Sometimes Love Hurts (February 2024 Newsletter)
Photo Credit: Tai Pimputkar, taken in Connecticut
We celebrate in February the shifting sun which, it seems, is slowly approaching us, getting brighter and warmer, and at this thought the world rejoices. We notice the birds and the tiny shoots of early spring plants beginning to make their appearance along with so many other creatures. We are all eagerly waiting to see what Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's weather forecasting groundhog, will predict for the next six months on February 2. Will it be sunny and warm or wintry and cold? It appears that if the current trend were to continue, we might expect warmer than usual temperatures. What does this have to do with yoga or Yoga-Well-Being or your life? In fact, quite a lot.
The Isha Upanishad states, "Covet nothing. All belongs to the Lord. Thus working may you live a hundred years. Thus alone will you work in real freedom." Recognizing that all that surrounds us is provided by the Self, (That which is forever, the designer of nature and all life), for the self (I, who am the fortunate recipient of life). We must bow to nature and protect it. The world around us cannot survive the constant onslaught on nature and the environment. Deforestation, pollution of land and water bodies, the continued break down of the natural ozone barrier that protects us from the harmful radiation of UV rays of the sun, endless trash production resulting from packaged goods...these are some of the things hurting and killing natural life. Extinction is a sad word to have to use in this month's newsletter which should be full of love, but it has already started happening at an accelerated rate. Nature is love, nature is life.
Please nurture nature. Do the simple nature preserving things, and know your conscience is clear.
What can we do about it? We have heard about this repeatedly for more than half a century, yet we still continue to create garbage. Find simple ways to avoid all that packaging around foods, cosmetics, clothes and everything else. Stop using aerosol sprays. Can we not request stores and businesses to make it simpler? We can start small. Reuse what you can, turn down what you cannot. Learn to compost, use recycling when you can.
Learn what your locality recycles and how to properly dispose of hard to recycle items. (The city of Columbus has many useful resources for its residents; other municipalities have similar guides.)
Many enterprising individuals and businesses are successfully preventing further damage to the environment through creative use of stuff no one wants. Find them. Help them help make it better.
I'm excited to see the new series An Optimist's Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, on streaming starting February 8, as it promises to tell stories of people making a difference, all around the globe.
By making it a daily endeavor to live well, you will also love well. Feel secure, safe and nourished from the sweet contentment of doing the right thing and enjoying its fruit. That is love. Love yourself and all others. Be present, look around, see and hear. Be still and be silent now and again. Life is actually quite easy and simple and full of love. Lovely!
Sincerely and in peace,
sipra