ABSTRACT
Despite the richly diverse histories of philosophy and religion, a constant unifying thread may be found in what sometimes is referred to as the “Perennial Tradition.” The author of this chapter traces the roots of five universal aspects in this tradition within earlier foundations of eco-spirituality, particularly the primary sources of Stoicism and their later expression in the “Five Ways” of Thomas Aquinas. By recalling Stoic tradition and identifying the universal inheritance obtained from it, this chapter reminds us of the need to orient our understanding of ourselves as part of a larger, natural whole.
