Our Earth is in great danger and we are facing the aftermath of the unconscious deeds that our kind made towards it. With each and every day, we are becoming more and more aware that a lifestyle we were cultivating for a long time can not sustain life on our planet in the long term. There are changes that need to be made. These days, it can be heard very often that we need to start living sustainably, but how many of us actually know what is hidden behind that phrase?
What does it truly mean to live sustainably?
To live sustainably means to live in a way that sustains, or, more precisely, supports and creates life, and not the opposite. It means caring about the environment, while trying to do our best not to make any kind of negative impact on the ecosystem. It is a way of living in a harmony with ourselves and the nature, that includes befriending Mother Earth by gently using its resources and cultivating a deep appreciation for whatever it offers to us at the present moment. Due to, sustainability is a close friend with the phrase „Less is more.“ [1]. On our way of understanding sustainable living, I would like to invite you to take a moment of your time to reflect upon this sentence. Meditate on in or simply try to find a deeper meaning behind this simple words.
I recognised an invitation of great importance behind it- an invitation to embrace a life that doesn't ask a lot of material belongings for us to be happy and is followed by less consumerist- oriented behaviour. A life that is more playful and easygoing, free from constant striving and never ending list of desires. And what a beautiful life that is! Instead with stress, it's coloured with growth, gratitude and creativity. It mostly relays on the usage of what is already there- that is naturally present, available, local and it lies upon a completely different attitude towards our planet, that helps us to widely open our eyes and notice what we already have. It helps us to reestablish our bond with nature by recognising ourselves as inevitable part of it and it provokes more consciousness, compassion and gratitude for whatever it surrounds us. Our creativity also greatly expands, as we are doing our best to come up with all kinds of different ways to use what is available to us. It makes us to ask ourselves:
· What is already there? What Mother Earth offers to me? How can I use what I already have?
· How do I want to respond? What do I want to give to her, in return? What do I do to express my gratitude?
We are all invited to remember that we do not own this planet and recognise it as the only place in our galaxy that supports this kind of life, instead. Even more, it is our warm and welcoming home- filled with everyday blessings, that generously provide us everything we need to stay happy and healthy. If we succeed to keep that thought alive and fully present in our consciousness, an urge that will call upon a change in our behavior will start to arise naturally. We won't need to be motivated by numbers of extinct or endangered species and levels of carbon that fill the air we breathe. Instead of seeking the motivation to change our behaviour towards our planet from the outside, we will find all the motivation to act properly arising from the depths of our being. If you look carefully, you will start to recognise yourself in the outside world. Nothing is separated. Our survival and our health greatly depend on the survival and the health of our planet. Due to, our attitude towards Earth is just a reflection of our attitude towards our health and well being. Just a simple acts of taking care of your environment will help you to become more aware that we are not separated and that every individual deed makes a great impact that affects the whole collective. What we give to Mother Earth, she doubles and gives it right back to us! One might say, sustainable living is a way of getting back to oneness.
In this period of time, when darkness stands upon our Earth, we all need to start making individual, lifestyle changes that will set a positive example to our youngsters. There is no excuse for not doing. Every single good deed counts, no matter how small can be percepted. All our efforts always pay off. We are here to shine and the light we radiate always matters- it makes a change by simply touching our environment, no matter if there is an awareness of the process or not. We can affect other human beings and motivate them to act properly just by being ourselves- by setting a good example, showing that the change is possible and presenting how that kind of life serves us. It is not even that hard it may seem at the first glance, it simply ask of us to open ourselves a bit and start changing what we already know it doesn't serve us anymore. Creating a new, healthier routine will be rewarding- for the Earth, for our youngsters, for us. Believe me, it is so blissful just to know that your belief system and the everyday acts you perfrom are dancing together in harmony. You will become more authentic and feel in your heart that you are doing it right.
In the conclusion, we 've been given perfectly functional bodies, highly developed brains and the incredible freedom to think, decide and act by our decisions. That opportunity, that blessing reveals our true strength and enlightens an amazing impact that each and every one of us have on this planet. All of that comes in the packaging with the great responsibility to act wisely. We need to think about ourselves, our children, our neighbours- as well as the people living on the other side of the planet… Humanity is what brings all of us together. Even more, as the most developed beings that live here, we are asked to take care of the sun, air, plants and all the animals. Instead of destruction, it is more natural for us to spread the love.
We can all become the architects of our lives. The architects of the better world. Let's start (re)designing it, now, and all together!
In my next text, I' will do my best to introduce you with everyday, simple techniques that will help you to live more sustainably.
Thank you all for reading.
Love and Light to all of you!
[1].A quotation by L. Mieg der Rohe