Earth's Intelligence

World on Fire

“If we could surrender to Earth's intelligence, we would rise up rooted, like trees.”

Rainer Maria Rilke

Did you know that wildfires are burning in the Arctic? Let that sink in for a moment. In fact, wildfires are burning around the world—not just in the American west, but in Greece and Sweden, even Siberia. In fact, climate scientists say that there are five times as many catastrophic wildfires now than in the 1970's and 80's. Add to that more than twenty volcanic eruptions around the world right now, one of which is still pouring lava into the Pacific ocean, and you have what I would call an Earth tantrum. Mother Nature is trying to get our attention, and she's doing a pretty good job of it.

There's another way to look at this, too. Not only is climate change a reality, but it's a reflection of us. The human world is on fire too—it's heating up, and the rhetoric coming out of various places is part of that process. Threats exchanged, civil war sparking-up like forest fires here and there. The flow of fleeing immigrants trying to escape poverty and crime is akin to the lava flows into the ocean. Response to their plight is less than generous; lock them up, pin them down, don't let their ships come to port, let them drown at sea. Hot tempers, fueled by fear—Earth's humans, on fire.

There's another way to live. We can open our eyes and look at what's going on around us. We can realize that we are only one ecosystem here on this planet. Our contributions have been many, but we have also done, and are doing, more than our share of damage. We are the ones with the power to clean it up, to limit our impact, and to help the rest of the Earth recover. We are the ones with the hands and feet, with the creative brains, and the capacity to make a difference to all. That's why our holy scriptures ordain us stewards of the earth.

Learning to live in concert with our environment, within the natural order, will not only preserve this planet for future generations, but will make our lives better, healthier and happier right now. Being respectful of the needs of other species and other ways of human life ensures our own well-being. We don't have to watch the world burn. We don't have to torch it to the ground. We can be rooted like trees simply by surrendering to our planet's deep wisdom.

                                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                                      Jane