~ Reflection on Mother Earth ~
“Humanity has forgotten where we came from. We actually came from the earth. This is the truth that has been forgotten by humankind. She is Mother Earth. She is the Creator. She is the giver of everything. Everything that we know of. You are holding a cup of tea there in your hands. That cup came from Mother Earth. You are wearing warm clothes because it is cold; all these clothes came from Mother Earth. And your body is from Mother Earth. When this body leaves the soul, it goes back to its mother. What comes from Mother Earth goes back to Mother Earth.”
Baba Mandaza Augustine Kademwa
Baba Mandaza Augustine Kademwa
April is Earth Month and this April 22 will be the 51st anniversary of the first Earth Day. For these reasons, a reflection on the Earth seems appropriate. But celebrating our planet only once a year doesn’t feel enough to me. Given that we all came from the Earth and that she offers us everything we need to sustain ourselves, I think we should celebrate her not only every day, but every minute of every day.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, the Earth is always all around you. We are used to thinking of her as beneath us, but in reality the Earth is all around us – above us in the atmosphere, below us in the land and the sea and on all sides. There is nowhere on this planet away from the Earth. But more than this, our bodies themselves are made of the Earth. It’s easy to forget that the minerals in our bones, the blood in our veins, and the carbon in our cells all come from the Earth. The Earth is not just the environment we live in; she is in us and we are in her. People and the planet are made of the same stuff.
Understanding this deeply, we can see that there is no separation between us and the Earth. As Thich Nhat Hahn says “We inter-are”. From this perspective, how could we not celebrate her every day? How could we not love her? How could we not want to protect her? Just as we take care of ourselves, so we would want to take care of her. Love is the natural and instinctive response to the truth that we inter-are. And it brings great joy and happiness.
Another consequence of understanding that we are not separate from the Earth is the realization that she is alive. If we are part of the Earth and she is part of us, then she must be alive. We tend to believe that she is inanimate – a random assemblage of matter and energy spinning round the sun. But this is illusion. When we appreciate that people and the planet are the same, the Earth is transformed into a living intelligent presence. The way a seed knows how to grow into a plant with leaves, roots, and seeds. Or the way migrating birds and animals know their path and their destination.
The Earth is so wondrous, so awesome, so incredible. How could we not celebrate her in every moment?
One way to do this is to rejoice in her numerous attributes, such as generosity, patience, creativity, and beauty. The Earth is generous beyond measure. She provides us with everything we need to sustain ourselves – water to drink, air to breathe and food to eat. Without any of these, we would quickly perish. She is also patient and non-judgemental. We human beings have done, and continue to do, a lot of things that harmed the Earth. Yet she does not judge or punish us. She carries on bringing us into life, sustaining us, and receiving us back when we die.
The Earth is endlessly creative. She has given birth to countless living species, including human beings, and is constantly creating new land forms and new environments. Nothing stays the same; everything is in process of becoming something new. And she is beautiful. From the micro to the macro, the Earth is lovely. The exquisite design of a fly’s eye and the Earth herself, as seen from space, for example. All this and so much more.
So this April, let us resolve to celebrate the Earth, our Mother, recognizing and appreciating all her gifts and all her attributes.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, the Earth is always all around you. We are used to thinking of her as beneath us, but in reality the Earth is all around us – above us in the atmosphere, below us in the land and the sea and on all sides. There is nowhere on this planet away from the Earth. But more than this, our bodies themselves are made of the Earth. It’s easy to forget that the minerals in our bones, the blood in our veins, and the carbon in our cells all come from the Earth. The Earth is not just the environment we live in; she is in us and we are in her. People and the planet are made of the same stuff.
Understanding this deeply, we can see that there is no separation between us and the Earth. As Thich Nhat Hahn says “We inter-are”. From this perspective, how could we not celebrate her every day? How could we not love her? How could we not want to protect her? Just as we take care of ourselves, so we would want to take care of her. Love is the natural and instinctive response to the truth that we inter-are. And it brings great joy and happiness.
Another consequence of understanding that we are not separate from the Earth is the realization that she is alive. If we are part of the Earth and she is part of us, then she must be alive. We tend to believe that she is inanimate – a random assemblage of matter and energy spinning round the sun. But this is illusion. When we appreciate that people and the planet are the same, the Earth is transformed into a living intelligent presence. The way a seed knows how to grow into a plant with leaves, roots, and seeds. Or the way migrating birds and animals know their path and their destination.
The Earth is so wondrous, so awesome, so incredible. How could we not celebrate her in every moment?
One way to do this is to rejoice in her numerous attributes, such as generosity, patience, creativity, and beauty. The Earth is generous beyond measure. She provides us with everything we need to sustain ourselves – water to drink, air to breathe and food to eat. Without any of these, we would quickly perish. She is also patient and non-judgemental. We human beings have done, and continue to do, a lot of things that harmed the Earth. Yet she does not judge or punish us. She carries on bringing us into life, sustaining us, and receiving us back when we die.
The Earth is endlessly creative. She has given birth to countless living species, including human beings, and is constantly creating new land forms and new environments. Nothing stays the same; everything is in process of becoming something new. And she is beautiful. From the micro to the macro, the Earth is lovely. The exquisite design of a fly’s eye and the Earth herself, as seen from space, for example. All this and so much more.
So this April, let us resolve to celebrate the Earth, our Mother, recognizing and appreciating all her gifts and all her attributes.
