Where ecospirituality is grounded: Nature as place

Key findings from this study

• The authors propose that nature as place constitutes a core category within ecospirituality requiring articulation through multiple dimensions.
• The framework establishes that physical-geographical concreteness, human-nature interrelations, emotional awareness, and aesthetic experiences form a conceptual trajectory for understanding nature as place.
• The analysis identifies nature as place as a precondition for fostering ethical awareness of surrounding nature.

Overview

This article develops nature as place as a core conceptual category within ecospirituality by integrating perspectives from ecophilosophy and ecotheology. The author constructs a conceptual trajectory that moves from physical-geographical concreteness of place through human-nature interrelations and emotional cultivation to aesthetic experiences in nature. The analysis positions place as a fundamental but complex dimension requiring clarification across disciplines. The article demonstrates how these integrated perspectives establish nature as place as essential for ethical awareness of the surrounding environment.

Methods and approach

The article employs interdisciplinary theoretical analysis drawing on selected themes from ecophilosophy and ecotheology. The author constructs a conceptual framework organized as a trajectory moving through four sequential dimensions. These dimensions progress from the material and spatial aspects of place to relational, affective, and aesthetic dimensions. The approach synthesizes existing theoretical resources rather than conducting empirical investigation or primary data collection.

Results

The analysis identifies a four-part conceptual trajectory articulating the significance of nature as place within ecospirituality. The trajectory begins with physical-geographical concreteness, establishing the material grounding of place in specific landscapes and environments. It then addresses the interrelation between humans and nature, examining how these connections constitute place beyond mere location. The framework subsequently incorporates emotional awareness cultivation as a dimension through which individuals engage meaningfully with natural places.

The trajectory culminates in the transformative potential of aesthetic experiences in nature. These aesthetic encounters represent a dimension where physical, relational, and emotional aspects converge. The integrated perspectives collectively position nature as place as a precondition for fostering ethical awareness of surrounding nature. The framework demonstrates that understanding nature as place requires attending to material, relational, affective, and aesthetic dimensions rather than treating place as purely spatial or abstract.

Implications

The conceptual framework offers theoretical resources for scholars working at the intersection of religious studies, environmental philosophy, and theology. By establishing nature as place as foundational to ecospirituality, the analysis provides a basis for examining how spiritual and ethical orientations toward nature depend on specific, embodied encounters with place. The trajectory from physical concreteness to aesthetic transformation suggests that ethical awareness emerges through layered engagement rather than abstract principle.

The framework contributes to interdisciplinary dialogue by bridging ecophilosophy and ecotheology through the category of place. This integration addresses the contested and complex status of place across disciplines by demonstrating how multiple dimensions cohere within ecospirituality. The positioning of nature as place as precondition for ethical awareness has practical relevance for environmental ethics, suggesting that cultivating relationship with specific natural places supports broader ecological responsibility. The analysis advances theoretical understanding of how spatial, relational, emotional, and aesthetic dimensions interact in shaping human engagement with nature.

Scope and limitations

This summary is based on the study abstract and available metadata. It does not include a full analysis of the complete paper, supplementary materials, or underlying datasets unless explicitly stated. Findings should be interpreted in the context of the original publication.