Spiritual Direction and Climate Activism
From my conversations with other directors it would seem that directees bring concerns about the climate and ecological crises ever more frequently to spiritual direction. We shouldn’t be surprised. Our success at disconnecting from and plundering our natural home has caused calamitous damage to the climate and the environment. And it has left us wounded too – with a disfigured image of who we are, and of our place in the created world. Spiritual Direction offers a uniquely shaped space in which we can dare to look full face into these issues. And, crucially, it can be a space in which to discern a heart-felt, spirit-led response.
Is Spiritual Direction helpful for Climate Activists?
For some, the severity and urgency of the climate crisis calls them to acts of public witness, nonviolent protest and civil disobedience. Protest groups such as Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion and Christian Climate Action are inspired by social justice movements of the past. But many of their members are also inspired by their faith, and their action is in direct response to the inner prompting of the Spirit.
Experience shows that climate activism can leave people vulnerable and exposed. Following recent UK government legislation, the risk of being arrested on a protest has increased. Activists may also encounter anger (from others, or from within themselves). Or they may find their heads striking hard against a blank wall of indifference. They can swing wildly between elation and despair. They feel part of something incredible at times, and incredibly alone at others.
Burnout is a major risk. When the crises are so urgent and the needs are so great, activists can struggle to take time out to attend to their inner life. Spiritual Direction can help them to plunge their roots more deeply into the Source of love and life, to reflect on their desires and fears, and to discern a path forward. It offers space to slow down, and to explore the inner ebb and the outer flow of the Divine call on their lives.
Four things Spiritual Directors can do to support climate activists
If we find ourselves accompanying a climate or environmental activist, or if one of our directees senses a calling to non-violent direct action, here are four things spiritual directorsmight want to consider.
First: Listen
Our primary role is, unsurprisingly, to listen non-judgmentally and hold a safe space for them, whatever our personal views or feelings might be about their action.
Second: Discern
We can listen for holy connections between their innermost desires, the needs of the world, and the call of the Divine. We can be curious about what their desire tomact is rooted in. Perhaps it is rooted in love for God, for others and the world. Or perhaps in guilt or self-promotion... Or are they simply caught up in the moment, or in the Movement? For activists facing the prospect of opposition, rejection or arrest, a deliberate process of discernment can nurture the deep-rooted courage and quiet confidence that they will need.
Third: Equip
Activists describe how important it is to remain peaceful and present on the line of protest. We can help here, by exploring if any particular prayers, songs, scripture stories or other meditative techniques might be personally life-giving if a protest situation turns tense and threatening. We could also ask about their broader support network: aremthey part of a loving community they can return to, and be accepted and nourished by?
Fourth: Unpack
Several activists I’ve spoken to have described protests as places of deep prayer, offering a new and vibrant revelation of Christ’s presence. One in particular described them as “diving headlong into the Beatitudes – being meek, mourning loss, showing mercy, thirsting for justice, acting as peacemakers…” In a Spiritual Direction session after a protest, we might want to help our directee unpack and contemplate their experiences in an attitude of prayerful surrender. It can be transformative. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si, spoke of the ecological crisis as being “a summons to profound interior conversion.” I’m convinced that Spiritual Directors can play a small but significant part in turning this summons into a reality. Not only in the hearts, but also in the actions, of our directees.
Nick Tatchell
Nick Tatchell is a spiritual director who lives with his wife, Linda, in the beautiful north-west Highlands of Scotland. He completed the Encounter course in 2023. As well as sitting on (all too frequent) Zoom calls, Nick runs a sustainability consulting business, engages with the local community around environmental and climate change issues, walks with his dog on the local hills, and sings in a local Gaelic choir. You can connect with Nick via: https://walledgardenreflections.substack.com