Today is Earth Day- it is time for us to celebrate our connection with mother earth, Gaia, or Bhumi devi.
Most of us have either been working from home or have been under strict lock-down!! This has helped to not just reduce pollution levels in several global cities, but the air quality has markedly improved across our planet!!
With next to zero flights, we have been able to reduce (if not stop) the destruction of earth’s ozone layer.
As we work from home and reduce our shopping errands, we find that our freeways are not crowded with traffic. Usually most people complain about rising gas costs and then there are those industry pundits who claim that we do not have enough crude oil to support our growing demand!
Most of us have either been working from home or have been under strict lock-down!! This has helped to not just reduce pollution levels in several global cities, but the air quality has markedly improved across our planet!!
With next to zero flights, we have been able to reduce (if not stop) the destruction of earth’s ozone layer.
As we work from home and reduce our shopping errands, we find that our freeways are not crowded with traffic. Usually most people complain about rising gas costs and then there are those industry pundits who claim that we do not have enough crude oil to support our growing demand!
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But- as things have panned out these last few weeks, we know that this is not true. When we respectfully utilize our natural resources, use what is truly needed as per our real requirement and avoid excessive consumption; then we find that our natural resources can go a long way!!
Not only that we do not need to worry about them getting over, but as we respectfully consume what our mother earth provides us- be it natural minerals, food, water, air, habitat and so on… there is more than enough for all of us. There is neither a need to be greedy nor any need to fear depletion.
Earth has always been regarded as a mother Goddess- Gaia. She is called Bhumi Devi in Sanskrit. And as we would approach any other deity, traditionally we have always regarded mother earth with utmost respect and reverence. We used to pray to her and show our gratitude for all the goodness she provides us.
We used to share a symbiotic relationship with Gaia. But then somewhere along the path, we got sidetracked. We got blinded by our ambitions as well as the ensnaring glitz of success and money. We started taking so much pride in our success, our innovations and rising corporate profits; that we stopped being symbiotic and started being parasitic towards our mother earth.
Just in case, you are wondering about the difference between the two- then, where two living beings share a symbiotic relationship, they conduct themselves in ways that benefit each other. A good example would be our intestinal good bacteria. We provide a nice happy living space to these bacteria and they in turn help us in efficiently processing our body’s waste elimination. Parasitic relationship on the other hand is where ONLY one organism benefits from the relationship. It tends to keep draining the host till there is nothing left to take any further. A good example of this would be a virus!!
Not only that we do not need to worry about them getting over, but as we respectfully consume what our mother earth provides us- be it natural minerals, food, water, air, habitat and so on… there is more than enough for all of us. There is neither a need to be greedy nor any need to fear depletion.
Earth has always been regarded as a mother Goddess- Gaia. She is called Bhumi Devi in Sanskrit. And as we would approach any other deity, traditionally we have always regarded mother earth with utmost respect and reverence. We used to pray to her and show our gratitude for all the goodness she provides us.
We used to share a symbiotic relationship with Gaia. But then somewhere along the path, we got sidetracked. We got blinded by our ambitions as well as the ensnaring glitz of success and money. We started taking so much pride in our success, our innovations and rising corporate profits; that we stopped being symbiotic and started being parasitic towards our mother earth.
Just in case, you are wondering about the difference between the two- then, where two living beings share a symbiotic relationship, they conduct themselves in ways that benefit each other. A good example would be our intestinal good bacteria. We provide a nice happy living space to these bacteria and they in turn help us in efficiently processing our body’s waste elimination. Parasitic relationship on the other hand is where ONLY one organism benefits from the relationship. It tends to keep draining the host till there is nothing left to take any further. A good example of this would be a virus!!
It is time we stop our looting and pillaging of Gaia. We need to consume responsibly and show more gratitude for Gaia’s immense blessings- in the form of extensive natural resources.
With today being Earth Day, let us take some time to contemplate on our decisions and action. The lock-downs and work-from-home situation will end in due time, but what can you as an individual and as a collective (family, community and so on) do to ensure that our carbon emissions continue to reduce.
How can you build a symbiotic relationship with our mother earth and not one that is parasitic!! Will you plant more trees and/or find ways in which to ‘green’ your lifestyle and implement simple (and yet profound) sustainable living principles in your daily life- like eliminating or atleast reducing the use of disposable plastic?
There are so many steps we all can take as individuals and ultimately what is our community, our country or even mankind- if not just many individuals. If we each make a decision to honor Gaia- our mother earth and receive her blessings with reverence and gratitude (instead of thoughtlessly pillaging)- then, not only will we have a beautiful place to live but we will also provide a better earth for all those who will come here after us.
Make a Sankalp today, on Earth Day 2020- to cherish Gaia- our dear mother earth, Bhumi devi.
With today being Earth Day, let us take some time to contemplate on our decisions and action. The lock-downs and work-from-home situation will end in due time, but what can you as an individual and as a collective (family, community and so on) do to ensure that our carbon emissions continue to reduce.
How can you build a symbiotic relationship with our mother earth and not one that is parasitic!! Will you plant more trees and/or find ways in which to ‘green’ your lifestyle and implement simple (and yet profound) sustainable living principles in your daily life- like eliminating or atleast reducing the use of disposable plastic?
There are so many steps we all can take as individuals and ultimately what is our community, our country or even mankind- if not just many individuals. If we each make a decision to honor Gaia- our mother earth and receive her blessings with reverence and gratitude (instead of thoughtlessly pillaging)- then, not only will we have a beautiful place to live but we will also provide a better earth for all those who will come here after us.
Make a Sankalp today, on Earth Day 2020- to cherish Gaia- our dear mother earth, Bhumi devi.
#earthday2020 #sustainableliving #greenliving #saveourplanet #Gaia #BhumiDevi #MotherEarth
