We Have A Responsibility To Each Other
Portions of the Bhagavad Gita remind us that we are not separate from nature and that because we are interconnected we have a responsibility to Earth and each other. In fact the Gita implores us to see that the suffering of others is the suffering of our own. Well, what better way to remember how to do this thing called life other than living in harmony with nature. At the time, you are reading this, my family and I have been living off-grid on ancestral land for about 6 months.
Imagine selling everything and moving to the land where your ancestors were enslaved and then moving their to cultivate the land as you begin to shift and transition in life? Mind you, there are NO physical structures, no housing, plumbing, electricity or wifi. Before you jump to try it, which you absolutely could do if you’d like to make sure you are 100% aware of what your capacity is to troubleshoot and thrive in an environment like this. My family and I did not start with no skills or knowledge in advance, my role in the United States Air Force was to visualize bare land and build it from the ground up to a functioning small city.
As we have been venturing in the life of off-grid living and leaving the smallest carbon footprint we possible can, we have gotten use to purchasing what we must, borrowing, bartering and sharing as much as we can so there is little to no waste. As a yoga teacher and mother this makes my heart sing but as a human who is witnessing the lasting impacts of fossil fuels and climate change, I still feel as if there is more we could be doing. So what does a yogi do besides be in community and speak with other yogis about what is going on in the world because after all, we have a responsibility to each other.
I was able to speak with a close yogi friend out of Asheville and participate in signing one of the many petitions in regards to holding yoga and wellness companies accountable for their contribution to climate change. You can check out one of the articles about it here, from The Guardian.
“We are deeply connected to ourselves, each other and our planet; each part elevating one another.” Lululemon
The truth is there are steps even minor ones each of us can take daily to reduce our and our family’s impact on climate change. With fall in full swing, now is a perfect time to try creating decorations from natural elements like pumpkins, dried leaves and plants or recycled elements. If you are short on other ways to check your carbon footprint or how you can switch to more ethic and environment friendly, revisit this Ritual in Writing from me.