Ecological Spiritualities: An Ethnographic Approach from the Spanish Case

Although not in all cases with a political intention, in recent decades a series of practices and discourses have emerged in different parts of the world that point to different forms of spirituality as a way to have a different relationship with nature. The objectives are diverse, ranging from the improvement of individual physical and emotional health to the transition towards more environmentally friendly societies.

In this presentation, we will focus on practices and discourses that incorporate spirituality as a fundamental part of environmental activism. From this point of view, the transition towards more sustainable societies is not reduced to changing external elements such as the incorporation of renewable energy sources, but also includes changes on a smaller scale, such as the relationship of each individual and of human groups with nature. Through collective rituals, which do not have a spiritual dimension for all members, a personal and collective transformation is carried out, which they call “reconnection with nature”. Thus, the study of these practices constitutes an opportunity to continue reflecting on some assumptions that have been established in the scientific literature, such as the exclusively individual and neither collective nor political character of these new spiritualities.

For this purpose, data obtained from an ongoing research carried out in Spain will be analyzed, in which both in-depth interviews with participants in this type of activities and analysis of audiovisual content circulating on various websites and social networks have been conducted.