Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World [B1315]

2022 HCDJ. From one of the most original thinkers on the role of religion in the modern world, a profound exploration of the spiritual power of nature-and an urgent call to reclaim that power in everyday life. "Much has been written on the scientific and technological aspects of climate change.... But Armstrong's book is both more personal and more profound. Its urgent message is that hearts and minds need to change if we are to once more learn to revere our beautiful and fragile planet." -The Guardian 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 best-selling 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.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Karen weaves together many different traditions and brings them to a modern conversation that is absolutely essential for us all to solve. How do we become compassionate enough for ourselves, our communities, and ultimately nature - the thing we most depend upon?"; " I really enjoyed it. I appreciate how it surveys diverse religions with a focus on their relationship with nature and how that has shaped humanity. I think the research and writing were thought provoking and beautifully done. I think the marketing elements (title, subtitle, book description) could have been better. This is a powerful book that could do a lot of good for the world, but when book hunting, it just doesn't stand out from the crowd the way it deserves."; "I was taught early that nature was holy. This book offers a beautiful mosaic of views, philosophies, and ideologies, all circling the same truth: nature is sacred. Not every book is meant to spell it out for us, the real magic is in picking up this book and knitting a scarf from its threads, weaving in your own takeaways. Rationality, science, and wonder (magic! the sacred!) are all vital. But it's the everyday, the mundane, the quiet, steady rhythm, that gives us the safety and grounding to hold both without fear. To truly honor and protect nature, we have to come back to that rooted place. And we have to do it now, more than ever."