Focus On: Satish Kumar
"We have forgotten how to love. We have to start a love revolution."
As we swim through the cesspool that the modern world sometimes appears to be, it's easy to forget about something as simple and naive-sounding as the power of love. But love is not just an emotional state; it's a revolutionary force that has the potential to transform us and the world around us, at least according to the subject of this issue, Satish Kumar.
(So what happened to the digest of links? Why are we concentrating on only one person for this issue? Just to break it up, and keep you on your toes, folks. Back to the usual format next time. Plus we believe Kumar is well worth concentrating on.)
Satish Kumar is a renowned Indian-British philosopher, writer, and environmentalist who has dedicated his life to promoting peace, sustainability, and well-being. Born in 1936 in Hyderabad, India, Kumar grew up in a family that valued simplicity, spirituality, and compassion. He began his journey as a Jain monk at the age of nine and spent several years studying philosophy, meditation, and yoga.
In his twenties, Kumar undertook an epic peace pilgrimage, walking the 8,000 miles from India to the USA without money, driven by a mission to raise awareness about nuclear disarmament. This two-year journey was more than just physical for Kumar; it was a spiritual odyssey that would shape his understanding of human interrelatedness.
“...be a pilgrim and not a tourist on Planet Earth”
By 1973, Kumar had settled in the United Kingdom, becoming editor of Resurgence magazine—a role he would hold for decades, making him the longest-serving editor in the publication's history. But Kumar was not satisfied with merely sharing ideas; he was determined to create a real and lasting change, and felt that education at a deep level was the way to achieve this.
In 1991, he co-founded Schumacher College with John Lane, Stephan Harding and others. Situated on the Dartington estate near Totnes in Devon, in the west of England, and named after E.F. Schumacher, the influential ecological pioneer and author of ‘Small Is Beautiful’, the college was an innovative educational institution that would become a global center for ecological learning, and which became Kumar's most significant contribution to global transformation. Under their guidance, the college developed a unique "learn by doing" pedagogical approach. Students didn't just study ecology; they experienced it, lived it, in the process becoming ambassadors for a more integral understanding of humanity's relationship with the planet.
“Multinational corporations and a market economy have transformed human beings into instruments of making money. Human beings should be the end. And money should be the means to an end.”
Kumar and the other co-founders' philosophy for Schumacher was revolutionary in its simplicity: education should not just transfer information, but transform consciousness. They saw the world not as a collection of separate parts, but as a living, breathing whole where peace, the natural world (including humans), and personal growth were intimately connected.
"Humans are not a resource for profit; humans are human relationship."
Schumacher College attracted global thought leaders like Vandana Shiva and Jonathan Porritt, who recognized in Kumar a rare combination of spiritual depth and practical activism. The college became a hub for reimagining economics, sustainability, and human potential.
(Unfortunately, the college has recently had to close due to support being withdrawn from Dartington Trust which owns the land, details here. A fundraising campaign has been set up in order to help the organization regroup and start offering courses in other venues).
Kumar’s philosophy, which he calls ‘Radical Love’, is centered on the idea that we are all part of a larger web of life and that our actions have consequences—both positive and negative—not just for ourselves but for the planet as a whole.
"The moment we say nature is separate from us, it becomes a means to an end."
When we practice radical love, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and perspectives, allowing us to see the interconnectedness of all things.
"Love is my religion, and when I have love in me, I am at peace with myself, others, and the world."
In this way, radical love becomes a powerful tool for creating positive change in the world. By embracing our shared humanity and recognizing that we are all part of a larger web of life, we can work together to create a more just society, foregoing the fatalistic ‘spiritual bypass’ which is so often (and increasingly so in today’s narcissistic age) a hallmark of individualist spirituality.
This radical love is not about ignoring our differences but about seeing them as an opportunity to learn and grow from one another. As we cultivate radical love, we begin to see the world in a new light—a world where massive wealth inequality is a thing of the past, everyone has access to clean water, food, and shelter; where education and healthcare are available to all; and where the planet is protected for future generations.
"Radical love is not just an emotional state but a way of being in the world."
So how can we start practicing radical love? We can begin by cultivating mindfulness and meditation, allowing us to connect with ourselves and others on a deeper level. We can engage in acts of service and kindness towards others, such as volunteering or donating to charitable causes. And we can seek out diverse perspectives and engage in meaningful conversations with people from different backgrounds and cultures, as Kunar did during his pilgrimage.
By doing so, we can create a world where love is not just an ideal but a lived reality - a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.
"All the big problems of the world today are rooted in the philosophy of separateness and dualism."
Throughout his career, Kumar has been honored multiple times, most recently receiving the 2023 RSA Bicentenary Medal. Yet, he remains remarkably humble, more interested in fostering change than in personal accolades.
“The way to healthy living is to shift from quantitative economic growth to quality of life, food, water and air - to shift from craving to contentment and from greed to gratitude.”
The documentary "Radical Love: The Life and Legacy of Satish Kumar" captures the essence of a man who has spent decades quietly setting the global agenda for ecological and social transformation. His life demonstrates a profound truth: that one person, armed with conviction, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to holistic thinking, can indeed change the world.
“If individuals start to walk on the path of spirit and feel a sense of the sacred connectedness, then social, economic and political problems will also begin to get resolved.”
As our planet faces unprecedented environmental and social challenges, Satish Kumar's legacy offers a blueprint for hope—a reminder that true change begins with understanding our fundamental interconnectedness, and that education is not just about acquiring knowledge, but about awakening our collective consciousness.
In Kumar's own words: "Work with imagination, work in the service of the Earth, and work for the values and ideals you hold dear in your heart."
(You can contribute here to the crowdfunder for re-constituting Schumacher College, set up by the recently-created Satish Kumar Foundation).
 | A guest post by
|
What a beautiful and inspiring person, a mission worth celebrating
Before we get to love, we have to get to respect. Before we get to respect, we have to acknowledge aversion. After we acknowledge our aversion we have to then listen to those we have regarded as despicable.