ECO-SPIRITUAL LOVE
Today the natural world created by God is being destroyed, the forests are mown down, global warming is on increase, ozone layer depletion is on the rise and the nature is being abused with its living beings. We have forgotten that if we take care of nature, the nature in turn will take care of us and the nature is not in need of human beings but the human beings are in need of nature. Hence, the world is in need of people who are able to live in awe of nature, with reverence for all living creatures-both plants and animals, with a sense of never-ending wonder and a desire to learn life-lessons from the nature and its creatures.
1.0. INTRODUCTION:
Today ecology has become a hot and passionate subject of discussion, study and research among human people. We live in a time of globalization. Today globalization plays an important role in human life. Humans live self-centered life and look for fulfilling their selfish wants by any means. Due to this our planet and cosmos are slowly deteriorating. So if one wants to check the trouble we have put ourselves into, then it is necessary to know about our cosmos.
Ecology is the study of relationships among various organisms and their environment. The main concern of ecology is with the relationships between people, other organisms such as plants, animals and their natural environment. Human life, their happiness, progress and prosperity depends on the nature. Therefore they must protect the cosmos and try to find a remedy for today’s ecological problems. Today we are slowly becoming aware of our responsibility to protect the cosmos, and consequently to give a new vision for ecology.
India is well known for its spirituality and holistic approach of life. If one goes through the ancient writings of India, one can find various streams of eco-spiritual love. It is not only the Indian writings that deal with the preciousness of creation but every religion confesses God’s presence in the cosmos.
In fact, no religion preaches the use of violence against the cosmos or the planet. Today the ecological crisis is very much a religious and spiritual issue and every religion tries to bring awareness regarding the same in the minds of people. Eco-spiritual love helps us to see the interconnectedness of human life with the entire cosmos. This gives the idea of network which unites us with the entire cosmos. We are only a fellow voyager with other creatures in the odyssey of evolution.
Today we are more conscious of the fact that his life is dependent on the surroundings. However, although we are conscious of ecology, we are unwilling to stop exploiting the nature, because our wants are unlimited. As a result of all these, we face ecological crisis like climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion etc. In order to escape from these dangerous problems everyone must be aware of the value and sacredness of ecology.
1.1. MEANING OF ECOLOGY:
The word “Ecology” comes from two Greek words, “Oikos,” meaning “home”, and “logos,” meaning “understanding”. Thus ecology deals with organism and its environment. The word environment includes both, other organism and physical surrounding. Thus ecology is the science that deals with the interrelation of living organisms and their environment. It deals with the effects on the animals and plants of their environment and on each other. Ecology has been defined differently as “the study of each other”, and as “the economy of nature”, and also as “the biology of ecosystem”. Ecology had no firm beginnings. It evolved from the natural history of the Greeks, particularly Theophrastus, a friend and associate of Aristotle. He first described the interrelationship between organism and their non-living environment. Later foundations for modern ecology were laid in the early work of plant and animal physiologists.
1.2. HUMANS AND NATURE:
Every civilization is rooted in nature. Every life is supported, sustained and nourished by nature. Prosperity, progress and happiness of every person, every society and every nation depend heavily on the bounty of nature. There is an undeniable mutuality between nature and human being. An old saying of Sanskrit advises: “If you protect dharma, dharma will in turn protect you” (dharma raksatiraksitah). This is very much true in the humans-nature relationship. If humans protects, nourishes and nurtures, nature may pay back in the same way. In today’s world one can find ever-increasing catastrophes of nature. All this shows that humans has failed to protect the nature.
The Arab poet AbusNawas writes in his poem:
“Wa li-kullishay’inlahuayatun,
Takdullu ‘ataannahuwahidun”
That is, in everything there resides a sigh of Him, providing proof that He is one.
1. Avoid
drinking bottled water or filter water in which minerals like bicarbonates,
calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, salts, etc are excessively controlled.
2. Avoid
dumping of industrial wastes and chemical water in the sea, river, etc.
3. Avoid
killing of any animals, birds, species, etc for one’s own selfish needs.
4. Avoid
soft drinks like Pepsi, Coco-cola, etc. because they waste huge amount of
ground water.
5. Avoid
too much attachment towards man-made electronic gadgets like computer, mobile,
etc but rather be attached to God-made creatures.
6. Avoid use of AC and refrigerator which
produces huge amount of CFCs.
7. Avoid
use of fertilizers, pesticides, etc which kill the micro worms and pollute the
field. But rather adopt healthy and sustainable methods.
8. Avoid
use of filtering water through RO
machines because it wastes 96% of the water.
9. Avoid
the use of highly polluting fossil fuels like coal, oil, etc.
10. Avoid
use of plastics at home. Don’t bring it from outside when you go for shopping.
Avoid use of plastic and thermocol (polystyrene).
11. Avoid
use of tube light or any other lights which produces excess amount of Co2
and take high voltage.
12. Check
whether your vehicle or industry is under pollution control (PUC).
