The legend of Haleakala describes a demigod named Maui who stood on the summit of the volcano and lassoed the sun from the sky in order to slow its decent and create a longer day (GoHawaii.com). Thus, creating the name of the volcano, Haleakala, which means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian language. It is quite appropriate to create experiences of watching the sun rise and set, not only just a beautiful natural phenomenon, but as an appreciation of the mythological history behind it. Not everyone believes in such narratives, but perhaps these narratives, fictional or not, are put into place to create and maintain the connection between spirituality and nature. Maui, the demigod, and humans have altered nature for personal preferences. However,
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This hope provides the fact that there are good people who want better for humans that they have never met and places that they have never been to. There is an improvement of the self that is synonymous in the improvement of our environment which leads to the dismantling of this damaging notion of separateness. Our ability to communicate with someone across the world provides a false sense of connectivity. In a country not so far away from the person that we’re communicating with, children are being robbed of their right to live and to live peacefully. Having knowledge of this, we probably say a quick prayer and go on with our lives. What good is a prayer with no action? Spirituality rooted in ecology takes us away from the inaction that we display so many times. It is far more than just “going green” and placing papers in the recycling bin. It is a domino effect of bettering oneself in order to better mankind by caring for our natural environment. In many religious texts, the deity expresses the importance of caring for the earth. It seems that mainstream religion glosses over that particular section while incorporating problematic practices in the name of said deity. However, if one chooses to worship this omnipotent presence, why only worship certain parts of it? Everything that is a part of its creation is fundamentally a part of it. Worshipping all of what is sacred to us is another part of eco-spirituality. It appears to be an all-or-nothing way of life but there is no expectations that these critical changes will take place in a short amount of
This hope provides the fact that there are good people who want better for humans that they have never met and places that they have never been to. There is an improvement of the self that is synonymous in the improvement of our environment which leads to the dismantling of this damaging notion of separateness. Our ability to communicate with someone across the world provides a false sense of connectivity. In a country not so far away from the person that we’re communicating with, children are being robbed of their right to live and to live peacefully. Having knowledge of this, we probably say a quick prayer and go on with our lives. What good is a prayer with no action? Spirituality rooted in ecology takes us away from the inaction that we display so many times. It is far more than just “going green” and placing papers in the recycling bin. It is a domino effect of bettering oneself in order to better mankind by caring for our natural environment. In many religious texts, the deity expresses the importance of caring for the earth. It seems that mainstream religion glosses over that particular section while incorporating problematic practices in the name of said deity. However, if one chooses to worship this omnipotent presence, why only worship certain parts of it? Everything that is a part of its creation is fundamentally a part of it. Worshipping all of what is sacred to us is another part of eco-spirituality. It appears to be an all-or-nothing way of life but there is no expectations that these critical changes will take place in a short amount of