Fantasy or Fiction

When we see Planet Earth from outer space through the lenses of science and space technology, we lose sight of the creation of the Realms of Sky, Earth and Sea that were molded into this beautiful orb many cultures call Mother Earth. Every living entity on her land and in her oceans, Mother Earth called Nature. She watched over Nature lovingly as together, they flourished and thrived for millions of years. Are you waiting for the happy ever after clause? Didn’t happen. Mother Earth’s story is neither fantasy nor fiction.

Here is a heart wrenching story of the greatest protagonist of all. But, even great heroes sometimes need help. After millions of years of natural survival of the species that populated her, Mother Earth felt the footsteps of new living entities called human beings. Like the animals coexisting with them, human beings also wandered across her surface in small herds. Over the centuries however, as their numbers grew and they wandered far and wide over the Realm of the Seas. As human footsteps became heavier, Mother Earth knew that a new realm, the Realm of Mankind was being formed when their innovative minds created machines and methods to explore the boundless abundance of Her being.

Nature’s beautiful life-giving forests surrendered their trees to be stripped of their bark, to cater to ever growing wants of human beings.  The current state of our beloved Mother Earth is very sad indeed with  forests becoming scarce, the rivers drying up, wild animals losing their habitat and going extinct, oceans becoming the new dumping ground of human waste etc. If Nature could have cried out aloud, she would have screamed a warning – “there is a price to pay”

Many compassionate human beings knew that the survival of mankind was interconnected with Mother Earth’s survival. Green Organizations sprouted like strong, young saplings to quell the tide of destruction.  His Holiness the Dalai Lama reiterates Carson’s view by saying, “What is clear is that we are the only species with the power to destroy the earth. Birds and insects have no such power, nor does any other mammal.” But, warning, curbs and restraints were not enough. Advocates like Rachel Carson, who in 1962 made the world aware that,” only one species – man – acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world.”  Her work led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

It has become clear that to change the course of man’s inherent nature, the world would need ways to transform the nature of man to live compatibly with Nature. But all is not lost. Over the years, positive initiatives like Isha Foundation’s GreenHands -Trees for Life took root and galvanized the farming community in South India. This is a clear example of planning, collaboration and dedication to the wellbeing of the environment.

Isn’t it time to give back to Mother Nature what we taken from her ruthlessly for many centuries, to treat Her with care and compassion, to take only what we need, to leave this beautiful blue planet in a better state than we found it?  Isn’t time to understand that we are just a tiny spec of life in this cosmos and our notion of power is an illusion? If Mother Nature decides to teach us a lesson, the most powerful of machines will not withstand even for a second the wrath of Her fury.  Helplessly we will be brought to extinction if there were to be plagues, pandemics, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires and other forces of nature rose up against us.  Let’s remember that the planet does not need humans and that humans need this planet to survive.

Now is the time to realize our interconnectedness with Nature. Yoga and Meditation are wonderful practices that bring peace, mindfulness, compassion, patience, kindness into how we live each moment of our life and be in service of all life on Earth. Through yoga and meditation human beings can transform themselves to see (in the words of Rachel Carson) that nature is, “the fabric of life.” Let’s make our plant green and great again. Let this become the Story of Mankind.