After a bit of meditation about our relationship with the existence around, it soon starts to amaze us as to how every organism on this planet, apart from human beings, have found a balance with surrounding environment. Every organism only consumes from the nature exactly what is required to survive. Even the organisms who hibernate during winters only store enough to go through the hibernation.
Accumulation beyond what is absolutely required for co-existence with nature is absolutely a no in all plant & animal life around us. Every organism also contributes to well being of existence by performing important functions of cleaning & rejuvenating natural resources as one's limited existence allows.
This reality is in stark contrast to the great imbalance human race has created with nature. From this perspective, when I meditate on the reason for this imbalance, it is not very difficult to see.
There was a clear point in history of civilization when we laid the foundation for this imbalance.
The moment was when humans acquired ability to accumulate beyond what they required. Initially as a safety net to go through the hard times and increasingly the accumulation started becoming the reason and only goal of a majority of human existence.
Over the years, the human value systems got deformed and accumulation for the sake of accumulation became the goal. A very hollow human society followed.
If we stop for a moment and ask why we want to accumulate wealth? bigger cars? assets for the sake of accumulation? Why do we indulge in mindless consumption that our existence does not require for either survival or growth of human race, at the expense of nature.
On further contemplation, over-consumption or resources from nature beyond what we require to survive, be safe & grow as a human race collectively is not just inappropriate but plain disastrous to existence on this planet as the imbalance goes out of what nature could bear without precipitating a untimely demise of life on this planet.
What would it take to create a peaceful & just coexistence with nature? First and foremost, humanity needs to shed the value we associate with accumulation beyond what we need, and that requires a leap of ego shedding.
Can we create a self sustaining social and economic models that gives back to nature as soon the accumulation crosses what is required for survival and growth?
On a more basic level, can we drive a smaller car that is more eco-friendly if not walk on foot or paddle a bicycle? Can we move away from mindless accumulation of personal wealth for no other purpose then accumulation itself?
Even in personal context, I find these questions discomforting as they contradict my acquired values, beliefs & attitudes and it shatters the basic foundation of greatness that my ego wants to perpetuate.
Balance, find we must, if we need to harmonize our deepest existence with reality & achieve peaceful coexistence with the infinite creation.
In hope of starting small battles against entrenched ego positions and in hope of finding a peaceful coexistence with the world around.
-Explorer
