat we in deze klimaatcrisis onze houding tegenover de natuur moeten veranderen. We kunnen daarbij een voorbeeld nemen aan verschillende oude religies die de natuur als heilig en bovendien als onderdeel van onszelf zagen, in plaats van iets buiten ons dat we vooral kunnen gebruiken. In plaats van gedachteloos voort te denderen, kunnen we beter nadenken over de gevolgen van onze acties en leefwijzen. Het is een radicaal pleidooi voor zachtmoedigheid en compassie met de mensen en dingen buiten je eigen omgeving en het leert je tegelijk wat over oude denkwijzen. Ik vond het erg verfrissend.

[K H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen Armstrong mentions in the first chapter how Europeans Enlightenment thinkers inserted a divide between the natural world and the supernatural/spiritual, which Othered nature and justified humanity’s exploitation of it. The beginning of Jason Hickel’s Less is More also confronts this. I’m sure there are others more specific to this particular topic, but I can’t think of them right now or haven’t read them yet.

The rest of this book provides snippets from religions around the world not being at odds with nature, which was interesting but mostly a quick survey without too much detail.

The book ends with some call for cultural change regarding how we view ourselves and our home.

[Allana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sacred Nature started out really strong for me but ultimately wasn't focused enough to keep my interest over the span of a pretty short book. Is this book about religion/mythology and nature ? Is it about climate change? Is it a self help book about how to appreciate nature more in your daily life?
It was all over the place.
Overall, I enjoyed enough of it and am intrigued by Karen Armstrong so will check out more of her work before I make a final judgement. I would also re-read this at a different time to see if it works better for me.

[James Easterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I finally made it through a Karen Armstrong book. I deeply respect her as an expert and a scholar. She just writes thick books about complex religious topics. I am thrilled to say that she is spot on, on how we need to look at and respect the world in a holistic manner: “that art thou”. To see and understand the world as a larger extension of ourselves and understand the sacredness of that will not only save us all but is vital to the fundamental meaning in life itself; the very value of all things! All things. Living or not. “On mani padme hum, the sunrise comes, the dewdrop slips into the shining sea”! That sort of thing. We are that, whether you perceive it or not. Where I see things a bit differently than her is in terms of culture. I have a degree in anthropology, yeah big deal, but culture, myth, ritual, in my take can be- although always functional- either good or bad. It’s not a benevolent thing on its own just because it is cultural. Just like religion, we don’t need to repeat the same process to advance forward. Many, maybe most, religions and philosophies, began with the simplest and correct idea. We are not separate, we are part of this beautiful thing we call nature. Then other smart guy sages came along to expand and improve on the idea and now we have six heavens and a doctrine to abide by. No! We need none of that. We need to take the time to sit alone on a mountain ridge and listen to the greatest lesson ever told. It’s that simple. And the go back to our jobs and truly practice the Golden Rule. Virtue is making the world a better place. When we do that not only do we make it better for others, it is better for us as well. Even if it is just filling a pothole. Even that can be a spiritual experience if seen in the proper light.

[Puty]

An interesting book about human's connection to the nature from religion lens; Abrahamic religions as well as the traditional spiritual ones.

Personally, the most important takeaway I got from this book is that Abrahamic religions tend to see human as superior creature and that God is a separate entity from the nature surrounding us. On the other hand, the more traditional religion such as Confuciusm tend to see God and humanbeings as parts of the continuum of nature. While all religion teaches compassion, the two different approaches influence the human's connection to the nature.

If you're into religion studies, it's an interesting subject; not too heavy and can be a good humbling reminder for us amids this climate crisis.

[Catherine S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, moving and inspiring book. Armstrong explores the tragedy of our disconnectedness from the natural world and how it is a major culprit for the environmental crisis we now find ourselves in. By using examples from world religions, Armstrong gives us a hopeful solution; through reconnecting with the essential sacrality of nature, and realising that we are nature ourselves, we will be moved as individuals and a society to protect our planet on a much deeper, more heartfelt level.

[Spencer Linton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reflects on how our relationship w nature has to change through anecdotes from various religions. After a few chapters I found the religious text incredibly tedious, so I began just reading the closing summaries of each chapter. In general, I think the thought behind the book was good, but too theological and scripture based for my liking

[Geir Ertzgaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen Armstrong er en av verdens mest kjente - og anerkjente - forfattere om den religiøse verden. Derfor burde jeg fått med meg at det var hun som hadde skrevet boken før jeg anskaffet meg den. Jeg hadde forventet en bok som handlet om det åndelige og naturen, men det ble en tekst om det religiøse og hvordan den beskriver relasjonen til naturen og om hvordan religion og natur springer ut fra samme sted. Interessant, selv om jeg slet med å holde konsentrasjonen oppe. Til det ble det for mange henvisninger til og sitater fra østlige skrifter som er krevende å holde orden på og å forstå.
Likevel tankevekkende, og nyttig hvis du er av de som enten liker å tenke at religion er den kraften som skal gi oss motivasjon til å leve bærekraftige liv - eller blant de som syns denne naturkjærligheten ikke har noe fundament. Fundamentet gir Karen Armstrong oss, men hun kunne ha skrevet litt mer levende.

[Clayton Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this I’ve realized the core of our disfunction with the environment is that humankind has lost our emotional relationship with nature. We have intellectualized it and got caught up in distractions the modern world has thrown at us which have ultimately blinded and deceived us into thinking we are somehow separate and apart from it.
The process to recovery is simple and begins with us as individuals. Reconnecting with the emotional joys of nature and our sacred relationship to it. All the great religions and philosophies of the ages point to the universality of this connection. Then like the beauty and symbolism of a tree with deep roots beneath with its trunk and branches reaching toward the sky to our families, our neighborhood, communities, states, countries, continents and ultimately the cosmos. It’s all connected.

[Yvonne Aburrow · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Sacred Nature” was good (though kind of her usual message with added kindness to nature) but how can a scholar of religion write an entire book about nature and religions without mentioning contemporary Paganism even once??? Pagan sources she could’ve used: any book by Starhawk; Wild Once by Vivianne Crowley; Rebecca Beattie’s work; “Listening People, Speaking Earth” by Graham Harvey; and many more.

Taoism was not really mentioned either, though there was a lot about Confucianism. Nor were Indigenous religions and spiritualities. Disappointing.

I also checked the bibliography and the sources were curiously unbalanced—hardly anything after the year 2000.

I also disagree about kenosis — I don’t think it is a helpful spiritual practice.

I also think there was an overemphasis on individual practice in response to climate change, and not enough about collective action.

[Thea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4

Some really interesting insights, very easy to read. Also officially book 100 for the year!