Emma Joyner- American Camino Chapter 1

 In chapter 1 of American Camino, Redick cites Paul Ricoeur's writing, “Modern persons no longer have a sacred space, a center, a templum, a holy mountain, or an axis mundi….It was in adopting science and technology, not just as a form of knowledge, but as a means of dominating nature, that we left behind the logic of correspondences. Because of this we no longer participate in a cosmos, but we now have a universe as the object of thought and as matter to be exploited.” In this quote, Ricoeur reflects on the loss of sacred space and a shift from a cosmological worldview to a scientific one; this transformation has affected how we relate to the world around us. In the past, humans’ connection to nature was deeply intertwined with their own and every place had a deeper significance. The sacred connection we used to have with our natural world has been replaced by the want to manipulate, control, and conquer the environment, with little regard for the consequences of doing so. If walking in nature truly is a spiritual practice, then I believe we need to all take more walks in nature. When we surround ourselves and immerse ourselves into the journey of being in nature, that spiritual interconnectedness can be harnessed and used as motivation for environmental stewardship. If we practiced this spiritual mindfulness more often, we likely wouldn’t be experiencing many of the environmental issues present today.

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