Erik Jampa Andersson, MA, founder and director of Shrimala, is a London-based environmental historian, Tolkien scholar, and the author of Unseen Beings: How we Forgot the World is More than Human (Hay House UK, 2023). He is a graduate of the Shang Shung Institute School of Tibetan Medicine, and holds an MA in History from Goldsmiths, University of London.

With a long history in Tibetan and Buddhist studies, Erik Jampa’s research focuses on the critical intersection of myth, ecology, and religion — examining the ways that stories and ritual frameworks assisted in the transmission of environmental knowledge throughout history. His first book, Unseen Beings, examines the ideological roots of the environmental crisis, and proposes a philosophical framework for recovery in a more-than-human world.

Erik is also an experienced tour guide, offering a range of inspiring and enchanting experiences in London and other UK locations. As a consummate storyteller and rigorous researcher, Erik’s tours are highly acclaimed, amassing hundreds of five-star reviews.

As a lifelong enthusiast of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Erik is also a published Tolkien scholar, focusing on ecocritical and alternative spiritual approaches to Tolkien’s Legendarium. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of The Tolkien Society.