Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Strategic Monk

Home
Contemplative
Spiritual Practices from the Inside Out: The Spiritual Life of Earth

Spiritual Practices from the Inside Out: The Spiritual Life of Earth

Last updated on: April 22, 2017 at 3:41 am by Greg Richardson

Spiritual Practices from the Inside Out: The Spiritual Life of Earth 2017-04-22T03:41:14-08:00 Greg Richardson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

62339054_c45fbc1ed9_z

The Spiritual Life of Earth

Everything we, and everyone we know, has ever tasted or smelled came from the Earth. Every vehicle, every computer, and every phone ever made was made of part of the Earth.

Our own bodies are made of the Earth, and to the Earth they shall return. We depend on the planet’s air, water, and other resources to stay alive.

Everything we have ever discarded remains on the Earth.

The Earth is our home planet. We were born here and almost all of us live out entire lives here. The Earth is familiar, it is everything we know.

Some of us do not think of the Earth as spiritual, but as its opposite. They see a dichotomy between earthly or Sacred. We need to look deeper to see the relationship, the unity, the spiritual life of the Earth.

The Breath of Spiritual Life

It begins with breathing. Breathing is the earliest form, the first step, of meditation and reflection. When we get carried away with everything else, we pause to remember to breathe.

We forget, and the Earth draws us back and takes our breath away. The trees, the sky, the plants which cover the Earth fill us with life. We breathe in all the aromas of life, even spiritual life. Not merely the smells of candles or incense, but all the flavors of spiritual life. The smell of freshly turned earth or just mown grass, certain flowers or a new book.

We may find spiritual life in the smell of our favorite foods or baking bread. The smoke of a campfire or cold, fresh air. The way the ocean smells, or the people we love the most.

We breathe in the spiritual life of Earth, then breathe out the same life. It surrounds us and fills us. We are immersed in the spiritual life of Earth and forget, because it pervades our experience.

Praying for the Earth

We pray for the Earth. Some of us pray with words and some pray beyond words.

It is somewhat selfish for us to pray for the Earth since we are so completely dependent on it. We pray the Earth will be sustained and that it continues to sustain us. Many of us pray for and in the Sacred places with which the Earth is filled.

We may pray for rain, or for safety in storms. Some of us stand in awe at the beauty we find on the Earth. Many of us pray with our feet and our bodies as well as with our hearts and minds. Our walking prayers take us from person to person and place to place.

We pray for the Earth with our eyes opened in new ways.

There are times when we are moved to pray for forgiveness. We see how we have torn and injured the Earth seeking resources we could sell. Some of us experience the devastating ways the Earth feels conflict and combat, and we pray.

We confess and plead. We intercede and express our awe and delight. The Earth is in our prayers.

Spiritual Life and Protection

Our relationship to the Earth is one of mutual respect and protection.

The Earth and its atmosphere protect us from radiation and other extreme conditions around us. It nurtures and strengthens us, teaching us what we need to know. Like a loving parent, the Earth feeds us and gives us shelter, fresh air, and clean water.

The Earth is our haven in the Universe, our home.

We, in turn, protect the Earth. Like people for generations before us, we work to protect the beauty of the Earth. We take responsibility for defending the trees, the water, the air, and the Sacred places. When necessary, we take action to prevent the diversity and power of the Earth from being destroyed. We care for the Earth so the generations coming after us will see wilderness with their own eyes.

The Earth has been very good to us, and we want to be very good to it in return.

Practicing the Spiritual Life of the Earth

We are each drawn into our own personal ways of practicing the spiritual life of the Earth.

Some people change the way they buy and eat food, while others begin to grow their own. There are people who recycle very intentionally. Others focus on buying less. We may be drawn to change public policy, or help other individuals and families change their habits. There are people who drive less and people who go on road trips to national parks. The diversity of our practice reflects the diversity of the Earth. We are all on the Earth together.

Our unique actions are not as essential as the fact we all put our values into practice. None of us can do everything, but we can all do something. Each of us needs to practice what we believe about the Earth in our own ways.

Moments of the Spiritual Life of the Earth

I have come to appreciate the spiritual life of the Earth in particular moments. Reading books and watching films, listening and reflecting have been helpful. It is the moments in which a light has come on which have changed me.

I spent one such moment lying on the ground looking up at the night sky.

It was not a realization the Earth was so complex and beyond my understanding. For me, it was looking up toward the stars and seeing how small we were. That moment was the spark which lit my inspiration. It revealed the spiritual life of the Earth in new ways.

The Earth is our home, our small safe place in the vast expanse of the Universe.

How will you practice the spiritual life of the Earth this week?

Where is the Sacred part of the Earth which nurtures spiritual life in you?

[Image by Jaime Olmo]

Greg Richardson is a spiritual life mentor and leadership coach in Southern California. He is a recovering attorney and university professor, and a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is StrategicMonk.com, and his email address is [email protected].

Blog

Spiritual Practices

Previous Post

April 20, 2017

Leading Like a Monk: Taking Care of What We Need to Do the Job

Next Post

April 25, 2017 Practicing from the Inside Out: Finding the Freedom of Spiritual Life

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Book Reviews Everything Else Guest Posts Leadership Monastic Strategies Neighborhood Pilgrimages Sacred Stillness Spiritual Direction Spiritual Practices Work

Select a Month May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book of the Bible has the longest chapter?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jeremiah Psalms Genesis Isaiah