Where Sustainability Meets Spirituality
Sunday, August 24th, 2008
Today is Janmashtami, the celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth. Thoughts of sweet cows and spinning wheels are dancing in my head. The connection between sustainability and spirituality is stronger for me today than it has ever been. I have been struggling to find words and context for this journey. Yesterday my eyes were suddenly drawn to a book I purchased some time ago, but never read. The book is Vedic Ecology by Ranchor Prime. Suddenly a whole new world was opened up to me. I started searching on the Internet and found that there are entire university departments devoted to the study of the connection between religion and ecology. There are colleges, organizations, and villages devoted to living and teaching about the connection of spirituality and sustainability. I knew this was a spiritual issue, I just didn’t know that others knew too.
Sustainability Chronicles is my personal project to align my actions my closely to my eco-values. I attempt to do this by implementing a new eco-action each week. The action must be sustain-able, meaning I have to be able to make a permanent change, not just something that has high promotional value (like not using toilet paper for a whole year!). It was relatively easy to make changes like bringing my own reusable grocery bags to the store and not using to-go containers, but I am finding other changes to be a downright spiritual struggle. I am a few weeks behind in my weekly eco-actions, stymied by my inner struggles and not sure where to move next.
What I am seeking is a peaceful place within myself where I am living in alignment with God and Nature. I am deeply inspired by the example of Ghandi. (And NO I don’t wear the “Be the Change” t-shirt.) I am speaking about Ghandi’s internal commitment. Ghandi was not just resisting British oppression, but fighting the ego at the deepest level. He had the strongest commitment to his struggle for truth and was willing to sacrifice the comfort of his body (that we mistakenly hold so dear) in the process. I so admire the strength of spirit that is willing to give up small personal comforts for the good of the spirit and the whole. My life feels tainted at every level. I have this American guilt that I can’t seem to cleanse or shake. The clothes that I wear are woven with the misery of others and dyed with their blood and sweat. The occasional organic cotton clothing purchase from Patagonia just does not wipe me clean. In a moment of inspiration I was exploring the possibility of giving up all of my clothes for one simple outfit. Ghandi’s simple dhoti said so much. It spoke of his commitment to local economy, to simple living, to his unconcern with how others perceived him. My husband has dubbed the huge pile of laundry on the floor of our bedroom as Mount Laundry. Trying to conquer Mount Laundry is a burden. The never ending piles of laundry that I have to wash and put away are a huge chore. Then I thought that perhaps a modern modification could be made, I could just choose three outfits and limit myself to those for a time. Last night before I went out to a community party, I tried on and discarded at least three outfits. I looked too fat, not cute enough. How about the lace trimmed undies? Higher shoes? My concern with appearance far outweighed my supposed need for simplicity and concern for humanity. Later on at the party, I was concerned about how I looked to other people watching me dance. Can’t I dance my own sweet, authentic and simple dance? Dancing through life in my dhoti. Isn’t the only relationship that matters the one between me and my creator?
At the root of our destruction of the environment is desire. I really can’t see it any other way. Desire for unhealthy factory foods, desire for acceptance, desire for cars, clothing, sex, success. I have had the thought “I love my ipod.” I am not sure that ipod and love should be used in the same sentence. One of the things I bought with money I inherited from my father was an SUV. After years of driving a beater car, I had an intense desire to be perceived as successful. I thought that a new car, the ultimate status symbol would actually make me successful. Would even somehow manifest this supposed success. The SUV is now 10 years old and has been my badge of shame. My husband put a “Jail Bush” bumper sticker on the rear. I want to change it- “Jail Me”. I am responsible for the war. Do I now understand that desire is a beast that wants to be continually fed?
To address the ill of consumerism, I want to stop buying things that are not necessary. The day I had this thought I saw an ad on the bulletin board outside the post office “Tipi for Sale.” I have always wanted a Tipi, suddenly my resolve dissolved. If I want the Tipi, why can’t I have the Tipi? Having gone through stages of life when I didn’t have enough money for anything, I am afraid of forced deprivation. For the last 10 years I have pretty much bought whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I don’t consider myself an excessive consumer. Just the usual- consumer electronics, clothes, dining out, books, music, etc… Has any of this made me happy? No, not really. It has actually made me unhappy. The equipment breaks, the clothes no longer fit. What remains?
When I started Sustainability Chronicles I thought it was going to be easy to do something green every week. After all- there are all these books and articles that tell us it’s “easy to be green.” The thoughts are easy, talking about it is easy. Living it is hard. It is a disciple. My home and office are the ashrams and I am a disciple on the path of spirituality and sustainability.
