Recently, I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Central Australian desert learning about the way of life there. When I had a spare moment, I took the opportunity to ask Mother Earth what it is she would like us to know at this point and time. This is what she said:
“At present, the majority of people on the planet are disconnected from me. The more disconnected people are from me, the less I can help them. I need your help to start bringing people back into connection with me so that I can support them to live healthy, happy lives.
Humans are the only ones with the knowledge and know-how of how to repair the damage that has been done to me. I need humans and humans need me. All humans (and all living creatures) are my children and I want to be able to nurture you all. You need your mother to survive.”
After receiving the message, I contemplated how we have all become so disconnected from the earth and nature. It became apparent that, yes, most of us are far removed from nature and the elements – spending our days in the concrete jungle or attached to our phones and internet. That lead me to ponder how this could have happened and what we could do to turn it around in order to live better lives.
How did we get so disconnected?
When you think back to the relationship our ancestors had with the land and compare it to where we are today, you can see that we are miles apart. On the whole, we are not familiar with our environment, ecosystems or natural cycles. Our ancestors knew where to find food and water on their own accord and they treated the earth with respect.
They understood that in order for the earth to provide them with the food and water they needed to survive, they couldn’t take it for granted. They had to look after it and give back to it so that it remained healthy and able to regenerate year after year. They only took what they needed and when they did take something, they didn’t waste a single bit of it.
Today, there is no need for most people to go out into the wilderness and forage for their survival. Our society has become so focused on efficiency, economies of scale, mass production and profits that we have taken out the need to hunt and gather. The modern version of hunting and gathering is going to the supermarket.
Oh, how convenient life has become!
The cost of this convenience is that we no longer know exactly where our food comes from, the health of the environment from which it came, or how to restore it if it is damaged. So much of what we put into our bodies has been modified or processed and therefore unable to provide us with the nutrition that pure, natural food does.
In short, we have distanced ourselves from the one thing that can provide us with all of the nutrition, medicine, rejuvenation and fulfilment we need to survive. We are creatures of the earth and our bodies are designed to function properly when we live in close proximity to nature.
How to reconnect
The good news is that reconnecting with land and nature is easy. Here are some simple tips to get you back into connection with Mother Earth in no time:
· Spend time in nature.
All it takes is 20 minutes a day. Go for a walk in a nature reserve, take up gardening, spend time in your local park or go to your local water hole or beach. It’s that simple!
· Be willing to get dirty.
Play in puddles, plant trees or make a mud pie. There’s no better way to feel part of nature than to be covered in it.
· Eat local, non-processed natural foods.
Made by the sun and mother earth for you to nourish yourself with. Eating local foods helps you to know where the food comes from and prevents the environmental impacts caused by transport and refrigeration.
· Take notice of the vegetation and wildlife in your local area.
Observe whether they are healthy and happy. Appreciate their beauty. All living things are unique and offer something wonderful to the world.
· Give gratitude to the earth for all that it does for you.
Thank it for providing you with food, providing land for you to live on and giving you fresh water and air. You probably say thank you for everything else you receive from someone, so why not mother earth?
· Be kind to the earth.
Use eco-friendly products, reduce your waste and be willing to protect it from those who wish to degrade it.
Mother earth has the capacity and desire to look after every single one of us. The sooner we all start reconnecting with her, the sooner we will feel calmer, healthier and happier. Sounds worth it to me. How about you?