We are living in a time when we have to think of protecting the things that have always nurtured us. This is the first time in the history of humanity that we have to talk about protecting the planet. Never before did anyone have such an insane idea that they had to protect Mother Earth. The planet always took care of us.
Preserving and nurturing this planet is not different from aspiring for a good life for ourselves because there is no good life without a good planet. Right now, we are looking at ecological concerns as an obligation that we have to fulfil. It is not an obligation; it is our life. The very breath that we inhale and exhale is just that.
Unless people feel this and have an experience of this, I don’t believe they are going to truly act in any big way. If people don’t take care of the land, they will ruin the whole country. Whatever our economic concerns are – we need to do many things — we must always keep ecological concerns as an important part of our economic development. Otherwise, we will pay a very big price for it. This is something policy-makers, industry, and the public should constantly be aware of and strive for.
Raising the consciousness of the whole world may be a long-term project. Still, if the leadership — people in positions of responsibility and power — experience and truly feel this within themselves, a huge change can be brought about in everything that we do. If the consciousness of a few key people on the planet — the way they think, feel and experience life – can be altered even a little. If the necessary focus and investment of resources is made in the right direction, Mother Earth will correct herself.
If we just provide her with an opportunity, she will turn everything back into absolute abundance and beauty. We don’t have to do anything great; we don’t have to fix the Earth. If we reduce the meddling to whatever extent we can, without making ourselves suffer, if we just lessen the damage we are doing, the rest will happen by itself.
Spiritual process without concern for life around you is not a spiritual process. Anyone, who looks into himself and turns inward, naturally realises that his existence and the outside existence are not different. Spirituality essentially means an all-inclusive experience. When there is an all-inclusive experience, being concerned and caring about everything around you is very natural. It is my wish that we as a generation do not become a disaster in every sense. In our lives, if we do not do what we cannot do, there is no problem. But if we do not do what we can do, we are a disaster.
(Ranked amongst the 50 most influential people in India, Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, visionary and bestselling author. Sadhguru has been conferred the ‘Padma Vibhushan’, India’s highest annual civilian award, by the Government of India in 2017, for exceptional and distinguished service.)
