A Sacred Environment: Part 1 – Divine by Nature
iman March 7th, 2008
Nature is a reflection of the Divine:
Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world….It is endowed with a power whose reality men of learning fail to grasp….and Nature itself is lost in bewilderment before its revelations, its compelling evidences and its effulgent glory which have encompassed the universe.
(Bahá’u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u'lláh, p. 141)
Furthermore, all things flourish through their interdependence:
Reflect upon the inner realities of the universe, the secret wisdoms involved, the enigmas, the inter-relationships, the rules that govern all. For every part of the universe is connected with every other part by ties that are very powerful and admit of no imbalance, nor any slackening whatever.
(Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 157)
Nature. Inter-connectedness. The rules and relationships which bind the planet as a single entity. Just as with the human body, where a mere toothache causes suffering for the entire system, so it is with our planet, where even the slightest disruption in equilibrium can cause a bewildering chain reaction, affecting all manner of related entities. Sadly, very often we don’t even realize the delicate connections between things until the damage is done.
Along with this principle of inter-connectedness is another essential law of nature — the existence of all organisms is conditioned on the coming together, or union, of constituent elements. Non-existence is caused by the dissociation of those same elements. Taking the simple example of a tree; so long as the constituent elements of the tree are bound together and operating in unison, we see continuous strengthening and growth. As the tree ages or parts fall off, the result is decay and decomposition of the elements, leading to eventual death of the organism.
Since all things in nature are bound by this law of union, what should preclude the human race from striving to reach this condition? Indeed, a sustained solution to the problems of the environment requires us, as individuals, to consider ourselves as being an active part of the “worldwide organism”, and that includes how we connect with our fellow human beings.
Part 2 will examine these thoughts in further detail and also take a look at the current global environmental situation (although I suspect we all have some idea of where we stand).
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[...] Part 1 presented the analogy of the unity and inter-connectedness of the human body, and how if a single part malfunctions — even something as seemingly insignificant as a tooth — the entire organism is affected. Extending the analogy of the human body further, a statement issued by the Bahá’í International Community on conservation and sustainable development proposes that harmony within the human race is a necessary condition for preserving the ecological balance of the Earth in the long-term. The statement stresses the importance of the unification of mankind as the foundation for global solutions. “Universal acceptance of this principle will entail a major restructuring of the world’s educational, social, agricultural, industrial, economic, legal and political systems. This restructuring will facilitate the emergence of a sustainable, just and prosperous world civilization. Ultimately only a spiritually based civilization – in which science and religion work in harmony – will be able to preserve the ecological balance of the earth, foster stability in human population, and advance both the material and the spiritual well-being of all peoples and nations.” [...]