Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central premise of this thesis is that humans are disconnected and alienated from Nature and it
proposes that we need to attempt to restore this connection in order to overcome the current
socioecological crises which threaten our survival as a species on the planet.
In response to the research question as to whether a spiritual relationship with Nature could assist in the
transformation to a more sustainable world, this study examines the concepts of Nature and spirituality
and the relationship between them and, in particular, explores the spiritual practices and human-Nature
connections experienced by six South African change agents. The objectives of this exploration are to
present individual stories which could be used as case studies in learning for sustainability and to promote
and encourage deeper conversations about what a more sustainable world might look like.
Given the argument that our disconnection and alienation from Nature is at the crux of the planetary
polycrisis and that we face a crisis of spirituality with regards to our relationship with Nature, this thesis
explores the concept of Nature in depth, taking into consideration different cultural interpretations,
environmental ethical positions and perspectives of Nature held in ancient times. Some of the key
arguments as to why humans are disconnected from Nature (science, loss of indigenous knowledge,
colonialism, capitalism, globalisation, religion and technology) are presented and I consider the implications
of the human-Nature disconnection.
A comprehensive literature review presents the key sociological crises, including climate change, ecosystem
degradation, inequality and poverty, peak oil, urbanisation and food insecurity, which underpin the
planetary polycrisis, and also discusses sustainable development, which arose as an attempt to respond to
the planetary polycrisis. I argue that mainstream sustainable development is anthropocentric and
perpetuates consumption by means of the current economic system.
In light of my research question I propose that spirituality could serve as a bridge between humans and
Nature. The understanding of spirituality which informs my approach implies a heightened awareness or
consciousness, the capacity for deep reflection and compassion, and a profound sense of what it means to
part of the web of life – to be another living, breathing, sentient being in Nature without the hierarchies
which are often dictated by religious forms of spirituality. It is a spirituality integral to daily life, which
informs the decisions about the way we live, and which is expressed through action, i.e. spirit-in-action.
While I acknowledge the role that religion could play in the transformation to a more sustainable world, I
highlight a number of practices, including mindfulness, meditation, rituals, poetry, re-learning from indigenous knowledge and wisdom, and restoration, which could perhaps assist in moving towards a
deeper connection with Nature. In reflecting on what kind of transformation is needed I refer to
complexity theory and systems thinking, and earth jurisprudence as examples of transformative paradigms.
Given that this is a qualitative study, I have used heuristic inquiry, reflexivity, narrative and poetics in my
research approach and conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with six South African change
agents (three women and three men). I have documented their stories as narrative summaries, focusing
particularly on their spirituality with respect to their relationship with Nature. I have then considered the
emerging themes which point to what might be required in order to create sustainable futures.
While there are issues of contention surrounding each of the concepts of Nature, spirituality and
sustainable development, the change agents agree that there is a definite relationship between them and
that they could help to direct our lives towards sustainability. Irrespective of how each of these concepts is
defined, it seems that we need to be thinking about what kind of lives we want to live and what kind of
lives future generations will be able to lead on a planet with a limited carrying capacity.
As to whether a spiritual relationship with Nature could assist in the transformation to a more sustainable
world, it seems that it is not so much a relationship, but a deep understanding and conscious awareness or
knowing of the interconnectedness and interdependence between Nature, spirit and the essence of being
human.
Based on the input from the six change agents, I recommend a number of shifts within individual human
consciousness, in our communities and within broader society to promote sustainable living. Other
recommendations include the possibility of ecopsychology playing a greater role within the sustainable
development discourse and ongoing research to continue to provoke conversations about the human-
Nature connection and the implications this has for sustainability.
While this work is clearly an academic investigation, it has also been a personal undertaking in that I have
explored my own spiritual journey, considered my relationship with Nature, and learned more about my
role as a change agent in the transformation to a more sustainable world. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sentrale veronderstelling van hierdie proefskrif is dat die mens afgesonder en vervreemd geraak het
van die Natuur en beveel aan dat ons poog om die konneksie te herstel ten einde die huidige sosio-ekologiese
krisis te kan oorkom wat ons oorlewing as 'n spesie op die planeet bedreig.
In antwoord op die navorsingsvraag of 'n spirituele verhouding met die Natuur kan bydra tot die transformasie na 'n meer volhoubare wêreld, ondersoek hierdie studie die konsep van die Natuur en
spiritualiteit, en die verhouding tussen die twee konsepte, en dan veral die spirituele praktyke en mens-
Natuur-konneksies wat ses Suid-Afrikaanse agente vir verandering meegemaak het. Die oogmerke met
hierdie verkenning is om individuele verhale aan te bied wat as gevallestudies gebruik kan word om insig te
kry in volhoubaarheid, en om dieper gesprekke oor hoe 'n meer volhoubare wêreld daar kan uitsien te
bevorder en aan te moedig.
