Spiritual, Green Living on Earth Day and Every Day

It’s exciting to have a day in which we collectively honor our Mother Earth. Like a person’s birthday, it is a way to acknowledge, celebrate and bless what we may unconsciously take for granted the other 364 days of the year. Sure, it may be an exaggeration to imply we take our loved ones or the earth for granted most of the year, but it must be confessed by all of us how those “special days” bring our appreciation and awareness up a notch or two. On April 22, many will commemorate Earth Day.

As we become more conscious spiritually, we will notice our consciousness extends to most – if not all – areas of our lives; or vice versa. We recognize the interconnectedness of all of Life, including our dear Mother Earth.

For Earth Day, did you buy a special card for Mother Earth?
This is not a trick question, or meant to induce guilt in any way, but it is something to ponder. What impact does purchasing one birthday card for each person (or pet) you love have on the earth? And what about all those other holidays? And multiply that by ‘x’ number of years you have been a card sender and then times that by all the other card senders you know and… WOW! The greeting card business is huge, isn’t it?

Greeting cards, paper towels and napkins, printer paper, paper plates – one can get overwhelmed with all the thoughts of global impact, consumption, waste and recycling just noting the paper products we use. Yet, the issue of caring for Mother Earth does not need to be a shame-filled “to do” or “not do” matter. Guilt and shame are not in our spiritual (or human, actually) best interest . These energies are of a lower vibration, thus weigh us down spiritually.

Intention followed by loving action is of a high vibration. The final outcome may have the same results on the outside, but the guilt-ridden deeds do not have the same clarity and foundation as the willing love in action. This means the original willingness will either fizzle out or bind us to the heavy cycle of guilt and shame.

Rather than shaming ourselves into caring for Mother Earth, perhaps we can invite ourselves to awaken our consciousness around the topic.

Whether we look online, or peruse the aisles of our neighborhood bookstore, finding information about how to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” is beautifully simple. Then, we can apply gentleness in areas that are easy for us to do right now. Perhaps we begin bringing our own bags to the grocery store. Imagine making some lovely hand-sewn bags from scraps of old fabric or clothes? When we create authentic fun, beauty and joy in our lives, we awaken our spiritual consciousness.

The specific tasks you take on do not matter, really. In time, as your consciousness grows, you will continue to want to care for Mother Earth in whatever ways you can. Then, as your loving actions increase, you will find spiritual, green living every day not only practically effortless, but divinely joyful.

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