Christopher Ives: Zen Ecology (#204)
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In this enriching Wisdom Podcast episode, host Daniel Aitken is joined by Christopher Ives, a professor and Zen practitioner. Chris is an author, translator, and avid outdoorsman. His writing focuses on ethics in Zen Buddhism and Buddhist approaches to nature and environmental issues. His previous publications with Wisdom include Zen on the Trail and Meditations on the Trail. Throughout the conversation, Chris and Daniel go in-depth exploring the themes in Chris’s newest release, Zen Ecology. They discuss how Zen’s principles of interconnectedness, non-dualism, and mindful living intersect with ecological concerns, and how Zen practice can inspire a sustainable lifestyle with reduced environmental impact.
You’ll also hear Daniel and Chris discuss:
- Environmental roots and activism;
- Zen’s symbiotic relationship with nature;
- Buddhism’s role in structural change;
- much more!
Wisdom Podcast listeners are invited to save 20% off Zen Ecology with code WPODECO through March 31.
Remember to subscribe to the Wisdom Podcast for more great conversations on Buddhism, meditation, and mindfulness. If you enjoy the show please consider giving us a 5-star rating in Apple Podcasts—it’s a great support to us and helps other people find the podcast. Thank you!
About the Interviewee
Christopher Ives is a professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College south of Boston. In his
teaching and writing he focuses on ethics in Zen Buddhism and Buddhist approaches to nature
and environmental issues. His publications include Zen Ecology: Green and Engaged Living in
the Face of the Climate Crisis; Zen on the Trail: Hiking as Pilgrimage; Meditations on the Trail:
A Guidebook for Self-Discovery; Imperial-Way Zen: Ichikawa Hakugen’s Critique and Lingering
Questions for Buddhist Ethics; Zen Awakening and Society; and a translation (with Gishin
Tokiwa) of Shin’ichi Hisamatsu’s Critical Sermons of the Zen Tradition. He is on the editorial
board of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics, the Advisory Group of the Forum on Religion and
Ecology, and the board of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. In his spare time, he enjoys
wandering in the backcountry and paddling out into surf.
