Unseen Beings: How We Forgot the World Is More Than Human

Name: Unseen Beings: How We Forgot the World Is More Than Human
Price: 18.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Jampa Andersson, Erik
ISBN: 9781401968731

✍️ Jampa Andersson, Erik

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Rediscover a world teeming with unseen life, beyond human dominion.

Erik Jampa Andersson’s "Unseen Beings" challenges our anthropocentric worldview, arguing that humanity’s disconnect from the more-than-human realm is at the root of our ecological crisis. Drawing deeply from traditional eco-philosophies and Buddhist wisdom, Andersson reframes the climate catastrophe not merely as a scientific problem, but as a systemic illness stemming from a forgotten reverence for the Earth. This book offers a revolutionary perspective, urging a profound shift in consciousness to reimagine our place within an interconnected and vibrant cosmos, fostering a path toward genuine planetary healing.

Key themes

{'title': 'Challenging Human-Centrism', 'body': 'The book meticulously deconstructs the historical and philosophical underpinnings of our human-centric worldview. It reveals how this narrow perspective has led to ecological degradation and spiritual impoverishment, advocating for a radical reorientation that acknowledges the inherent value and agency of all beings, visible and invisible, within a vast, interconnected ecosystem.'} {'title': 'Ancient Wisdom, Modern Crisis', 'body': 'Andersson masterfully integrates the profound insights of Buddhist philosophy and various traditional ecological knowledge systems. He presents these ancient wisdom traditions not as relics of the past, but as vital frameworks for understanding and addressing contemporary environmental challenges, emphasizing compassion, interdependence, and a holistic, spiritual approach to planetary well-being.'} {'title': 'Ecological Diagnosis and Treatment', 'body': 'Framing the climate crisis as a multifaceted disease of perception, "Unseen Beings" offers a diagnostic lens that examines its historical causes and conditions. Beyond merely identifying symptoms, the book proposes a transformative \'treatment\'—a fundamental shift in consciousness and a renewed, reverent relationship with the natural world—as the only sustainable path to healing.'}

In stock

🏛 Hay House UK Ltd 📅 2023 📖 320 pages 📔 Paperback 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9781401968731

Fun fact

Andersson’s eloquent treatise masterfully weaves together ancient wisdom and contemporary ecological concerns, offering a profound spiritual lens on the climate crisis. While it may not satisfy those seeking concrete policy prescriptions, its urgent call to dismantle anthropocentric narratives and re-enchant our relationship with the more-than-human world is both vital and deeply moving, carving a unique niche in eco-spiritual literature that transcends typical environmental discourse.

📝 Description: Unseen Beings: How We Forgot the World Is More Than Human

'Unseen Beings is a magnificent, passionate, brilliantly written manifesto for our urgent reimagining of our relationship with every aspect of the creation... indispensable reading for anyone who longs for a just and balanced human future. Buy it and give it to everyone you know.' Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope A revolutionary perspective on the climate catastrophe bridging history, philosophy, science, and religion. You've heard the hard-hitting data and you've seen the documentaries. But what will it truly take for humanity to change? We will not tackle the climate catastrophe with data alone - we need new stories and new ways of seeing and thinking. By drawing on traditional eco-philosophies and Buddhist wisdom, Erik Jampa Andersson offers an approach to our environmental emergency that will make us rethink the very nature of our existence on this incredible planet. Looking at the climate catastrophe through the framework of disease, Unseen Beings examines our ecological diagnosis, its historical causes and conditions and, crucially, its much-needed treatment, as well as exploring: how and why we constructed a human-centric worldview amazing recent discoveries around non-human intelligence how religious traditions have dealt with questions of nature, sentience and ecology critical connections between human health and environmental health This book is a call to action. Climate anxiety has left many of us feeling confused and powerless, but there is another way. If we can recover our natural sense of enchantment and kinship with non-human beings, we may still find a path to build a better future.

⭐ Reader reviews

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⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.4/5

★★★★★

For seekers disillusioned by conventional environmental approaches, those yearning for a deeper, spiritual connection to the Earth, and anyone ready to question anthropocentric assumptions to forge a truly sustainable future. This is for the soul seeking to re-enchant the world.

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❓ Frequently asked questions

While drawing heavily from Buddhist wisdom and traditional eco-philosophies, the book presents a philosophical framework for environmental ethics rather than a dogmatic religious text. Its insights on interconnectedness and valuing non-human life are broadly applicable to any thoughtful reader.

Rather than focusing on policy recommendations, "Unseen Beings" champions a foundational shift in perspective. It argues that true, sustainable solutions emerge from a transformed consciousness and a renewed reverence for the non-human world, addressing the 'why' before the 'what' of environmental action.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Challenging Human-Centrism

The book meticulously deconstructs the historical and philosophical underpinnings of our human-centric worldview. It reveals how this narrow perspective has led to ecological degradation and spiritual impoverishment, advocating for a radical reorientation that acknowledges the inherent value and agency of all beings, visible and invisible, within a vast, interconnected ecosystem.

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Crisis

Andersson masterfully integrates the profound insights of Buddhist philosophy and various traditional ecological knowledge systems. He presents these ancient wisdom traditions not as relics of the past, but as vital frameworks for understanding and addressing contemporary environmental challenges, emphasizing compassion, interdependence, and a holistic, spiritual approach to planetary well-being.

Ecological Diagnosis and Treatment

Framing the climate crisis as a multifaceted disease of perception, "Unseen Beings" offers a diagnostic lens that examines its historical causes and conditions. Beyond merely identifying symptoms, the book proposes a transformative 'treatment'—a fundamental shift in consciousness and a renewed, reverent relationship with the natural world—as the only sustainable path to healing.

💬 Quotes from the book

«Our forgetfulness of the vibrant, sentient world beyond ourselves has not only fractured the planet but our own souls, leaving us bereft of true belonging.»

«Healing our Earth begins not with more data or technological fixes, but with rediscovering the sacred stories woven into every stone, every breath, every unseen being.»

📜 Historical context

Andersson's work stands firmly within a lineage of ecological thought that critiques Western dualism and anthropocentrism, drawing parallels with deep ecology, animism, and indigenous worldviews. It echoes figures like Joanna Macy and Thich Nhat Hanh in advocating for a spiritual and ethical response to planetary crises, while offering a unique Buddhist-informed perspective.

📚 Glossary

Anthropocentrism
Eco-philosophy
Interdependence

📔 Questions to reflect on

{'q': 'How has a human-centric view influenced your own perception of the natural world, and what might you gain by actively challenging it?'}
{'q': 'Consider a specific environmental issue you care about. How might framing it as a symptom of a deeper spiritual or philosophical imbalance change your approach to it?'}
{'q': "What 'unseen beings' or non-human perspectives might you intentionally seek to acknowledge and connect with in your daily life, and how might this practice shift your awareness?"}