Religious and Spiritual Leaders Cry Out for the Protection of Seed in New Anthology

Pt. Reyes Station, CA, November 2014 — The depletion of our global seed stock is more than a conservation issue say spiritual leaders from around the world in a new book from the emerging field of Spiritual Ecology. For centuries the planting of the seed in the earth not only nourished humanity, but also symbolized […]

Pt. Reyes Station, CA, November 2014 — The depletion of our global seed stock is more than a conservation issue say spiritual leaders from around the world in a new book from the emerging field of Spiritual Ecology. For centuries the planting of the seed in the earth not only nourished humanity, but also symbolized the mystery of life. Now as the integrity and diversity of seed is threatened, so is its primal meaning.

In Sacred Seed teachers from a wide range of spiritual traditions, including Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Feminine Spirituality, and Indigenous Wisdom, explore the meaning of seeds – and the loss of seeds – from a holistic and mystical perspective. Dena Merriam, founder and convener of Global Peace Initiative of Women, wrote the foreword, and Vandana Shiva, renowned environmental leader and activist, provided the introduction.

“The most dangerous war humankind is engaged in is the war against nature. Among the most serious of the acts of violence is the destruction of the sacred seed.” —Dena Merriam

 Contributors explore the impacts of seed loss, genetic modification, and the appropriation of seeds by corporations on our collective psyche. They link seeds to creative power and new beginnings, and within specific traditions to: faith and the living Word (Christianity); the basis for awakening (Buddhism); the journey of the soul (Sufism); the aliveness of the Earth (Lakota); and Natural Law (Haudenosaunee).


Tenderly composed of original writings and vibrant photos, Sacred Seed reminds us that the Earth is alive and that the seed is the source – and renewal – of both inner and outer life. As His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew says, “Every seed contains the potential to save the world.

Contributors
Vandana Shiva, H. A. H. Patriarch Bartholomew, The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Sister Joan Chittister, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Chief Tamale Bwoya, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Acharya Judy Lief, Swami Veda Bharati, Blu Greenberg, Tiokasin Ghosthorse, and others.

“Elevates our dialogue about seeds, and the profound role they hold for the future of all humankind.”Alice Waters, author and culinary visionary

“This is an exceptional testimony to the holistic thinking our society so desperately needs.”
Dr. Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury

This book is a rich storehouse of wisdom.” —Bill McKibben, founder, 350.org

“A reverence for our ancient seeds is essential to our very survival. Sacred Seed explains in beautiful detail how and why we must protect them.” Ed Begley, Jr., American actor, director, and environmentalist

Sacred Seed Book Trailer: https://vimeo.com/110931899
Press Materials: www.spiritualecology.org/SacredSeed/Press
Related Article: “Protecting Seeds and Their Stories


About the Book
TITLE: Sacred Seed · INTRODUCTION: Vandana Shiva
PUBLISHER: The Golden Sufi Center
DISTRIBUTOR: Independent Publishers Group (IPG)
PUB DATE: Nov. 2014
Paperback: $19.95, ISBN: 978-1-890350-63-5, PDF & other eBook formats: $12.99
CATEGORY: Environmental Studies and Spirituality
PAGE COUNT: 144 pages · TRIM SIZE: 7.5” X 7.5”
WEBSITE: www.spiritualecology.org/SacredSeed/Press

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