Growing up in the Eastern culture in India, very early on, I was absorbed in the tradition of embracing our Earth as the mother (feminine) aspect of creation.
It makes a lot of sense why we call Earth as our 'mother' as it is this earth that has given life, and keeps giving life, to trillions and trillions of organisms on this planet. Earth represents all the qualities, we embody in our mothers – unconditional love, care, affection, forgiveness, patience, acceptance and it goes on…. And guess what; we have treated her, exactly how we treat our mothers…and we all know, what I’m saying – ‘taken for granted’.
This morning, I ventured to bring my thoughts to life, with the above photograph, trying to depict the reverence, I have for Mother Earth. After many hours, of trial and error, felt satisfied with this photo, that is showcasing the powerful Prithvi mudra, embraced around a chanting mala, with a backdrop of Earth picture. Why the fork?…you may ask, well that story unfolds a little later…
Mudras (a.k.a. Science of Postures) holds, a special place in the field of Ayurveda. Dive deep into the wisdom of Ayurveda and its rich language of Sanskrit and one gets to know that these mudras, when practiced correctly, become “closed electric circuits” for the subtle energy channels within the body!
The meaning of Prithvi is Earth. There are numerous benefits, to practicing this powerful mudra – the most important being, that it increases the Earth element (one of the five elements), within our bodies by decreasing the Fire element. It helps in digestive problems, gives one the grounding and the self-confidence, and overall turns a person into a sattvic (spiritual and mindful) personality.
In my quest to lead, a sattvic lifestyle, this dawned on me one day – mindful eating begins with mindful cooking that leads to mindful living! So I think the first step we all can take to honor and thank our Mother Earth, is to start eating mindfully! and this is the reason, why I chose to use a fork to portray mindful eating.
Mindful eating, has become my mantra and I have begun to love and respect my body, to give the best I can to keep it healthy, vibrant, and compassionate. Ayurveda emphasizes cooking and eating with your senses on by enjoying the taste, smell, texture, look and feel of each bite and every meal you prepare.
Getting into the ritual of eating, with an intention to take care of my body – the only house I reside in, made me learn to enjoy cooking healthy and wholesome meals, good for my dosha (body constitution). I started diligently eating fresh home-made meals made with organic produce and locally grown. Buying locally grown and interacting with farmers, brought me closer to the community I live in, and a new-found reverence to the fertile farmlands of Arizona.
According to Ayurveda, once you start eating according to your dosha, you start becoming aware and balanced, leading to an alignment with nature and your surroundings. This awareness has made me look into other facets of my life. This practice has allowed me to make natural lifestyle changes in my home and in my surroundings. Right eating patterns have gravitated me towards mindful thinking and meditation, which in turn has given me the gifts of understanding, compassion, and empathy towards others.
Today, my life is a work in progress towards a sattvic lifestyle, yes it’s important to think about global warming, carbon footprint, pollution, etc…and you will find many posts written in regards to this for Earth Day. I think it’s more important first to take an honest look at ourselves, and learn to understand and know, who we are, and balance our minds and bodies first, before we start to bring changes in the societies we live in.
Let me finish this post with Eckhart Tolle’s quote.
You are responsible for your inner space; nobody else is, just as you are responsible for the planet. As within, so without: If humans clear inner pollution, then they will also cease to create outer pollution.
So on this blessed Earth Day, I genuflect at the feet of my Mother Earth, for all the blessings she has showered upon me. Happy Earth Day!
Photos: JeevaLifestyle.com
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