Direct and mediated experiences of wilderness spirituality: implications for wilderness managers and advocates

As a result of its elevated level of consciousness, the human species has been engaged in the quest for an ultimate meaning of life and what lies beyond life and death for millennia. Many of these spiritual or religious perspectives have been closely linked to each society’s relationship with wild nature. This paper explores the topic of wilderness spirituality from the perspectives of: 1) direct experience, i.e., spiritual experiences and emotions that arise while one is in wilderness, utilizing some of the results from a Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area spiritual values study, and 2) mediated experience, i.e., experiences of spiritual emotions and inspiration that arise while one is outside wilderness but is reflecting, reading or looking at art about wilderness. Direct and mediated experiences of wilderness spirituality can be used as complementary approaches to energise the connections people have with nature and their individual forms of spirituality. Specifically, wilderness areas can be managed in order to enhance opportunities for direct experience. Direct and mediated experiences of wilderness spirituality can be used to promote the values of wilderness and to replenish the souls of wilderness managers and advocates.