The
energy we use in our lifetime affects the earth for generations to
come
Is Your
Carbon Footprint an Indication of Your Spiritual Destiny?
by E Raymond
Rock
We leave two
kinds of footprints, a carbon one upon the earth and a psychic one
upon our existence to come; the two are interconnected. Therefore,
the size of our carbon footprint is an accurate gauge of what our
next existence will portend - will it be a heaven, or a hell?
Awareness of
what we are doing to ourselves, to the earth, and especially to
others, such as our children and grandchildren, are indicators of
where we are regarding our state of mind. Subsequently, this state
of mind is then a true indicator of our destiny. Our actions follow
our mind, and our minds follow our habits and tendencies, so if we
are accustomed to thinking only of ourselves, then our destiny will
be a place where others act the same, and our next destination will
be a dog-eat dog existence. That would be a hell.
If we don't
really care about the world, and perhaps rationalize our actions by
believing that what we do individually doesn't matter, then we must
live amongst those who believe as we do. If we can get by with a
small car, but buy a larger one because of our insecurities, perhaps
trying to prop up our egos or some other childish fantasy, then
others will do the same. We are all connected at the hip, and
individual decisions always reflect the whole of society.
If we believe
those that say fossil fuels harm many things, and that oil, itself,
promotes violence and greed, no different from gold, diamonds, or
anything else that excites the senses, then we would be well advised
to personally take a stand against those things. According to Christ
and the Buddha, less is more. If you don't believe it, look at
history and all the lives that have been shattered by the greed and
hatred fueled by oil, diamonds, gold, drugs, and anything else
promising riches with little work.
Our carbon
footprint is the amount of energy and resources that we use over a
lifetime, and how that usage will affect the earth and generations
to come. Our excess carbon footprint is the energy and resources
that we use over and above what we minimally require. This indicates
our state of mind, our selfishness, and consequently this state of
mind determines our destiny, not only in this world, but in the next
as well.
A mind that
only thinks of itself is a mind of delusion. This kind of mind
cannot understand and actually laughs at the premise that we are
interconnected. This kind of selfish mind sees only itself and how
it compares to others, never understanding that this duality is an
illusion. Unfortunately, this kind of mind, a mind that cannot get
past itself, is the kind of mind that entraps itself in a world of
fear and anxiety simply because it has only itself to rely upon.
This spells trouble, because mind does not exist in reality, only in
time, and therefore can never be relied upon beyond existence.
Therefore, this person has all of his or her eggs gathered in one
basket, a basket that doesn't exist in reality. And they fear death
terribly.
A person who
sees smog and says, "That's my fault, not some legislator or some
branch of government, but my fault," is a person that can see. When
a person sees gas prices becoming a burden for people who are
struggling to make a living on low wages, and says, "that's my
fault;" that's a person who can see. A person who sees, sees that
wars are caused when people want more than they have, or want others
to be like them. And when that same person stops buying oil, gold,
diamonds, drugs, and all the other things that promise an easy way
out, that person not only can see, but has the unique courage, known
only to few, to act.
If you want to
begin seeing, rather than moving in lock step with a failed theory
that wealth provides happiness regardless of the cost to the earth
and our descendants, then take a few minutes out of every day and
sit in silence, in meditation. Go to that place of truth mentioned
by all the great sages, go to that place where your actions will be
heroic, regardless of how small they seem to be.
Go to that
place where you will begin feeling good about what you are doing to
help, not only with the earth, but with your destiny as well.
E. Raymond
Rock of Fort Myers, Florida is cofounder and principal teacher at
the Southwest Florida Insight Center,
www.SouthwestFloridaInsightCenter.com His twenty-eight years of
meditation experience has taken him across four continents,
including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote
northeast forests as an ordained Theravada Buddhist monk. His book,
A Year to Enlightenment (Career Press/New Page Books) is now
available at major bookstores and online retailers. Visit
www.AYearToEnlightenment.com
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