Maria Fernanda Gebara
ABSTRACT
Some argue that the socioecological crisis is a spiritual crisis. In this chapter, I analyze the role of Indigenous spiritualities in anthropocentric attitudes by reframing the way we relate to nature. Indigenous spiritualities could be interpreted as the spiritual beliefs and practices that Indigenous peoples identify as being “traditional.” It is directly related to their livelihoods, their ancestral wisdom, their relationship with the rest of nature and with what have been called “more than human beings.” Such traditions have been threatened by different forms of colonialism and almost driven to extinction. More recently, however, they are being seen by many non-Indigenous people as key in transforming our future. I draw from the Yawanawá spirituality to understand their influence on anthropocentric-derived subjectivities. Inspired by Gregory Bateson’s (1972) views on collective “ecologies of mind,” I analyze Yawanawá spiritual practices as tools for changing larger social and ecological contexts more quickly. Using Arne Naess’ (1973) concept of “ecological self” as a background for the analysis of empirical data, I argue that Indigenous spiritualities awaken our relationship with something greater than the self, because they are concerned with elements that are both tangible and intangible, material and symbolic, and sometimes indescribable in terms of their ability to transform the way in which we relate to other beings and nature. The conclusion provides some insights into how Indigenous spiritualities facilitate the deep connection with animist values that may help us to move beyond anthropocentrism, and the dominant attitudes from which the current ecological crisis originated.
