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About Vita
Vita is a new philosophy that seeks to connect people spiritually to nature, intellectually to Earth system science, and through practice to making the world a safer place for life to exist.
Vita is a spiritual response to the climate and ecological crisis that is suited to all people no matter their faiths and spiritual views.
Vita is the missing jigsaw piece to make Western culture ecologically sustainable.
Vita Governors
Guy Lane
Guy Lane
Guy Lane
Guy Lane
Guy Lane
Guy Lane is an environmental scientist, author and entrepreneur. He conceived in 2016 the idea of a non-theistic spiritual philosophy that was grounded in the science and needs of the age, and began to write down the ideas and build a team to advance the cause. Guy is Vita Founder, Chairman of Vitae-planeta Ltd (the corporate vehicle that underpins Vita) and a Vitan Minister.
Bill Spee
Bill Spee
Bill Spee
Bill Spee
Bill Spee
Bill is a Dutch-born Australian living in Sydney. He has a long history of entrepreneurial ventures including tourism, food and commercial property. A former naval aviator and aspiring astronaut, Bill is Vita Co-founder and Director of Vitae-planeta Ltd. With Guy Lane, Bill helps frame Vita spiritual philosophy and governs the organisation.
Vita Advisors
Amie Steel
Amie Steel
Amie Steel
Amie Steel
Amie Steel
Amie Steel has a PhD in public health. She is a specialist in women’s health and naturopathy seeking a holistic integration of mind body and spirit. Naturopathy recognises the natural healing powers of the human body and the role of being in nature to advance the healing process.
Alison Green
Alison Green
Alison Green
Alison Green
Alison Green
Alison has a PhD in psychology and was formerly Pro-Vice Chancellor of Arden University before leaving academia to pursue environmental and climate activism. Alison is Chief Executive of Scientists Warning Foundation a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organisation that communicates contemporary climate science. Alison regularly speaks on the climate
Alison has a PhD in psychology and was formerly Pro-Vice Chancellor of Arden University before leaving academia to pursue environmental and climate activism. Alison is Chief Executive of Scientists Warning Foundation a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organisation that communicates contemporary climate science. Alison regularly speaks on the climate and ecological crisis as a panelist, keynote speaker or interviewee.
Rupert Read
Rupert Read
Rupert Read
Rupert Read
Rupert Read
Dr Rupert Read is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. A former media spokesperson for the Extinction Rebellion movement, Rupert is now focused to helping to grow a mass movement for a Moderate Flank of environmental activism inspired by eco-spirituality.
Liam Kavanagh
Liam Kavanagh
Liam Kavanagh
Liam Kavanagh
Liam Kavanagh
Liam Kavanagh is a cognitive scientist who studies how our body and feelings interact with our thoughts, both within the individual and within social groups. Liam studied Economics at Cambridge University, and holds a PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science from UCSD. Liam is co-founder of Life Itself organization that seeks a wiser, weller world, and he advises Vita on Zen Buddhist tradition.
Peter Carter
Peter Carter
Peter Carter
Peter Carter
Peter Carter
In his years as a physician, Dr Peter Carter involved in the development of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Today, Peter is UN IPCC Expert Reviewer of science reports. He also serves as Director of the Climate Emergency Institute which provides an up-to-date clearing-house of climate science data. Peter is a pu
In his years as a physician, Dr Peter Carter involved in the development of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Today, Peter is UN IPCC Expert Reviewer of science reports. He also serves as Director of the Climate Emergency Institute which provides an up-to-date clearing-house of climate science data. Peter is a public speaker on climate and ecological issues and the author of Unprecedented Crime: Climate Change Denial and Game Changers for Survival.
Bron Taylor
Bron Taylor
Bron Taylor
Bron Taylor
Bron Taylor
Bron Taylor is Professor of Religion, Nature and Environmental Ethics at the University of Florida, Editor in Chief of the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, and the author of Dark Green Religion. Professor Taylor’s central scholarly interest and personal passion is the conservation of the earth’s biolo
Bron Taylor is Professor of Religion, Nature and Environmental Ethics at the University of Florida, Editor in Chief of the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, and the author of Dark Green Religion. Professor Taylor’s central scholarly interest and personal passion is the conservation of the earth’s biological diversity and how human cultures might evolve rapidly enough to arrest and reverse today’s intensifying environmental and social crises.
Vita's View on the Question
In it's earliest iteration, what is now called Vita was conceived of as a religion devoted to Gaia in a blog post pasted to Linked-in titled Gaia: a New Religion Devoted to a Sustainability. In Australia a religion is defined as a belief in a supernatural and the canons of conduct that give effect to the belief. After sharing this idea with many people it was found that religious people weren't looking for a new religion, and non-religious people weren't looking for a religion, in the first place. So, we were in the process of inventing something that people didn't want. However, we also found that people were interested in spiritual philosophy relating to nature. So, we continued developing the concept of Vita with a focus on the spiritual philosophy and downplaying the canons of conduct and the supernatural aspects.
Later, the concept of Gaia was replaced with the concept of Vitae-planeta.
When Vita was formed as an institution and registered as a charity, we needed to allocate a charity sub-type or sub-types. As there was no charity sub-type called Advancing Spiritual Philosophy of Nature, we had to choose from what was available on the list and the best fit seemed to be a hybrid between Advancing Religion, Advancing Natural Environment, and Advancing Education. In response the charity commission approved our submission subject to us dropping the Advancing Natural Environment and Advancing Education charity sub-types. As a result, the Vita institution is technically a registered religious institution although Vita is framed as a spiritual philosophy in our outward communications.
The supernatural and canons of conduct aspects remain on Vita's website and so one could say that Vita is an ecologically sound spiritual philosophy, and Vita organization contains a religion in that it ascribes a supernatural - Vitae-planeta - and details canons of conduct which are referred to as Practices.
Ultimately, the question is framed by one's definition of religion. The Australian government has one view on the matter, and the video above shows other views. So, ultimately the answer to the question is subjective: do you believe that Vita is a religion?
And if so, does it matter?
