The Spiritual Aspect of Earth Day

People celebrate Earth Day each year on April 22nd. Throughout the whole week they are engaged in projects and activities to raise awareness of our communal need to care for earth and its resources. The focus is to remember the gifts that Earth provides to all life, and to protect, conserve, and care for them. With a world population of seven billion people, plus billions of species of life, the limited resources that include air, water, plants, soil, and minerals must provide for all of them, not only in this century but for generations to come.

Taking care of the earth means that we do not only think of ourselves, but we expand our mind, hearts, and souls to consider our planet and all forms of life that inhabit it. We can do so by opening our hearts in a spirit of humility, compassion, selflessness, and gratitude.

While the earth provides gifts that sustain the life of all human beings, animals, and plants every day of the year, it is strange we single out only one day to think about what the earth gives us. This one day was selected to reflect on the condition of our planet because it is in peril. This day is an attempt to awaken the consciousness of humanity to the fact that we have endangered our planet, and as a by-product we are endangering our own lives.

For the past century, we have taken more from the planet than we have given back to it. We are out of balance with nature. The relationship between humanity and the environment is one in which both depend on each other. Unfortunately, our civilization takes from earth’s resources without replacing what it needs to be sustained. Earth Day is a day to take stock of where we are in relationship to our planet, and where we should be.

Earth Day also has a spiritual aspect. Those who meditate on the inner Light and Sound experience the spiritual treasures within themselves. This includes seeing the inner Light through meditation, filling one with peace, happiness, and a sense of unity with all life.

As we recognize the Light within ourselves, we start seeing the same Light in all other human beings. We also can see this Light shining in all living forms. This awareness that we are all part of one family of the Divine results in us developing love and respect for all life. We start to care for all creation and want to take care of the planet that sustains us all.

Let us not only think about our planet one day a year on Earth Day but do so all year long. Through meditation on the inner Light we realize the oneness of all life and the gifts our planet brings us. In this way, we can consciously do our part to help the earth sustain life now and for posterity.