Satish Kumar (born 1936) is an Indian-British activist, educator, and editor who founded Schumacher College and edited Resurgence & Ecologist magazine for over forty years. His work integrates ecological sustainability, spiritual values, and nonviolent social change.
Kumar trained as a Jain monk in India, learning principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and reverence for all life. In the 1960s, he undertook an 8,000-mile peace walk from India to America without money, relying on hospitality. This journey demonstrated his commitment to Gandhi’s philosophy of simple living.
Through Resurgence magazine, Kumar provided a platform for voices in ecology, spirituality, and alternative economics. His editorial work connected Eastern wisdom with Western environmental thought. As founder of Schumacher College in Devon, England (1991), Kumar created a center for ecological education where students integrate intellectual understanding with practical skills and spiritual development.
Kumar’s “Soil, Soul, Society” philosophy proposes that sustainable culture must address the earth, human spirit, and social relationships simultaneously. His concept of “reverential ecology” suggests that environmental protection requires shifts in consciousness toward recognizing the sacred in nature.
He also founded The Small School, an alternative education project emphasizing human-scale learning connected to place. His advocacy of “elegant simplicity” presents voluntary simplicity as spiritual practice rather than deprivation.
Key Concepts
- Soil, Soul, Society: Integration of ecological, spiritual, and social dimensions
- Reverential Ecology: Recognizing the sacred in nature
- Small School: Human-scale education connected to place
- Elegant Simplicity: Voluntary simplicity as spiritual practice
- Resurgence: Cultural renewal based on ecological principles
Essential Works
- “No Destination: An Autobiography” (Green Books, 1978) - ISBN 978-1-900322-11-8
- “You Are, Therefore I Am: A Declaration of Dependence” (Green Books, 2002) - ISBN 978-1-903998-16-0
- “Soil, Soul, Society: A New Trinity for Our Time” (Leaping Hare Press, 2013) - ISBN 978-1-907332-64-3
- “Elegant Simplicity: The Art of Living Well” (New Society Publishers, 2019) - ISBN 978-0-86571-908-5
Selected Quotes
Soil, soul and society are interconnected and interdependent. — Soil, Soul, Society (2013)
The Earth does not belong to us; we belong to the Earth. — You Are, Therefore I Am (2002)
Small is not only beautiful, small is also sacred. — Elegant Simplicity (2019)
We are all connected - to each other, to all life, and to the Earth itself. — You Are, Therefore I Am (2002)
Further Reading
Biographical Sources
- Wikipedia: Satish Kumar
- Kumar, Satish. No Destination: An Autobiography (Green Books, 1978) - ISBN 978-1-900322-11-8
Key Books
- You Are, Therefore I Am (Green Books, 2002) - ISBN 978-1-903998-16-0
- Soil, Soul, Society (Leaping Hare Press, 2013) - ISBN 978-1-907332-64-3
- Earth Pilgrim: Conversations with Satish Kumar (Green Books, 2009) - ISBN 978-1-900322-94-1
Related Resources