13. Cover
vessels while cooking to save energy and always run a washing machine only with
a full load to save on electricity.
14. For
long distance, use bus or train especially when you are travelling alone.
15. Improve transport, industry system for a sound
atmosphere.
16. Love
and care the sea, forest, all entire cosmos and all its creatures.
17. Plant
trees which would help us to maintain the water cycle by returning water vapour
back into the atmosphere and for a sound conducive atmosphere.
18. Recycle
your waste water using it in the garden. Have a small garden in your house for
vegetables or for plants.
19. Reduce
excessive use of electricity, water, petrol and such non-renewable resources.
20. Reduce
the objects that produce Green House Gases. Use lesser pollutant gas for one’s
needs.
21. Reduce
the use of electrical appliances which include air conditioners and
refrigerators.
22. Use
CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp = 10 Watts) and LED (Light Emitting Diodes = 5
Watts) lights in your house which takes only less amount of Watts.
23. Use
cycle or go on foot to nearby places instead of using car.
24. Use diyas instead of serials, bulbs, etc.
especially during festivals such as Christmas, Diwali, etc.
25. Use
less amount of paper and do not waste paper. Make optimum use of paper.
26. Use
less harmful modern technology.
27. Use
less polluting and easily renewable resources which do less harm to all living
beings.
28. Use
only CFCs free refrigerators, deodorant, spray, solvent or cleaner, etc.
29. Use
only eco-friendly articles.
30. Use
solar panels for electricity, cooking, etc.
31. Use
solar, tide and wind energy for electricity.
32. Use
water, petrol, electricity, etc. sparingly. (Jal hai to Kalhai)
33. Educate
and make awareness programmes in order to protect and care the nature.
Let us remember three things: Reduce, Re-use and Re-cycle.
CONCLUSION:
A few years back the word ecology was not so much known but today it is a familiar word to everyone. Today humansare facing a lot of ecological problems. Humansare the root cause for these ecological problems as well. Here religion can help him and bring in awareness about the current ecological problems. Therefore, we need to understand ecological issues from the perspective of religion. Even though all religions confess God’s presence in this cosmos humans failed to see God’s presence due to our selfishness. For humans cosmos ss a means to fulfill our wants and desires. Thus,we started to exploit the cosmos.
In today’s world, everyone feels insecure and rejected. We are searching for peace and security. However, today’s society, its customs and traditions are not helping individuals to attain the peace one is looking for. This is one of the main reasons for continued exploitation of the cosmos. Therefore, what is required today is a peaceful and harmonious internal life of humans. When humans’ internal life is peaceful then we will see the external life or the cosmos as beautiful as our own life and then naturally without any external force humans would care for it.
The impact of globalization harms the life of poor people and our cosmos. Due to globalization there is a big gap between poor and rich. The poor remains poorer and the rich become richer. This created injustice and imbalance in the life of people and in our cosmos. Therefore there is a need to change some aspects of today’s society and give a new vision to it. And so what is important today is to build up such a society which would help everyone to experience justice and happiness in life. Today one needs to change the principles of our economic and political system from an ecological perspective. Therefore, there is an urgent need to look for a new vision in our economic and political systems.
There is also an urgent need to bring changes in one’s own perceptions, thinking and attitudes of life. It is clear that the greed of individuals is the root cause for all the ecological problems. Therefore, each one of us areresponsible for everything that takes place on this cosmos. Everyone, knowingly or unknowingly, participates in destroying the cosmos. This cosmos is not a means for development but it is a blessing for life on earth. Therefore each one has to love this cosmos and show concern and reverence towards it. It is each one’s duty and responsibility to protect this cosmos and to work hard for the well-being of it. The concept of eco-spiritual love would help each one to see the presence of God in everything that is on this earth. This would help us to show respect and reverence towards each thing that is in this cosmos.
All the religions help humans to experience God not only through prayers and rituals but also through the cosmos. Thus religions can help humans to protect the cosmos and to bring a holistic vision in humans’ nature towards cosmos. Finally it is to be noted that we are only a part of this cosmos. Our existence depends on this cosmos. We see themselves different from the things of the cosmos but yet identical. For example, the organs of body are different in form and function however they are identical with the body. Without the body the organs have no existence and without the organs the body has no meaning or identity. But without an organ one can identify a body but not a perfect body. This shows thathumans depend on the cosmos for their existence. Today one has to be aware of this fact; then only one can find meaning in his/her life. For this one needs to tune himself according to the cosmos.Pope Francis says: “Everyone’s talents and involvement is needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation” (LS #14). Thus co-operating with the entire cosmos let us green the nature and live the life and nurture the nature and save the life.If not here then where? If not now, then when? If not we, then who?
“sarveshamsvastirbhavatu
Sarveshamshantirbhavatu
Sarveshampurnambhavatu
Sarveshamhumansgalambhavatu
Sarvebhavantusukhinaha
Sarvesantuniramayah
Sarvebhadranipasyantu
makaschitdukhbhagbhavet........om
shanti......”
