Satish is a former Jain monk, an environmental activist, the founder of Schumacher College in Devon, and editor of Resurgence magazine. He has published several books, including most recently Soil, Soul and Society

1. What does Ubuntu mean to you?

To me Ubuntu means “we are therefore I am”. It means that there is no such thing as a separate individual, that we are all related, we are all connected, we are made of each other. Everybody is made of the same basic elements: earth, air, fire, water, space, time and consciousness. Ubuntu means unity of life. It means that diversity is not a division and unity is not uniformity. Unity and diversity are complementary. Life manifests in millions of forms yet in all those forms life is the same therefore Ubuntu means we are one in our millions of forms.

2. How do you most enjoy connecting to nature?

I touch the soil, I garden. The soil is sacred for me. People think that dirt is dirty, but the reality is far from it. The dirt is holy. When I am in my garden my ego or anger melt away. My garden is a problem-free zone. That is the gift of nature to me and I receive it with great attitude.

3. What other practices nourish you in life?

The most important practice which nourishes me is walking in nature. Connection with nature is the source of health and healing, physical as well
a mental. Nature is my religion, nature is my god. Nature is the source of all my inspirations. I learn from nature, I learn from the tree the truth
of unconditional love and generosity. The apple tree gives and gives without any discrimination, like all other fruit trees. Soil gives and gives in abundance. All our food, clothes, houses come from nature. Nature is primary, all else is secondary, all else is derivative.

You can read more about Satish here: www.resurgence.org/satish-kumar