Today is one of my favorite holidays,
Earth Day.
Most holidays are for particular religions or cultures, not for everyone. But this is one holiday all humans can celebrate because all of us are completely dependent on the earth for our lives. Life on earth, including human life, could only exist because this planet had exactly the right elements for life to arise and evolve—the right temperature, the right combination of land and water, and a protective atmosphere that allows us to live and thrive.
I like to think of Earth Day as the ultimate Mother’s Day, a wonderful opportunity to slow down and give appreciation for what she gives us.
On
Earth Day, I always find time to take a walk out in nature. I try to find a place where I can truly take in the beauty of the earth with all my senses.
With my eyes, I observe the beautiful colors and shapes of nature—the beautiful blue sky, the puffy white clouds, the rich brown soil, the fluttering green leaves. And, I try to glimpse the other miraculous lifeforms, who, along with humans, inhabit this planet. All these thousands of lifeforms—insects, birds, sea life, and all the other plants and animals—are our brothers and sisters sharing the same mother. Let’s celebrate with them today.
I also like to open my ears on Earth Day. Once I’m out in nature, I like to find a place where I can sit, close my eyes, and just listen. If I listen closely enough, I will hear the wisdom of birdsong and the messages of wind rushing through the leaves.
I can also bring into myself the beauty of the world through my nose, smelling the fresh spring air, the musty dampness of the soil, and the herbaceous scent of the grass and leaves.
On this day, I will take time to
feel the texture of rock, and the roughness of tree bark, and the soft grittiness of the dirt.
As I eat my food today, I will chew slowly and taste all the layers of flavor—salty, bitter, sweet, and savory—and I will contemplate how the earth and the sun have collaborated to create these life-sustaining, energy giving morsels. Today, through my senses, I will feel my oneness with all of nature.
This is also a perfect day to feel the meaning of being human on this planet. As a human, I am the Earth’s caretaker, and on this day, I can recommit to healing the planet and to being of service to my fellow Earth humans and all the other lifeforms on Earth.
In my walk out in
nature, I will feel my special
connection to heaven and earth as I connect their energy through my head and feet, bringing them together in my heart to create a powerful, loving energy that I will distribute to all the world. This is my duty to and my destiny on this beautiful planet Earth.
Earth is a great gift that provides endless blessings and endless care to me and to every other living thing. Earth Day is a wonderful chance to remember that and to
live mindfully, realizing that every part of myself—my body, my brain, my breath—are her creation, and that everything that sustains my life—my food, my air, my energy—come from her.
Thank you, mother!