DEDICATED TO THE ONGOING WORK OF POLLY HIGGINS & JOJO MEHTA
How would it be if we all felt our living connection to Mother Earth in such a way that we walk in harmony, in conscious reciprocity with her? How would it be if we all behave like Earth-keepers and enjoy the give and take of adult relationship with this beautiful planet? How would it be if we took our rightful place as stewards in service to the well-being of earth and all her life-forms?
Most of us in Western consciousness have lost our deep connection to nature and this underpins how we have come to this place of mass extinction and climate chaos. Many of us now look to the indigenous peoples of the earth who've never lost touch with the energies of nature, who've never left the garden. When we listen to their wisdom our perception changes and we are able to see that this beautiful earth IS paradise.
We are not born sinners. And yet as a collective we seem to behave as though we are. We have grown up in a mental structure which disconnects us from earth and we live our lives unconsciously. We are not sinners, we've simply grown up, some of us, believing that paradise is out there somewhere and that we're not worthy. The indigenous peoples regard us as orphaned, so disconnected are we from our Mother Earth. And now we find that we're living a story which no longer rings true (perhaps it never did) and depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia - amongst many other conditions - are symptoms of us being out of sync. Life on earth depends on us waking up, stepping up, growing up.
Standing here on this beautiful planet, we have the opportunity to rekindle our relationship with Mother Earth. Here today in the face of climate chaos we are called upon to acknowledge that our human connection to, and dependence upon, the earth is the glue which binds us as a species no matter what our path in life is.
'Dear Mother Earth, I'm so sorry for all that I have done. I offer you my tears and deepest remorse and sorrow for what has happened and is happening, the carnage of thousands of life forms losing their habitat to make way for our voracious appetites, the unfillable voids within us which if only we stepped back into right relationship with you could be filled with sweetness. Mother Earth we hear you, we hear how we have disrespected you, mistreated you, not loved you enough. Me too.
Dear Mother Earth as we stand here we are ready to break through the layers of collusion and ingratitude and to step back into the stream of life. As our tears of remorse soften us may we listen deeply to what is needed of us and our leaders to turn this around and step back into the sweet flow of life. We have lived in a way which puts us first and we are reaping the rewards of such narcissism, please teach us your ways, how to live in balance with you and all your life-forms, as stewards, putting our wisdom and accomplishments to good use'.
How would it be if we turned our attention to Mother Earth and offered her our deepest gratitude and love for all that she does for us? How would it be if we step back in and tend the garden with our love? The reality is that Mother Earth knows how to look after herself and when our rampant consumerism pulls nature off-balance she knows how to come back into balance - with or without us. When the hurricanes and wild fires create chaos and the seas boil. we are being called upon to listen deeply, to bring our house in order, to engage our hearts and minds and brains in service to Mother Earth and all her life-forms. Our wonderful evolved brains. We need them to serve us to find ways back into right relationship, in balance with nature. Science and technology are wonderful tools which can be help us to come back into balance. At some point in our evolution we became submissive to reductive thinking, caught up in precepts and concepts. Now is the time to shift our perception and to engage once again with, and listen to, the deep wisdom of nature.
Never underestimate what is possible when humans COLLABORATE with nature.
Could there be a law which helps us to mediate our way back into right relationship? Could there be a law which is earth-centric as opposed to humanocentric? Could this law birth in our consciousness the idea that whatever we do in the name of progress must benefit all of life?
Kate Dineen - March 2019