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Satish Kumar, former Jain monk and long-term peace and environment activist has agreed to be part of Sacred Land documentary which focuses on the rise in suicides and mental health sufferers especially since Covid-19 and lockdowns and how we can derive a sense of well-being and healing by just being in nature.

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 joined the wandering Jain monks. Inspired by Gandhi, he decided at 18 that he could achieve more back in the world and soon undertook a peace-pilgrimage, walking without money from India to America in the name of nuclear disarmament. Inspired in his early 20s by the example of the British peace activist Bertrand Russell, Satish embarked on an 8,000-mile peace pilgrimage. Carrying no money and depending on the kindness and hospitality of strangers, he and a colleague walked from India to America, via Moscow, London and Paris, to deliver a humble packet of ‘peace tea’ to the leaders of the world’s then four nuclear powers.

Now in his 80s, Satish has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice and spiritual fulfilment.

Satish founded Schumacher College as well as The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity that seeks a just future for all. To join Satish in protecting people and planet, become a member of Resurgence (with 20% off), entitling you to this charity’s change-making magazine, Resurgence & Ecologist.

Satish appears regularly on podcasts, radio and television shows. He has been interviewed by Richard Dawkins, Russell Brand and Annie Lennox, appearing as a guest on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Thought for the Day and Midweek. Satish presented an episode of BBC2’s Natural World documentary series, which was watched by 3.6 million people. An acclaimed international speaker and author, Satish’s autobiography sold over 50,000 copies, inspiring change around the world.

In 1973 Satish settled in the UK becoming the editor of Resurgence magazine, a position he held until 2016, making him the UK’s longest-serving editor of the same magazine. During this time, he has been the guiding spirit behind a number of now internationally respected ecological and educational ventures. He cofounded Schumacher College in South Devon, where he is a Visiting Fellow.

In his 50th year, Satish undertook another pilgrimage – again carrying no money. This time, he walked 2,000 miles to the holy places of Britain, a venture he describes as a celebration of his love of life and nature. In 2000 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Plymouth. In July 2001, he received an Honorary Doctorate in Literature from the University of Lancaster, and in the November of that same year, he was presented with the Jamnalal Bajaj International Award for promoting Gandhian values outside India. In 2009 Satish was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) by the University of Exeter. In 2013 he was made Doctor of the University by the University of Suffolk. In 2014 Satish was appointed an Oxfam UK Ambassador. Satish is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Gross National Happiness Centre of Bhutan. In 2019 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Wales.

His autobiography, No Destination, first published by Green Books in 1978, has sold over 50,000 copies. He is also the author of You Are, Therefore I Am: A Declaration of Dependence, The Buddha and the Terrorist, Earth Pilgrim, Soil, Soul, Society and Elegant Simplicity. In 2005, Satish was Sue Lawley’s guest on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. In 2008, as part of BBC2’s Natural World series, he presented a 50-minute documentary from Dartmoor, which was watched by over 3.6 million people. He appears regularly in the printed media and a range of radio programmes including Thought for the Day and Midweek. In recognition of his commitment to animal welfare and compassionate living, he was elected vice-president of the RSPCA. He continues to teach and run workshops on reverential ecology, holistic education and voluntary simplicity and is a much sought-after speaker both in the UK and abroad.

Philip Carr-Gomm, chief druid, author, sophrologist working in mental health has agreed to be part of Sacred Land documentary which focuses on the rise in suicides and mental health sufferers especially since Covid-19 and lockdowns and how we can derive a sense of well-being and healing by just being in nature.

In his own words …

I live in the wide open landscape of the South Downs in Sussex, England, with my wife Stephanie. In my teens, I began studying Druidry as a spiritual path with Ross Nichols, the founder of The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. Later I took a degree in psychology from University College London, and trained in psychotherapy for adults at The Institute of Psychosynthesis, in play therapy for children with Dr Rachel Pinney, and in Sophrology – a system of mind-body training for deep relaxation and personal development. I have also trained in Montessori education and founded the Lewes Montessori School. In 1988 I was asked to lead The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. In June 2020 I handed on this role to my successor, Eimear Burke.

