DECLARATION OF ECOSPIRITUALITY

Taken from the Statute of the Ecospirituality Foundation Onlus

Ecospirituality Foundation is an international body working in the field of Natural Peoples, founded by Giancarlo Barbadoro and Rosalba Nattero together with members of various Nations, including Native Americans and Northern Europeans.
It is actively involved at the moment in the defence of the Apache sacred mountain, Mount Graham.
This Declaration is the result of a discussion workshop comprising Native Americans and Native Europeans, which gave birth to a lively debate on all matters concerning the individual and his/her relationship with existence.
The Declaration reflects the common agreement and shared understanding among different cultures of Natural Peoples.

  1. By Ecospirituality we mean a relationship experienced personally by an individual with his environment.
    This relationship arises from an inner experience, without any preconceived ideas or ideological ties affecting or limiting it, but based on free individual contact with existence and reflecting an acquired state of inner harmony.
    We hold that the development of the inner experience should exclude the presence of prophets, revelatory gurus and other agents trying to step into the process of individual experience.

  2. Ecospirituality arises from the need to live and express the state of global reality, consistently with all its creative and phenomenal potential, in daily life and in protecting the planet.

  3. We consider that there is a global reality in which all men and things recognise themselves as part of a single experience including both everyday life and an invisible transcendent dimension.

  4. We hold that the state of global reality, interpreted as an all-encompassing, objective and harmonious level of existence, can give rise to knowledge, inner balance and well being.

  5. We hold that the experience of inner knowledge leads to the establishment of a creative relationship in harmony with the global environment. By global environment we mean that dimension of creative participation where interaction with existence is possible, both on an everyday level and on the level of the invisible and transcendence.

  6. The aim of Ecospirituality is to help to acheive greater well being and happiness for individuals, society and the planet, based on the principles of brotherhood among all life-forms, freedom of thought and speech and free access to knowledge.

  7. Ecospirituality does not set itself out as a doctrine of life, but rather an experience of free research and experimentation of personal principles as a way of acquiring understanding of global reality.

  8. We propose free impartial research, in order to develop a new approach to knowledge, combining science with the spirit. We consider that science and the spirit should not be seen as two separate research disciplines, since they are both concerned with understanding the same phenomenon that is vital to Man, i.e. existence in all its manifest ways, whether they trace back to the intimate essence of Man or to the cosmic enormity of the Universe.

  9. We hold that the free experience of research forming the basis of Ecospirituality does not favour any area over others, without prejudice or partiality.

  10. By experience of spiritual research we mean that which is perceivable in the experiential dimension of inner silence. That is a dimension which may be activated and developed beyond the body and the mind, in order to understand and interact with global reality in a conscious experience of the self and objectivity, where Man finds himself in tune with the mystery of existence.

  11. We hold that the condition of inner silence, in other words the moment when the spiritual level can emerge and find its natural identity beyond the perceptive disturbance of the body and the mind, can be acheived through a specific discipline of evolution, which leads to global equilibrium in the individual.
    Since this discipline is not purely empirical and is independent of individual cultural expectations we propose the ancient natural experience of meditation.
    We consider that meditation is not just a random method of inner research invented by Man, but represents the interpretation of a natural evolutionary archetype found in nature. It is considered a true laboratory of inner experience, using the silencing of the body and the mind to acquire the spiritual condition and to establish a personal point of reference to be able to deal personally with the experience acheived.

  12. We hold that every individual has the right of access to knowledge in every possible definition of the word and free use of every means of pursuing it, together with the right to enjoy personal freedom of creativity and self-expression.

  13. We propose to establish the experience of universal brotherhood, based on the principles of Love, Freedom and Knowledge, for anyone who chooses to take part, at the same time establishing the principle of equality among human beings, regardless of gender, age, race, social standing, thought, sexual tendency, appearance, physical condition, cultural background, religion or species.

  14. We believe in a non-dominant position for human beings in nature, but one of participation with and respect for other life-forms and the natural environment.

  15. We believe in respect for life in all its manifestations, human, non-human, animal, vegetable and mineral.

  16. We propose harmonious exploitation of natural resources, with respect for the natural order and cycles of the environment, and development compatible with the ecosystem.
    This means not wasting resources, so that they can regenerate naturally and guarantee the necessary resources of future generations.

  17. We propose study and research into natural phenomena, in order to understand the nature of the existence that Man inhabits, and into human relationships, in order to help to understand and improve the human condition.

  18. We propose study of ancient traditions to familiarize and maintain contact with the cultural roots of humanity, which can give a sense of continuity and universal values to every individual.

  19. We advocate protection of the various cultural heritages of the individual peoples and ethnic minorities of the planet, since they can make a contribution to the spiritual heritage of all humanity.

  20. We propose study and divulgation of language and culture, to help the mutual exchange of experience between peoples and lead towards an overall planetary identity.

  21. We consider it worthwhile to pay attention to possible signs of alien life, with its ethical, social and cultural implications.

  22. Ecospirituality is an experience open to shared experimentation by anyone who wishes to adhere to the principles set out in this Declaration. Any group willing to share in the idea may take part in Ecospirituality, without necessarily changing its own form of interpreting and acheiving the principles set down by Ecospirituality.