Although best known for his advocacy for wilderness preservation and establishment of national parks, his greatest legacy may be his philosophy embracing a inclusivity and love for all things that transcends the human species. His legacy includes not only anticipating the modern science of ecology, but in a larger sense can be seen as providing a roadmap for human happiness that embraces a spirituality that transcends creeds and is available to all.   John Muir’s philosophy provides much wisdom for us today, especially relevant in an over-civilized, anthropocentric society.

Some links below point to off-site pages.

• John Muir’s Radical Religion of Beauty by Chris Highland – The Humanist (Jan-Feb. 2020) – An excellent modern analysis of what John Muir can teach us today about an expansive freethinking form of spirituality.
  
  

• John Muir’s Stance against Anthropocentrism
  by Bron Taylor – A scholar of what he terms “dark green religion,” Professor Bron Taylor of the University of Florida explains Muir’s essential philosophy that rejects the idea that humankind are the most important thing in the universe.

• John Muir’s Philosophy About Death  (PDF) – A compilation of quotes and readings directly from Muir. Through his many wilderness adventures, Muir had many “closse calls” and experiences with death which led him to an inner peace with death that is rare today. He experienced our planet as a home of beauty for all living things, plants and animals and human alike, all sharing the same fate as “fellow mortals.” His thoughts alternate from the sublime to the humorous, from the contemplative, to the ecstatic!

• The Earth Wisdom of John Muir by Harold Wood (2023) – An updated and enhanced book review, based on an earlier presentation reviewing the book Earth Wisdom: John Muir, Accidental Taoist, Charts Humanity’s Only Future on a Changing Planet by Raymond Barnett (2016). How John Muir’s “accidental Taoist” world view replaces the West’s anthropocentric worldview, offering a path to becoming whole with the natural world and dealing with the existential challenge of climate change.
  
  
• Journal Writing with John Muir by Harold Wood – How to use the inspiration and methods of John Muir to engage in the spiritual exercise of journaling, to not only observe but to reflect on the important things in life. 
  
  
• Nature’s Universal Abounding Glory by Bonnie Gisel (2006) (PDF) – Acceptance speech for the 2006 John Muir Award from the John Muir Association, this essay explores what Muir learned from University of the Wilderness about how to live a good life, the importance of natural beauty and in pursuit of three R’s (to Reawaken, to Remember, and to Rejoice).
  
  
• “The Nature Mysticism of John Muir” by Larry Gates – To Muir religious feelings were as natural as breathing. Nature herself seemed constantly engaged in worship. Even trees bowing in the wind were celebrants of a primordial religion.
  
  
• Special Issue: John Muir, Vol. 9, No. 2 Pantheist Vision April, 1988 (PDF on box.com) – In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the birth of John Muir, this special issue of Pantheist Vision explores contains (1) Muir’s philosophy of Man’s Place in the Universe in his own words; (2) an explanation of how and why a new commemorative holiday was established in 1988 to recognize Muir’s legacy teaching us that Nature was not a mere storehouse of raw materials for man’s economic needs, but as a spiritual resource, and (3) a thorough examination by Harold Wood about the debate among scholars as to the nature of Muir’s religious faith, and a conclusion of how his modern pantheist faith is an inspiration for theists and non-theists alike.