Although my spiritual practice is rooted in Druidry, I believe we have entered an era in which we can move beyond attachments to labels, drawing instead upon the Perennial Tradition, being inspired by the wisdom in all spiritual paths and teachings – following the way of the Universal Mystic.

In recent years I have pursued my interest in spiritual practices by training to be a teacher of Yoga Nidra and Mindfulness Meditation, and I have created an online school, The Art of Living Well, to offer courses that combine psychological and spiritual understanding.

Something magical happens when the worlds of psychology and spirituality are brought together. Every discipline in psychology helps to reveal the extraordinary nature of the human being, but add the insights of the Perennial Wisdom Tradition – the ancient knowledge and esoteric teachings passed down through the ages – and we enter awe-inspiring territory that has the power to transform us.

That’s what you’ll find on my website – an exploration of this territory where spirituality and psychology meet – with books and apps, meditations and talks, webinars and events – all designed to foster growth and change, to offer exciting ideas and helpful strategies to enhance our lives and our creativity.

As a Sophrologist…

Andy Sturgeon, TV presenter, award winning garden designer and author has agreed to be part of Sacred Land documentary which focuses on the rise in suicides and mental health sufferers especially since Covid-19 and lockdowns and how we can derive a sense of well-being and healing by just being in nature.

Andy Sturgeon, Principal
Dip (Landscape) FSGD. Founded practice in 1988

Andy is one of the UK’s leading garden designers. He is a Registered Member and Fellow of the Society of Garden Designers and a registered designer at the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI). His modern designs are a fusion of traditional materials and contemporary styling that have become known for their timeless architectural qualities, innovative planting and sculptural characteristics.

At Andy Sturgeon Design, our commissions range from private roof gardens to interesting and iconic commercial projects including public spaces and country estates all over the UK. We have carried out international projects in Russia, Hong Kong, Rwanda, Europe and the Middle East. Our work is frequently featured on television and in books, magazines and newspapers worldwide.

Andy has won eight RHS Gold medals at Chelsea Flower Show in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016 and 2019. He was also awarded the coveted ‘Best in Show’ award in 2010, 2016 and 2019. Both The Sunday Times and House & Garden magazine place Andy in the Top Ten list of landscape designers in Britain, with recent accolades including Gold Awards from Singapore, Korea and Philadelphia and three of the top awards from the UK’s Society of Garden Designers in 2014. Other awards span Health Care, Lighting and Swimming Pool Design with Principal Awards from the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and the Supreme Award from the Association of Professional Landscapers in 2007. Andy also won two International Gold awards from the American Association of Professional Landscape Designers.

Andy lectures around the world. He is a published author, journalist and broadcaster and an active commentator in the international garden design sector. He frequently sits on judging panels for a broad range of design genre ranging from architecture to hotel & bar design.

Andy has presented gardening programmes for all the major channels including Chelsea Flower Show for the BBC since 2005. He is a freelance journalist and has been a columnist for The Guardian, Daily Mail, Daily Express and The Sunday Times. His first book ‘Planted’ shook-up the world of garden publishing with its ground-breaking approach and fresh outlook. His second book ‘Potted’ helped revitalise the tarnished image of indoor plants by positioning them as stylish, indispensable features of interior design. More recently, he published the widely acclaimed ‘Big Plans, Small Spaces’. A book on larger landscapes is on its way.

Before graduating from the Welsh College of Horticulture in 1987, Andy worked at The Royal Horticultural Society Garden Wisley, and as a landscape gardener. Andy has travelled extensively in order to observe gardens and plants in their natural habitats. Highlights include a plant hunt in Madagascar and a seed collecting expedition in Kenya for the Millennium Seed Bank.