Satish Kumar
‘Goodbye, Rene Descartes!’
Peace-pilgrim, life-long activist, and former monk, Satish Kumar has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and became a wandering Jain monk. Then in his 20s, he undertook a pilgrimage for peace, walking for two years without money from India to America for the cause of nuclear disarmament. Now in his 80s, Satish has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice, and spiritual fulfilment.
Satish Kumar
‘Goodbye, Rene Descartes!’
Peace-pilgrim, life-long activist, and former monk, Satish Kumar has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and became a wandering Jain monk. Then in his 20s, he undertook a pilgrimage for peace, walking for two years without money from India to America for the cause of nuclear disarmament. Now in his 80s, Satish has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice, and spiritual fulfilment.
A world-renown author and international speaker, Satish founded The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity that seeks to inform and inspire a just future for all. He was the Editor of the charity’s change-making magazine, Resurgence & Ecologist, for over 40 years, making him the UK's longest-serving editor of the same magazine. He continues to serve this publication as Editor Emeritus and by writing for each and every trailblazing issue.
Satish would like to offer you 20% off membership of The Resurgence Trust. When you join, you will receive a range of membership benefits including the hope-inspiring, bi-monthly Resurgence & Ecologist magazine, and support Satish (and the charity he founded) in protecting the future of people and planet. Find out more about Satish’s work and this offer.
https://www.resurgence.org/membership/satish-offer.html
Timeline
00.00 - 00.43 - Theme
00.44 - 05.05 - Introducing Satish Kumar
05.06 - 09.20 - Explaining Soil / Soul / Society: A new trinity for our time
09.21 - 11.55 - Making soil and planting our own food in cities
11.56 - 14.18 - Humans are nature too - we are not separate
14.19 - 15.40 - Revering nature at home
15.41 - 16.56 - Meditating on the river
16.57 - 20.20 - The intelligence of nature - a living organism
20.21 - 21.24 - Moving from ‘ego’ to ‘eco’
21.25 - 24.09 - Where Satish draws his energy, motivation and hope
24.10 - 26.50 - The link between economy and ecology
26.52 - 30.50 - Pilgrimages and walking for peace
30.51 - 32.41 - The freedom from walking
32.42 - 36.30 - How to engage with strangers: trust and love: the state of mind of the pilgrim
36.30 - 38.36 - Re-writing Descartes
38.43 - 40.35 - The Wanderful Exercise: The Trust Walk
40.56 - 44.05 - Epilogue: Trust is a powerful thing to spread around
44.06 - 45.18 - End Credits
Quotations
“I wanted to have a new trinity for our time and that trinity should represent holistic thinking… everything connecting with each other. So I came up with a new trinity for our time and I called it soil, soul and society.” (Satish)
“Human beings are literally soil beings. Human comes from the Latin ‘humus’ and humus means soil. So human beings are soil beings. Our bodies are soil transformed.” (Satish)
“We are all nature, there is no separation. We have to think about living in harmony with nature and making good use of nature not mis-use of nature, because we are nature.” (Satish)
“Don’t trust a philosophy that has not been tested by walking.” (Satish)
“When you are walking you are free. You are a free spirit. Your body is free. Your mind is free. You are not bound.” (Satish)
“When you are walking for peace, you are putting your body where your mouth is.” (Satish)
“My friend and I decided to walk to the four nuclear capitols of the world. So we started from New Deli and we walked to Moscow, Paris, London and Washington DC. 8000 miles. 2.5 years.” (Satish)
“If you are walking, even if in a city, if you are walking, you are free. Walk everyday if you want to experience and taste of freedom. When you are walking you carry no burden on your shoulders, you are not worried, you are just walking. By walking you connect with the soil, you connect with your soul, your spirit, your consciousness, your imagination, your answers come when you are walking. All your questions can be answered when you’re walking.” (Satish)
“Let go of fear and cultivate trust. Trust everybody and talk to everybody. People are good. Enemies are only creations of the mind.” (Satish)
“If you have the state of mind of a pilgrim, then you trust. If hardship comes, if difficulties come, welcome it. This will make you strong. “ (Satish)
Links
Satish Kumar (Guest)
Website: https://www.resurgence.org/satish-kumar/
David Pearl (Host)
Website: https://www.davidpearl.net
Website: https://www.wanderfulpodcast.com
Intagram: @davidpearl_here
Andrew Paine (Producer & Audio Engineer)
Twitter: @ItPainesMe
Instagram: @Sonicoyster
