When the world suffers, we suffer

I believe a lot of the suffering in the world today has to do with us having lost our connection to the environment and nature around us. A lot of the things we do on a day to day basis actually harm the environment and this causes us – somewhere deep inside – to feel a disconnect.

Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist wrote in her book “A Challenge for Africa”: If we live in wounded environments – where water is polluted, air is filled with soot and fumes, food is contaminated with heavy metals and plastic residues, or the soil is practically dust, it hurts us, creating injuries at a physical, psychological, and spiritual level. In degrading the environment, we degrade ourselves and all humankind.

This connection with the natural world is not just a physical one; it goes deeper, connecting us with our inner selves and the world that surrounds us on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level.

This notion of a broken connection with nature is at the heart of much of the world's suffering today. Our daily actions, often unconsciously, contribute to the harm caused to our environment, and in doing so, create a deep, internal dissonance. The truth is, what harms our planet ultimately harms us as well. Conversely, when we nurture and care for the Earth, we don't just heal the environment, we heal ourselves. Taking care of nature feels innately good; it's a nurturing act not just for our habitat, but for our very essence. As we too are nature.

Environmental Activism is Spiritual

Many of us are seeking for some kind of healing or improved wellbeing. However, I believe that this can truly only happen when we connect with nature, recognising that we are inherently a part of it. Nature is an extension of ourselves, and when we nurture and support it, we, in turn, experience healing and support. This connection with the natural world is not just a physical one; it goes deeper, connecting us with our inner selves and the world that surrounds us on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level.

While environmentalism is typically portrayed as political and scientific, it also holds a profound spiritual dimension. It is our compassion and connection to nature that drives us to fight for the environment and everyhting that it holds – the forests, the oceans, all the plants and the animals.

Indigenous Knowledge can teach us a lot

Indigenous knowledge has long understood the deep connection between all forms of life and I firmly believe that there is a lot for us to learn from various indigenous groups about the sanctity of the Earth. It is natural for humans – for any species for that matter – to live in a way that preserves their habitats. Modern people have to a large extent lost this way of thinking and licing. We have disconnected and separated ourselves so far from nature, that we don't know how to work with it anymore. This is a skill that indigenous peoples still hold and therefor their wisdom is as precious as ever. To harm the Earth, which supports life, is ultimately to harm ourselves.

I’ve personally found the Yoga practice to be quite meaningful in cultivating awareness and mindfulness when it comes to our relationship to nature. By becoming more conscious of our impact and by recreating the connection that we may have partly lost we start to heal the wounds we've inflicted upon the Earth.

Nature is an extension of ourselves, and when we nurture and support it, we, in turn, experience healing and support.

To truly heal and thrive, we must mend our relationship with nature. Integrating a reverence for the Earth into our everyday actions starts a cycle where we care for our surroundings in big and small ways. By nurturing this connection with the natural world, we not only secure our future but also rediscover the deep connection that sustains our well-being. Every effort to protect and cherish our environment is a step towards our collective and individual restoration.