Be Inspired Every Day

Happy Blog Action Day! Along with over 15,000 other bloggers, I am writing today about the environment. Rather than looking at the environmental issue as a social and political one, I am discussing it as a personal and spiritual one because I believe that is what is truly is.

We Are the Earth

Our physical bodies on this earth are like waves in the ocean. We can look at a wave as a distinct entity, but we know that it emerged from a larger body of water and still is a part of that body: exchanging water with that body continuously. When the wave hits the shore, it ceases to exist, but the water that was a part of it, rejoins the ocean again.

Waves crashing on the rocky shore at Acadia National Park in Maine.

Our bodies are made of the same elements that make up the earth, the trees, the air we breath, the pets in our home and the squirrels running around in our yards. The ecosystem we live in recycles these elements over and over again. This means that the blood running through our veins may have once been a part of a leaf, an eagle or perhaps a meteor. And, someday, it will return to the earth and become a part of something else.

We truly are one with the Earth. This is one reason why spending time in natural settings is so inspiring. It is why many of us are willing to spend a lot of money to leave behind the modern conveniences we love and relentlessly collect to vacation in the wilderness. It is why nothing feels as good as a breath of fresh autumn air, the smell of freshly fallen leaves, fresh foods from a local garden or farmers market, ocean waves passing over your feet or morning sunshine warming your face.

We are a Piece of God

Our spiritual selves, our souls, our consciousness is made from the creative energy of God. We are gifted with the creative energy to manipulate our environment like no other being on this planet. With this gift comes awesome power, and with that power comes tremendous responsibility.

Just like showing kindness to another person is beneficial to ourselves, the way we treat our planet is the way we treat ourselves. We can not abuse the air we breath, the water we drink, the wilderness that replenishes and inspires us or the wildlife that feeds us and keeps our ecosystems balanced without abusing ourselves.

We are Overwhelmed

For most of us, when we look at the environment issue as a large, societal issue needing political and economic solutions, the reality of how little influence we have on this worldly issue is overwhelming. Even the complexities of individual decisions can be confusing, such as whether to use paper or plastic bags, which products are produced with sustainable methods, etc. However, when we look at our personal relationship with the planet that we a part of as a personal and spiritual issue, it becomes more meaningful and manageable.

As individuals, we can’t expect to save the world, but we can make wise choices about how we treat our planet that resonate with our hearts and spirits. If we allow our hearts and spirits to guide us in personal decisions we make about energy usage, lawn care, product purchases, etc., we’ll know that we’re doing what we can.

Ask yourself the question, if everyone in the country in which I live lived the same way I do, would this planet be in better shape? The fact is, not everyone will and there is nothing we can do about that. But, we can’t possibly compensate for the rest of the world. By making peace with ourselves in the way we treat our planet, we can hope that others will follow by our example, and in that way, change the world at some level.

To continue reading about inspiration, the environment and Blog Action Day, please see my post, Natural Inspiration.