In A Brief History of Myth, Karen Armstrong poses a question to readers: what will we do now that science has replaced the rich landscape of mythology, full of existential inquiry, with a dry and factual explanation for how life works, without any attempt to answer why. In this book she goes further. The materialist, uncurious, uncompassionate view of nature that has largely determined modern culture now endangers our whole civilization. Nature, our victim as we declare ourselves all powerful on this planet, will remind us that we cannot exist without her. We desperately need to regain those elements of awe, purpose, and ritual that once kept us in a bond with the natural world.

She proceeds to detail how each of the world religions contains this reverence for nature and a sense of equality and humility before all creatures. Even the western traditions, with all their otherworldly focus on God and life beyond this world, contains reminders of the sacredness of this one. Armstrong throws in some advice for us modern secular readers on how we can return to that sacredness. I find these passages less compelling, somehow, although she makes some strong points about the casual disregard we express as we consume, acquire, and travel wastefully. The need is massive. Small steps seem too paltry. ( )

In this book, the bestselling historian of religion re-sacralizes nature for modern times. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the worlds's religious traditions, she vividly describes nature's central place in spirituality across the centuries. In bringing this age-old wisdom to life, she shows modern readers how to rediscover nature's potency and form a connection to something greater than ourselves.

Karen Armstrong’s Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World beautifully expressed the fundamentals of how people should interact with the natural world. It focused on how they should begin to relate with all animate and inanimate things.
The author was critical about the West’s outlook on these matters. She pointed out that Westerners have a view of God that is unrealistic. Much of the Christian beliefs go back to the medieval era when God was seen as a grandfather living in the heaven that believers’ worship. This Western God was delegated to a tiny part of the universe. But this perspective was not shared by the theologian Thomas Aquinas who thought of the sacredness in all nature. However, the Western outlook was shaped by Aristotelian thought in Rome.
Armstrong referred to the ancient roots of religion with its beliefs in animism and Shamanism. During this time nature was seen as central to all living and non-living things. She mentioned the beliefs of China and India as being pivotal in understanding the role of nature and humanity. Jesuits who had visited China brought their scientific perspectives which were welcomed. But Chinese religious leaders thought it nonsense to hear the sacred as being confined to a small part of the universe.
The author argued that people should embrace the original reality of nature. They could begin to do so by taking small steps like practicing “quiet sitting” in nature instead of taking pictures with a camera. She quoted poems by William Wordsworth and Alfred Tennyson to explain what an invigorating change nature can have on human endeavors. Amstrong emphasized that it was not enough to simply say, “I love nature.” She saw this new approach at embracing nature was vital for our planetary existence. ( )

This was an amazing summary of how nature is seen as sacred and vital in several religions. Armstrong is great at putting a lot of history into concise chapters full of understanding and insight. ( )

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. ( )