Subversive spiritualities

Book Description

In a world increasingly disconnected from nature, anthropologist Frédérique Apffel-Marglin presents a compelling vision for spiritual and ecological renewal. Drawing from decades of immersive work with indigenous communities in Peru and India, she reveals how traditional peoples maintain profound relationships with the living world around them.

Apffel-Marglin argues that these communities possess what she terms "eco-metaphysical truth" - an understanding that humans share the world with other intelligent beings who possess agency and spiritual presence. Through ritual practices and daily communion with these other-than-human entities, traditional peoples create sustainable ways of living that honor the interconnectedness of all life.

The author challenges prevailing assumptions about development, progress, and indigenous religions, offering fresh perspectives on how modern society might learn from these ancient wisdom traditions. She explores how ritual serves as a bridge between worlds, enabling humans to participate in reciprocal relationships with nature rather than simply exploiting it.

The book culminates with an examination of the fair trade movement, analyzing both its limitations and its potential to foster genuine community between humans and the natural world. Apffel-Marglin's ultimate goal is to help readers "re-entangle" themselves in nature, discovering a spirituality rooted in belonging and connection rather than separation and dominance.

This work offers profound insights for anyone seeking to understand alternative approaches to spirituality, ecology, and human relationship with the earth.