TWH – New research published on February 12, 2025, opens with a sentiment that strongly echoes Pagan spirituality: “If you have ever walked among the soaring spires of an old-growth forest or gazed upward at the countless stars on a cloudless night, you may have felt like you were in the presence of something sacred.” A new study in Current Directions in Psychological Science delves into this very phenomenon, known as ecospirituality, and examines its surprising implications for both environmental preservation and human well-being.
The research offers an overview of the current state of ecospirituality studies, emphasizing its role in supporting—and at times unintentionally complicating—efforts to protect the environment and improve mental health.
Orinoco River, Amazonas State. Venezuela [Pedro Gutiérrez, Wikimedia Commons, CC 2.0
What Is Ecospirituality?
Ecospirituality extends beyond a simple love of nature or environmental consciousness. It is the perception of nature as sacred—imbued with spiritual significance that transcends its material existence. Researchers Matthew I. Billet, Adam Baimel, Mark Schaller, and Ara Norenzayan from the University of British Columbia and Oxford Brookes University explored how this spiritual connection shapes moral decision-making, conservation efforts, and mental health.
Billet and colleagues emphasize that people with strong ecospiritual beliefs do not merely value nature but regard it as inviolable, deserving of reverence and protection.
The Moral Pull of Nature
One of the study’s most striking findings is how ecospiritual individuals integrate nature into their moral framework. When participants were asked to position various natural elements—such as forests, oceans, and mountains—within concentric circles representing degrees of moral obligation, those with strong ecospiritual beliefs placed nature within their inner moral circle, alongside close friends and neighbors. In contrast, those with lower ecospiritual inclinations relegated nature to the outer moral circle, treating it similarly to distant acquaintances or strangers.
This moral connection extends beyond theory and actively influences behavior. Highly ecospiritual individuals are more likely to participate in environmental activism, advocate for conservation policies, and oppose economic ventures that might harm the natural world. As the researchers observed, these individuals do not just appreciate nature—they take action to protect it.
The Well-Being Connection
Another major benefit of ecospirituality is its positive impact on personal well-being. Research has consistently shown that spending time in nature reduces stress and improves emotional health. However, for those who perceive nature as sacred, these benefits appear even more pronounced. Feelings of awe—a central component of many spiritual experiences—have been linked to greater life satisfaction and stress reduction.
Additionally, previous studies have found that exposure to nature helps mitigate the negative effects of excessive screen time, promoting better physical, mental, and social well-being in children. While current findings strongly support the idea that nature has a positive influence on mental health, experts caution that further research using rigorous methodologies and objective measures is necessary to establish definitive causal relationships.
However, there is also a downside. Researchers warn that deeply ecospiritual individuals may be more susceptible to ecological grief, an emerging mental health concern as climate change threatens cherished natural spaces. Studies indicate that Indigenous communities, where ecospirituality is deeply embedded, are particularly vulnerable to climate-related anxiety and depression.
By U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Federal Highway Administration. USDOT, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=687132
A Possible Double-Edged Sword
The researchers also cautioned, that despite its many benefits, ecospirituality can sometimes hinder environmental efforts rather than help them. The study suggested that individuals who view nature as sacred may be less willing to engage in political compromise when it comes to environmental issues. For example, some participants prioritized voting for candidates who perfectly aligned with their values, even when doing so risked splitting the vote and enabling less environmentally friendly politicians to win.
Moreover, sacred beliefs about nature can sometimes lead to optimistic inaction—the assumption that natural resources, such as forests and rivers, possess an inherent ability to regenerate without human intervention. A past study referenced in the paper found that Hindu participants in India perceived the highly polluted Ganges River as less threatened when it was framed as a sacred entity, which may have diminished their motivation to push for environmental reforms.
Conservation Strategies and Politics
One of the most intriguing aspects of ecospirituality, the researchers contend, is its political neutrality. While environmental concerns often spark partisan divides, the researchers discovered that ecospirituality is equally present among conservatives and liberals. This could provide a rare point of agreement in environmental policymaking, bridging ideological gaps through a shared reverence for the natural world.
The researchers suggest that if conservation efforts were framed in spiritual terms, emphasizing the sacredness of nature, it could foster broader bipartisan support and increase the likelihood of meaningful environmental legislation being enacted.
As urbanization accelerates and human-nature interactions become more limited, understanding ecospirituality may be crucial for designing urban spaces that promote both environmental responsibility and mental well-being. Sacred natural sites—already recognized for their role in biodiversity conservation—could serve as models for integrating ecospiritual principles into future environmental policies.
In a world facing mounting ecological crises, the study of ecospirituality suggests that the key to protecting nature may not lie solely in scientific reasoning or economic incentives. Instead, a deep, spiritual appreciation for the environment—something long recognized by Pagan and Indigenous traditions—may be the most powerful motivator for lasting conservation efforts.
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