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Natural Awakenings Naples and Fort Myers

Loving Planet Earth

“Real change will only happen when we fall in love with our planet. Only love can show us how to live in harmony with nature and with each other and save us from the devastating effects of environmental destruction and climate change.”

~ Thích Nhat Hẩnh

I love artist Sandra Glover’s cover image, which she created especially for our Sustainable Communities issue. Beyond the joy of seeing people bicycling, cultivating community gardens and patronizing local businesses and residences powered by solar and wind energy, it conveys an overall feeling that people are safe, happy and connected with Mother Earth and one another.

I often wonder what it’s going to take to reverse humanity’s history of unsustainable practices and turn around the many crises facing life on this planet. Thích Nhat Hẩnh’s quote points to the essential leading factor to any hope of real change. It’s a heart thing! I suspect a spiritual crisis has brought us to the current predicament. If we don’t know who we are and aren’t expressing our highest potential, then certainly less than the best will be reflected in our experience.

I’m blessed to be writing this letter from the mystical town of Mount Shasta, California. I’m gathered here with loving friends from Naples (see photo), tuning into Mother Earth by hiking the trails around this legendary mountain. Oft described as the place where heaven meets Earth, it draws spiritual pilgrims from around the world. Our heart-centered group meditations in nature, led by Deborah Mills, have profoundly touched us. Full days spent listening to Mother Earth is effective medicine for connecting with higher dimensions and aligning with our host planet.

Public Radio’s Steve Curwood reminds us in this issue that, “There’s no food, economy, family or anything else good if we don’t have a habitable planet.” I wonder what might happen if all Earthlings regularly stopped what we are doing at the same moment to quietly connect within long enough to distinguish our busy-mind selves from our true selves, and tune into what kind of world we wish to create.

To me, sustainable living means we are creating and living in a world where everyone is getting their basic needs met, feels safe and loved and honors Mother Earth and all living things. Gross National Happiness studies have found that living more sustainably creates more happiness in people’s lives.

This month’s issue is full of inspirations and solutions to create the kind of world that all future generations can enjoy.

Here’s to heart-centered living,

 

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher