Connecting with the Environment

One of the places we see interdependence at play most clearly is in the natural world. Within our interconnected relationship to the environment comes the potential for humans to sustain great beauty but also create great harm. What does it look like to live in mutual reciprocity with the Earth in small but meaningful ways? 

For centuries people have turned to the image of the Wheel of Life to better understand cause and effect and the very nature of existence. The section of the Wheel depicting the animal realm is the focus of this episode’s exploration of ecology.

This episode features Indigenous musician, author, and community organizer Lyla June Johnston. AWAKEN season 5 is hosted by singer, songwriter, and artist Devendra Banhart. Other guests in this episode include social scientist, physician, and professor Nicholas Christakis, professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions Annabella Pitkin, and Tibetan Buddhist meditation teacher and author Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.  

Read a transcript, learn about the Rubin, donate, and more: https://rubinmuseum.org/connecting-with-the-environment

Creators and Guests

Host

Devendra Banhart

Devendra Obi Banhart is an American singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Texas and raised in Venezuela and California. In 2000, he dropped out of the San Francisco Art Institute to pursue a musical career.

What is Awaken?

AWAKEN is a Webby Honoree podcast about the dynamic path to enlightenment and what it means to “wake up.” Throughout the series we dive into the personal stories of guests who share how they’ve experienced a shift in their awareness, and as a result, their perspective on life.