Gegewe die redenasie dat ons afsondering en vervreemding van die Natuur die kruks van die globale
polikrisis is en dat ons 'n spiritualiteitskrisis beleef wat ons verhouding met die Natuur betref, ondersoek
hierdie proefskrif die konsep van die Natuur in diepte, met inagneming van verskillende kulturele
interpretasies, omgewingsentriese vertrekpunte en perspektiewe oor die Natuur in die antieke tyd. Sekere
sleutelargumente wat aandui waarom die mens afgesonder geraak het van die Natuur (wetenskap, verlies
aan inheemse kennis, kolonialisme, kapitalisme, globalisering, godsdiens en tegnologie) word aangebied,
terwyl ek die implikasies van die mens-Natuur-afsondering oordink.
'n Omvattende literatuurstudie behandel die sleutel sosiologiese krisisse, met inbegrip van
klimaatsverandering, ekosisteemagteruitgang, ongelykheid en armoede, piekolie, verstedeliking en
voedselonsekerheid, wat die globale polikrisis onderlê, en ondersoek volhoubare ontwikkeling wat
ontstaan het in 'n poging om op die globale polikrisis te reageer. Ek voer aan dat hoofstoom volhoubare
ontwikkeling antroposentries is en verbruik volgens die bestaande ekonomiese stelsel voortsit.
In die lig van my navorsingsvraag doen ek aan die hand dat spiritualiteit 'n brug tussen die mens en die
Natuur kan vorm. Die interpretasie van spiritualiteit, wat die beweegrede vir my benadering is, veronderstel 'n verhoogde bewustheid of bewussyn, die vermoë tot diepe refleksie en medelye, en 'n
wesentlike begrip van wat dit beteken om deel van die lewensweb te wees - om 'n lewende, redelike wese
te wees wat asemhaal in die Natuur, sonder die hiërargieë wat dikwels deur religieuse spiritualiteitsvorme
voorgeskryf word. Dit is spiritualiteit wat 'n integrerende deel van die daaglikse lewe is, wat die beweegrede
is vir die besluite waarvolgens ons leef, en wat uitgedruk word deur aksie, i.e. gees-in-aksie. Alhoewel ek die rol erken wat godsdiens kan speel in die transformasie na ʼn meer volhoubare wêreld, lig ek ʼn aantal
praktyke uit, nl in-die-oomblik-wees (oplettendheid), meditasie, rituele, poësie, her-leer uit die inheemse
kennis- en wysheid-skat, sowel as herstel, wat moontlik kan help om ʼn dieper band met die Natuur te vorm.
Wanneer ek reflekteer oor watter tipe transformasie nodig is, verwys ek na kompleksiteitsteorie en
sisteemdenke, en aardjurisprudensie as twee voorbeelde van transformerende paradigmas.
Aangesien dit ʼn kwalitatiewe studie is, het ek heuristiese ondersoek, refleksiwiteit, narratiewe en poësie in
my navorsingbenadering gebruik en semi-gestruktureerde diepte-onderhoude met ses Suid-Afrikaanse
agente vir verandering (drie vroue en drie mans) gevoer. Ek het hulle verhale as opsommings van
narratiewe opgeteken, en gefokus op hulle spiritualiteit in verhouding tot die Natuur. Daarna het ek
opkomende temas oorweeg met aanwysers van wat moontlik nodig is om ʼn volhoubare toekoms te skep.
Alhoewel daar verskillende standpunte is oor die konsep Natuur, spiritualiteit en volhoubare ontwikkeling,
stem die agente vir verandering saam dat daar ʼn definitiewe verwantskap tussen die konsepte bestaan en
dat dit kan bydra om ons lewe tot volhoubaarheid te rig. Ongeag van hoe elkeen van hierdie konsepte
omskryf word, blyk dit dat ons moet kyk na watter soort lewe ons wil leef en watter soort lewe toekomstige
generasies op ʼn planeet met ʼn beperkte dravermoë sal kan leef.
Op die vraag of ʼn spirituele verhouding met die Natuur kan bydra tot die transformasie na ʼn meer
volhoubare wêreld, blyk dit dat dit nie soseer ʼn verhouding is nie, maar ʼn diepe begrip vir en werklike
bewustheid, of kennis, van die onderlinge verbondenheid en interafhanklikheid tussen die Natuur, die gees
en die essensie van menswees.
Gebaseer op die inset van die ses agente vir verandering beveel ek ʼn aantal skuiwe binne onsself, in ons
gemeenskappe en in die wyer samelewing aan om ʼn volhoubare bestaan te bevorder. Ander aanbevelings
sluit in die moontlikheid dat ekopsigologie ʼn groter rol speel in die volhoubareontwikkelingsdiskoers en
voortgesette navorsing om deurentyd gesprekke oor die mens-Natuur-konneksie aan te moedig, asook die
implikasies wat dit vir volhoubaarheid het.
Alhoewel hierdie werk duidelik ʼn akademiese oefening is, was dit ook ʼn persoonlike onderneming deurdat
ek my eie spirituele reis onderneem het, my verhouding met die Natuur in oënskou geneem het, en tot
insig gekom het van my rol as agent vir verandering in die transformasie na ʼn meer volhoubare wêreld.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/18075 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Lockhart, Helen |
| Contributors | Annecke, Eve, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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