ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE
Takoma Metaphysical Chapel
Listening to the Sentient Earth: Where Ancient Animism Meets Modern Biocentrism
trism — the default setting of modern Western civilization — posi - tions humanity as separate from, superior to, or merely steward over nature, both frameworks insist other beings possess standing independent of human utility. This is not an abstraction. The conse- quences ripple outward into every dimension of life. When we grant rivers, forests, and animals moral standing, we re- shape environmental law, conservation practice, and the intimate ethics of how we eat, build, and grieve. Indigenous legal systems influenced by animist principles have granted personhood to the Whanganui River in New Zealand. Ecuador’s constitution recognizes the rights of Pachamama , Mother Earth. Biocentric ethics has qui - etly informed species protection legislation and conservation move- ments worldwide. The stakes are not merely philosophical — they are existential, concerning whether civilization can learn to see itself as part of the web rather than its master. Animism: The World as Community of Persons For much of the modern era, animism was dismissed by Western scholars as primitive superstition, the belief that “spirits” inhabit rocks and trees. Contemporary scholarship has thoroughly disman- tled this reductive framing. Graham Harvey, one of the most influen - tial scholars in religious studies working today defines animism in his book Animism: Respecting the Living World with startling elegance as the understanding that “the world is full of persons, only some of whom are human.” For Harvey, who specialises in Paganism and indigenous religions, animism is not a belief system about invisible entities dwelling inside inert matter. It is a relational ontology, a way of being that insists humans learn to become good persons through respectful interaction with other persons: animals, plants, rivers, mountains, and weather. Harvey’s ethnographic work with Ojibwe, Māori, and Aboriginal Australian communities reveals animism as a vibrant, lived practice offering ethical guidance for care, reciprocity, and ecological belong - ing. In this worldview, ethics are not abstract rules but cultivated sen- sitivities: “Animism is not only an enchanting vision of a world that might be, it is a considered and cultivated interaction with a world in which there are better or worse ways in which to relate and act.” David Abram, an American ecologist and philosopher who coined the phrase “the more-than-human world,” deepens this further with his phenomenological approach , emphasising sensory reciprocity: the land speaking through wind, birds carrying intelligence, rivers hold- ing memory in their currents. What animism proposes is not metaphor but a different epistemol - ogy entirely: a way of knowing the world through relationship rather than detachment, through intimate participation rather than distant observation. Crucially, this personhood extends beyond biological life. In animist ontologies, geological formations, weather phenome- na, and ecological processes all participate in the social fabric of ex- istence. The mountain is not merely rock; it is a being with its own integrity, history, and mode of presence. Biocentrism: The Inherent Worth of All That Lives The Western philosophical parallel emerged most rigorously through Paul Taylor, whose 1986 Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics remains a cornerstone of environmental phi- losophy. Taylor argued that every living being possesses “inherent
BY SHEER ZED
There’s a moment many of us have known, standing in a forest, beside a river, beneath a sky thick, lush and velvet with stars, when the world seems to speak back to us. Not in words, exactly, but in an overwhelming presence. The trees feel attentive and loving. The wa- ter seems to remember us. The landscape holds something we cannot quite name but we feel compelled to honor. What if this experience is not merely sentiment but a portal into a deeper understanding of the nature of reality itself? Two seemingly disparate frameworks, one ancient and one modern, converge on this territory: animism , the world’s oldest living worl- dview; and biocentrism , a philosophical political tradition born of Western environmental ethics. Both assert that the world is far more alive, responsive, and interconnected than our dominant culture al- lows. Though they emerge from different soil, their roots intertwine around two convictions that matter enormously in this moment in history: that non-human beings possess agency; and that all existence is woven through with interdependence so profound it challenges our very sense of self. This shared ground invites us into what we might call a “reckoning,” a recognition that the human-centered story we inherited is neither inevitable nor exhaustive. To stand in that forest clearing, to feel the river’s presence, is to encounter evidence of a world refusing our con- tainment. It is here, at this threshold, where both traditions meet and point toward a more humble way of being: one where we learn to lis - ten as participants rather than command as controlling and dominant overseers. The Shared Reckoning: Moving Beyond Human-Centered Worlds Both animism and biocentrism begin with a radical act: they de - throne the human from the center of existence. Where anthropocen-
Sunday 11:00 Services now virtual at Zoom (81385184622) and Facebook Live. Other activities via conf. at 717-908-1636 (635833#) A Spiritual Community That Supports Your Individual Development
Imagine A Place Where…. Your beliefs are supported and embraced. Everyday events are explored from the physical, mental and spiritual perspective. Like-minded individuals support you in your spiritual journey. At the Takoma Metaphysical Chapel, you will find such a place. The Takoma Metaphysical Chapel is a growing community of people committed to spiritual growth and development resulting in transformation and emotional well-being. You’ll find uplifting services, you’ll feel the spirit of Love, and you’ll learn practical ways to put this energy to work for your greatest good. Relevant, Practical Themes. Teachings based on numerous “new thought” spiritual traditions that show you how to apply timeless spiritual principles in practical ways to navigate your life with more peace, joy and grace. Come As You Are Come experience uplifting music, meditation, prayer and messages designed to touch your heart and uplift your spirit. Experience wisdom from various spiritual traditions to heal your heart, mind and soul. The Takoma Metaphysical Chapel meets on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom (Meeting Code 81385184622) and on Facebook Live.
Our Mailing Address Is: 1901 Powder Mill Road, Silver Spring, MD 20903
Classes and Workshops Include: SPIRIT SPEAKS ON HEALING RELATIONSHIPS Mondays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom I THOUGHT I DEALT WITH THAT (Healing What Remains) Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom See website www.takomametaphysicalchapel.org for other classes, online support and more details. Many classes available via conference call also.
OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE: Wednesday Evening Healing/ Meditation Circles 7:15 – 8:30 p.m. via conf. 717-908-1636 (635833#) 3rd Sunday Goddess Circle 7:30 p.m via conf. 717-908-1636 (635833#) A Course In Miracles Calls M-F 6:55 a.m. via conf Sunday 9:30 a.m. via conf 717-908-1636 (635833#)
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Sheer Zed at Big Sur
10—PATHWAYS—Fall 26
PATHWAYS—Fall 26—11
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