Attuning to Loss: Contemplative Ecology and the Practice of Mourning Damaged Landscapes in the Veluwe
Religions June 22, 2026 Evanne Nowak
Contemplative practices like dialogue and walking can help people perceive and process ecological grief. A study of the Lab Landschapspijn Veluwe in the Netherlands found that these practices function as contemplative witnessing, making ecological loss more perceptible, grievable, and emotionally acknowledged. Participants articulated tangible losses and their emotional, moral, and spiritual dimensions. The practices foster an open-ended engagement where grief, wonder, uncertainty, and care coexist without demanding immediate resolution. Contemplative ecology may thus cultivate the emotional, existential, and relational capacities needed to remain engaged with ecological crisis.