I love frogs. I enjoy back-yard birding. Some of my greatest joy is experienced through nature. It is fabulous to see the fawns that wander into Joel’s yard walking on little trembling legs as they merge from mother’s womb onto Mother Earth. (See: Out My Window, by Joel Bowman!)
The sights and sounds and sensations of nature are v-e-r-y pleasant.It is not pleasant to deal with the fighting about the conditions facing our planet, the possible reasons for those conditions, or what we humans might (or should) do about it all.
The Arctic ice cap is shrinking. Temperatures are rising. Scientists across many disciplines and countries are united in their belief that the climate on Earth is getting hotter. The good news is that humans might not be the only cause of this climate change — the planet has suffered through dramatic shifts in temperature many times over its history. The bad news is that pretty much every time that happens there’s a mass extinction.
(See: Mass Extinction.)
It is very helpful to have ways of getting out of your head when worried about a situation and feeling anxious or concerned. Asking a question and drawing a card has been a very useful tool over the years. I used a free on-line Triple Goddess Tarot deck by Isha Lerner and asked:
“What does spirit want me to know about the health of Mother Earth?”
3. Fullness of Life
Soul Message: May my body be a prayerstick for the world. –Joan Halifax
Alchemy and Transformation: The Western world is in radical need of balance and harmony, and we must learn to embrace the natural rhythms of perpetual change, birth, death, and rebirth. Love is the principal ruler of the Fullness of Life Goddess; although She births and manifests through Her womb, She also manifests divine love through Her heart. At this stage of initiation, life begins to mirror back to us our deepest held beliefs and patterns of relating to the world. The power of the earth and the resource of your own worth are evident as this archetype awakens within your daily life.
Awakening to the Archetype – Earth Mother and Mother of the World: The Earth Mother embodies all stages of life as the Triple Goddess: Wise Crone, Bountiful Mother, and Maiden. Known by many names in many cultures, She is Gaia, the feminine earth steward who watches over agriculture and the ecosystem. Your body is Her temple. Experience Her sensual temple by walking with your bare feet on the earth, smelling the scent of nature’s perfume as you walk amid the flowers, or touching Her skin as you climb a mountain.
Everyday Encounters: Fullness of Life offers an opportunity to ground and center your attention on the physical realm. What does abundance mean to you? Become ready to receive life’s riches on a daily basis. Re-invite the Fullness of Life into your daily routine by immersing yourself in nature, bathing in fragrant bubbles or under the stars in a clear stream. Remember, the natural world is a mirror of your own divine potential.
Nature’s Healers: Manzanita TreeFourth Chakra Attributes: (Color: Green) (Function: Love)
Healing Essence of the Chakra: Located in the region of the heart and between the shoulder blades, it is the area of the body where love resides, in the cave of the heart. The ecstasy of love teaches us to let go and trust in the world, ultimately transcending the flames of sexual passion and emptying our life, giving spirit and spirituality into the world.
Healing Flower: Rose
Keywords: Love, Unconditional Love, Surrender, Compassion, Forgiveness, Grace, Peace
Affirmations: I am unconditionally loving of myself and others. There is an infinite supply of love in the world. I am love.
When you decide to act out of love, the internet is ripe with suggestions and resources for how you can be of genuine help!
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Plant a tree.
Shower with a partner.
Use both sides of a piece of paper.
Turn off your computer at night.
Rethink bottled water. (Bold added by yours truly! You can filter your own water and use a bottle that doesn’t get tossed.)
For many more suggestions of things you can easily do, check out 50 Ways to Help the Planet.
And you can print a list of 10 Things Kids Can Do!
In the same way that a person experiencing a health crisis does much better without worry or blame or shame, the heart of the message about our taking good care of Mother Earth seems to be in the affirmation: to be unconditionally loving.
Sister Chan Khong of the Plum Village International Community of Engaged Buddhists shared on Facebook, “We must take action, not out of a sense of duty but out of love for our planet and for each other. The Buddha has shown us that we can all live simply and still be very happy.”
