TO WALK ALONGSIDE
Awakening Ecological Spirituality
"To Walk Alongside: Awakening Ecological Spirituality" is the story of a journey. This journey asks us to consider how we walk upon the earth. How can spirituality inform our interactions with the environment; all of our surroundings? What does it mean to walk alongside the earth?
TO WALK ALONGSIDE
"To Walk Alongside: Awakening Ecological Spirituality" is a film that examines the intersections of spirituality and ecology. As our world continues to shift, spiritual and religious voices have a crucial role to play in addressing the injustices of climate change. "To Walk Alongside" asks individuals from a variety of spiritual worldviews, "What does it mean to walk alongside the earth? How is living respectfully among all members of our common home lived out?"
"To Walk Alongside" is an independent study film project by Alex Theship-Rosales, with artistic direction from Dr. David Obermiller, and technical direction from Dr. Martin Lang, as well as New Zealand consultation from Dr. Charles Dawson. The film includes ideas from Kiwis (New Zealand) and Minnesotans (United States, Minnesota), together representing perspectives from: Judaism, Maori, Anglican, Lutheran, Non-Denominational, and Methodist Christianity, American-Indian and Non-Religious worldviews, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Discuss the film
"To Walk Alongside: Awakening Ecological Spirituality" exists so that the ideas expressed in it can be pondered, discussed, and acted upon. If you are currently watching individually, please take some time to think, pray, or journal about a few of the following questions. If you are watching with a group, please open up a time of reflection and discussion on the following questions.
When have you been captured by wonder in the world?
Have you ever heard the term ‘ecological spirituality’ before today?
How have you seen people honor the environment?
When you hear the phrase ‘climate change’ what comes to mind? Do you agree that climate change is an issue of injustice? Why or why not?
How have you seen ‘domination’ in our world? How do we tip the world out of balance?
If ‘we are creators,’ what and how should we create?
How can we achieve ‘proper’ dominion? In other words, how can we acknowledge our ‘particular level of influence on the earth’ and live respectfully alongside creation?
If we are just ‘renters’ of the planet, just ‘using the earth for a little while,’ how does that change our perspective?
How have you built affinity for the environment?
How can we recognize ‘the ways nature sustains us’? How can we appreciate the earth?
Sachi states, ‘If we want to change how we act in this world we have to change our state of consciousness.’ What do you think this means, and how can we apply this idea to our lives?
Do we spend enough time outdoors? Why or why not?
Where do you personally feel like you need to invest in wellbeing to re-balance?
What is immoral about the effects of/our contributions to climate change?
Ngarangi says that ‘we take far too much, and we waste even more.’ It’s tough not to use a lot of stuff! How can consider and reduce our consumption?
Do you think ‘putting a spider outside or planting a seed’ is valuable? Why or why not?
How can we change ‘our orientation to the world, each other, and to the creator’?
Why do you think it is so important to finish planting ‘the fruit tree’?
How can we walk alongside the earth/fulfil our ecological spirituality?
A NOTE FROM THE FILMMAKER
Creating "To Walk Alongside" was life-changing. Through the encouragement and support of many people, I had the opportunity to learn video-editing skills, craft questions that prompted reflections on ecological spirituality, and meet incredible individuals in Aotearoa (New Zealand) as well as back home in Minnesota. Reflecting on my journey, I learned that embodying, growing, and fulfilling our inherent ecological spirituality is a journey for everyone. We are meant to live closely to and respectfully with our planet. Please take an idea you heard today to heart.
What does it mean to walk alongside the Earth?
CONTACT
Thank you very much for watching "To Walk Alongside." Please share the film and this website widely! If you would like to have the filmmaker, Alex Theship-Rosales, come to your community to host a screening and discussion please reach out via the email address below.
"Ecology and spirituality are fundamentally connected, because deep ecological awareness, ultimately, is spiritual awareness" Fritjof Capra.
