The Spirit of the Rainforest
*As featured in the NEW YORK TIMES*
‘Every page feels alive with passion’ – Sophie Pavelle, author of ‘Forget Me Not’
‘A beautiful book’ – Levison Wood, author of ‘Walking the Himalayas’
Named as the BBC’s Most Influential Women, Dr Rosa Espinoza shares the story of her incredible life exploring the Amazon.
Deep in the Amazonian jungle, there exists a corner of the world that remains untouched – a place where rivers boil, plants heal, and creatures glow in the dark. It’s an ecosystem of incredible diversity, and one that Dr Rosa set out to explore.
Growing up on the edge of the Peruvian rainforest, Rosa knew the power of indigenous wisdom from a young age. But it was only as she moved to the US to study science that she felt the uneasy separation between her two worlds. Why was scientific enquiry taken more seriously than indigenous knowledge? And what are scientists missing by not listening other ways of seeing the world?
Dr Rosa made it her mission to integrate scientific rigour with indigenous wisdom. This book tracks her expeditions in the Amazon, and shows the scientific discoveries she made along the way – from her groundbreaking research on stingless bees to her revelations while taking ayahuasca.
This book shows Dr Rosa’s determination to rewrite the script of science: to celebrate indigenous knowledge and give us new hope for our world.
‘Every page feels alive with passion’ – Sophie Pavelle, author of ‘Forget Me Not’
‘A beautiful book’ – Levison Wood, author of ‘Walking the Himalayas’
Named as the BBC’s Most Influential Women, Dr Rosa Espinoza shares the story of her incredible life exploring the Amazon.
Deep in the Amazonian jungle, there exists a corner of the world that remains untouched – a place where rivers boil, plants heal, and creatures glow in the dark. It’s an ecosystem of incredible diversity, and one that Dr Rosa set out to explore.
Growing up on the edge of the Peruvian rainforest, Rosa knew the power of indigenous wisdom from a young age. But it was only as she moved to the US to study science that she felt the uneasy separation between her two worlds. Why was scientific enquiry taken more seriously than indigenous knowledge? And what are scientists missing by not listening other ways of seeing the world?
Dr Rosa made it her mission to integrate scientific rigour with indigenous wisdom. This book tracks her expeditions in the Amazon, and shows the scientific discoveries she made along the way – from her groundbreaking research on stingless bees to her revelations while taking ayahuasca.
This book shows Dr Rosa’s determination to rewrite the script of science: to celebrate indigenous knowledge and give us new hope for our world.
Reviews
With scientific precision and a storyteller's soul, Dr Espinoza doesn't just teach us about the Amazon, she inspires us to listen to it.
Fierce, vibrant; full of warmth and fascination, The Spirit of the Rainforest is a beacon of hope . . . Every page feels alive with passion
The worlds of spiritualism and science merge in this fascinating and heartfelt account of exploration and discovery, bringing the Peruvian Amazon to life on every page. Rosa is on a mission, and perfectly placed to help inspire a much-needed transformation in our relationship with the planet.
This beautiful book encourages a dialogue with nature that is all too often forgotten
Dr Rosa captures the rainforest in a way that feels both intimate and otherworldly. She does so with a rare sensitivity and invites us to truly listen to the rainforest.
[a] phenomenal debut filled with traditional wisdom, scientific explorations and transformational connections.