Ancient wisdom to heal the planet

Prophecy and Preservation

When we search for answers to difficult questions, we often don’t consider whether we’re asking the right questions in the first place. Concerns about global warming, pollution, endangered species and the environment in general become the basis for political campaigns, law reform, talking points and lobbying efforts, but more often than not, the focus is on blame instead of resolution.

That tendency to lay blame keeps us from accepting the fact that we’re all responsible for contributing to the problem. The question isn’t “Who?” it’s “How?” As in: “How can we, as individuals, right our wrongs and work together to heal our ailing planet?”

Gayle Redfern, author of Ancient Wisdoms: Exploring the Mysteries and Connections, contends that the answer to that question has been around much longer than we have. It lies in the ancient wisdom of our ancestors and indigenous cultures around the globe.

The two most important messages Redfern says we can glean are:

1. “Do no harm, honor all life, respect the dead and our ancestors, and honor all cultures.”
2. “Treat the earth well and know that we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

Indigenous cultures such as the Waitaha people from New Zealand, Hopi from the USA, Kogi from Columbia, Dogon from Mali, and Maya from Central America have expressed concerns over the fate of the planet, but their guidance is often misconstrued or rejected out of hand.

“They all caution us, but the elders from [these] cultures come forward with severe, emphatic warnings that we are damaging the planet and destroying opportunities for humanity today,” says Redfern. “Unfortunately, many people dismiss the warnings, negating the application to their immediate community. Action is important now and by everyone.”

The Mayan 2012 prophecy is a recent example of misinterpreting valuable insights into our future as a culture. Cast by the media as a “doomsday prophecy,” the 2012 prophecy is less a portent of cataclysm than it is an augury of change. Skewed interpretations like this only serve to distract us from our immediate charge: the planet itself.

“For generations the Earth has taken care of humans, providing what we need. It is now time to take care of all life on the planet,” says Redfern. “I suggest people take the time to study the lessons of the indigenous. We need to live simply and take only what we need.“