Nurturing Self:
First Step to Planetary Solutions
By Beverley A. Star
Published in The New Times, Seattle, Washington
Until we learn to care for our own immediate, personal environment, all other environments will be neglected.
It is presently a fact of life that our planet is in need of much healing from the innumerable wounds which human beings have inflicted upon it. The planet is a living, throbbing heart, it is a wonder and a gift of great beauty. We were given dominion over the earth and it is our responsibility to care for this precious gift, to honor it, and to respect all living matter residing upon it.
Obviously, we have not taken our responsibility seriously and we are accountable for the wounds that have occurred and are still occurring to the planet. It is futile and hurtful to feel guilty and fearful over our prior mistakes and lack of awareness. It is, however, necessary and vital that we immediately rectify the situation by every means available to us. We owe this not only to our exquisitely beautiful and abundantly generous mother earth but to ourselves as well, and certainly we owe this to our children.
We seem to have somehow dissociated ourselves from mother earth. We have acted as though we are separate from her. We do not seem to understand that whenever we disregard nature, we also disregard ourselves. We have damaged the earth, and by our misdeeds we have inflicted wounds upon ourselves.We are significantly connected to the earth as there is no separation between us. The seeming separation exists only in our minds and is an illusion. According to Dr. Elisabet Sahtouris, philosopher-scientist: "Our environment, like ourselves, is part of the body of an earth organism. The earth is a live planet rather than a planet with life upon it. The earth will continue to survive but we will not."
When we feel disconnected with our creative source, we feel disconnected with all of creation. We yearn for unity and we seek it in a myriad of ways. At times we feel confused and we don't even recognize what the deep longing in our heart is all about. We experience a feeling of wanting more possessions, more experience, more prestige, more power. Nothing ever satisfies us for long nor completely until we make that special connection with the core of our beingness.
It is only when we begin to explore the inner self and come to understand the whole structure of thought that we may go beyond it and discover something that is far than greater the small self. We may also discover the answer to every problem. It is vital that we not waste any more time and do whatever we can to grace our planet rather than continue to dishonour it. When we take responsibility for our own lives, we thereby take responsibility for our planet.
As I see it, until we learn to care for our own immediate environment, namely the body/mind/spirit, all other enviromnents will be neglected. Any change that takes place will only be temporary change. Daily we pollute the most precious gift we have as human beings: our bodies. So many people die prematurely and others spend half a lifetime or more ill. Radiant health is our birthright. It is the natural state of one who lives in harmony with the laws of nature, with physiological and spiritual laws.
I have worked with and known environmentalists who smoke while speaking of the mess our planet is in. We know how essential the leaves of trees are to our well-being. What about our own lungs? I have witnessed many of these same environmentalists ingest food and drink substances that harm the body. Our brains are at risk as well as all of our organs when we take such risks.
I have seen people work for worthy causes until they have collapsed. Some have become very ill and others have not survived their abusive lifestyle. Workaholism is a disease, not an achievement to be proud of. People who take care to nurture themselves and take responsibility for their own health, are generally sensitive toward others, as well as toward the whole planet. Our primary responsibility is toward ourselves. When we respect ourselves in this manner all else falls into place. We do not become selfish clods, quite the contrary. We do, indeed, "think globally and act locally," and the ripple effect is magical.
One of the greatest challenges to humankind seems to be to learn to feel worthy of self-care, to learn to live for the sake of living every single day joyfully, peacefully, and in a manner that fulfills our deepest longings while also serving all of humanity. Whenever we follow our hearts, whenever we listen to the insights that come when we are silent, we serve all of mankind. We do not collapse or become severely ill. This is martyrdom, not service.
To live a fulfilling and joyful life, we must assure a balance in our daily activities. We want to take the time to connect to our essence regularly. This is not selfish or a luxury, it is a responsibility. It is important that we work and play at jobs that we enjoy, where we are encouraged to be creative.
Some people believe that only artists, writers, designers, and the like are capable of creative ability. One may be creative anywhere, anytime, and at anything. The key ingredient is to have the courage to do what one loves to do, whatever one feels passionate about.
According to one dictionary, the definition of creative is:"to characterize by originality of thought and execution." When we bring our very own unique way of expressing into a situation and when we come from a place of joy and love, we inspire others. I have observed people in restaurants prepare salads and other fine dishes in the most visually appealing and creative manner imaginable. Author Virginia Satir has stated that there are 250 ways of doing dishes! When we make use of our creative abilities in the smallest ways, new avenues begin to open to us, thus broadening our horizons.
Taking responsibility for our own health is essential to own survival especially. When each of us acts in vibrantly healthy ways, we assist in shifting the perilous course of endangered life on the planet, especially our own. We become accountable for our decisions, and take the necessary steps to inspire commitment, enthusiasm, and positive action. We become movers of mountains and we understand the power of oneness.
We are in need of deep core healing. It is essential to be gentle and kind with ourselves as well as with mother earth. May we heal together in a spirit of harmony and a knowingness of our deep connection, and with the assurance that with patience, dedication, and determination, solutions will be found and a new vision for all will emerge. Wise action will then be immediate.
There is a time for every season. Perhaps now is the season to accept who we are in essence.As one lovely song so aptly conveys, "Let there be peace [and caring] on Earth and let it begin with me."
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