Spiritual Ecology
Our Earth is alive, a living, breathing being with a heart and a soul. She gives us life, nourishes us, feeds us, protects us, teaches us, and we are part of her. Our ancestors lived with this awareness. And those who have kept this awareness alive, live it… treading gently upon the soil, weaving prayers of light with each step. And yet, in this and many other cultures, we have become so disconnected from Nature, and from the spiritual essence of the Earth, distracted and seduced by the glitters of the outer world, disconnected from the present, from the heart.
Our Earth is dying, and this is due to our actions. We have closed our eyes and ears from seeing, hearing and feeling the truth, and yet deep within the soul is a restlessness, an anguish, a suffering – calling us to awaken from this sleep and to return home again.
Our Earth is dying, and this is due to our actions. We have closed our eyes and ears from seeing, hearing and feeling the truth, and yet deep within the soul is a restlessness, an anguish, a suffering – calling us to awaken from this sleep and to return home again.
We are the only ones who can create change. And it begins within..
When we learn again to listen,
To feel,
To breathe within each moment as a living prayer.
The sacred is infused within every leaf, every rock, every drop of water, in the starlight and moonlight, the whisper in the wind…
What is the deepest calling of your heart?
What is the sacred sound of your soul?
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Walking Tenderly on Mother Earth by
Every time I step upon the Earth, I will train myself to see that I am walking on you, my Mother. Every time I place my feet on the Earth I have a chance to be in touch with you and with all your wonders. With every step I can touch the fact that you are not just beneath me, dear Mother, but you are also within me. Each mindful step can nourish me, heal me, and bring me into contact with myself and with you in the present moment.
Walking in mindfulness I can express my love, respect, and care for you, our precious Earth. I will touch the truth that mind and body are not two separate entities. I will train myself to look deeply to see your true nature: you are my loving mother, a living being, a great being–an immense, beautiful and precious wonder. You are not only matter, you are also mind, you are also consciousness. Just as the beautiful pine or tender grain of corn possess an innate sense of knowing, so, too, do you. How else can you give birth to so many thousands of buddhas, bodhisattvas and saints? Each step can reveal that the mind of love, the mind of awakening, is not only present in humans, but in all things. Within you, dear Mother Earth, there are the elements of Earth, water, air and fire; and there is also time, space and consciousness. Our nature is your nature, which is also the nature of the cosmos.
It is my deep wish to walk gently, with steps of love and with great respect. I shall walk with my own body and mind united in oneness. I know it is possible to walk in such a way that every step is a pleasure, every step is nourishing, and every step is healing–not only for my body and mind, but also for you, dear Mother Earth. You are the most beautiful planet in our entire solar system. I do not want to run away from you, dear Mother, nor to hurry. I know I can find happiness right here with you. I do not need to rush to find more conditions for happiness in the future. At every step I can take refuge in you. At every step I can enjoy your beauties, your delicate veil of atmosphere and the miracle of gravity. I can stop my thinking. I can walk relaxingly and effortlessly. Walking in this spirit I can experience awakening. I can awaken to the fact that I am alive, and that life is a precious miracle. I can awaken to the fact that I am never alone and can never die. You are always there within me and around me at every step, nourishing me, embracing me and carrying me far into the future.
Dear Mother, I know it is your wish that we live with more awareness and gratitude, and we can do this by generating the energies of mindfulness, peace, stability, and compassion in our daily lives. Therefore I make the promise today to return your love and fulfill this wish by investing every step I take on you with love and tenderness. I will train myself to see the truth that I am you, I am the Earth, and as I walk, I am walking not merely on matter, but on spirit.
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“The world is not a problem to be solved; it is a living being to which we belong. The world is part of our own self and we are a part of its suffering wholeness. Until we go to the root of our image of separateness, there can be no healing. And the deepest part of our separateness from creation lies in our forgetfulness of its sacred nature, which is also our own sacred nature.” ~
“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.” ~