Meet Bela Shah, former director of the Dalai Lama Fellows program, social impact professional, and coach. Bela’s mindfulness-rooted journey has recently led her to find passion and purpose in coaching. Changing the world is difficult work, and we could all use a guide. We’re glad Bela is bringing her experience and compassion to supporting other leaders along their own inner and outer journeys.

Many faith traditions have long been rooted in a relationship with the Earth—particularly indigenous traditions, but also others, such as Jainism. And some early advocates of the environment and animal welfare were inspired by faith—such as Francis of Assisi and Buddhist emperor Ashoka. Yet the concept of ecotheology has developed largely within the last half century or so as the world has had to come to terms with the ecological destruction wrought by human society. Ecotheology looks at the relationship between religion and nature and seeks to find solutions to the current environmental crisis.