We Celebrate the Earth Today!

Mother Nature is always speaking. She speaks in a language understood within the peaceful mind of the sincere observer. Leopards, cobras, monkeys, rivers and trees; they all served as my teachers when I lived as a wanderer in the Himalayan foothills.

~ Radhanath Swami

Original painting by Ruth Westreich of the Westreich Foundation

Happy Earth Day!

Today we celebrate  with creativity and words from three inspiring women.  We begin by sharing a painting by a wonderful supporter of the arts and health, Ruth Westreich's painting of Mother Earth - a part of a series that is sparking dialogue with academics, health professionals and forward thinkers.

Even though we cannot be out doors with crowds of people, planting trees, sampling their organic food at a festival booth, or purchasing bamboo utensils and hemp T-shirts....we do want to continue to be mindful about what we can do and plan actions we can take.

The Westreich Foundation has collaborated with many organizations to compile this list of organizations which you could volunteer with to create a healthier world: 

Ways to Become Involved to Create Health for Yourself, Your Family and Mother Earth.

We invite you to find an organization on this list that speaks to you and donate to them today.

Volunteer, lend your professional skills, share their educational resources.

From Ruth Westreich regarding her painting and Mother Earth:

Human woman gives birth just as the earth gives birth to the plants.

~ Joseph Campbell

The obvious parallels between woman and nature are everywhere. Both are traditionally associated with purity, simplicity, beauty and grace. A female’s seasons and cycles can be linked to the earth’s own recurring seasons and lunar cycles. Both nature and women have the power to grow life. And, when you have the ability to bring forth life, the commitment to preserving what you have created is very strong. As a mother cares for her children, and puts their well-being above her own life and liberty, so does Mother Earth.

We are watching as Mother Earth cries out for help as her bounties vanish bit by bit. All her symbiotic systems must be in balance and in harmony or we start to see those imbalances play out in the form of a warming planet, sea level rises, toxic water and soil and unhealthy air.

Earth chemicals all “talk” to one another to protect life on the planet; the salt in the ocean is never too salinated, the oxygen in the atmosphere never too noxious, and the temperature of the earth never grows too hostile for life to thrive. All elements work in perfect harmony to ensure life on earth is sustained.

          ~ James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis 1970

Pope Francis speaks about the need personalize Mother Nature, so we will pay attention to when “she cries out for help”.

She is crying now. Our environment is polluted, our drinking water is toxic, we inhale toxic dusty air, we eat genetically modified food filled with pesticides and other toxic chemicals. People of all ages are suffering with chronic diseases, many of which were only seen in the very elderly. pBut,< I also believe that Mother Nature is forgiving, and she wants us to not only survive but thrive. We have seen in less than three months in Spring 2020 how quickly she can regenerate. I am hopeful Mother Earth’s children can stand together for a better future while there is still time. 

Come with me into the woods where spring is advancing, as it does, no matter what, not being singular or particular, but one of the forever gifts, and certainly visible.  

     ~ Mary Oliver, Dog Songs

-Ruth Westreich, Westreich Foundation, philanthropy for the arts and health, author of Finding Ourselves on Sacred Ground

I look at Earth Day is the birthday of all life on the planet. From this earth we have the marvels of her treasures...glowing fish that live miles below the deep, flowers that eat insects, trees with syrup flowing through their branches, flowers that bloom at night, grapes so red they are nearly black, bees that make succulent honey that heals wounds, birds that sing songs of indescribable beauty, and strawberries whose sweetness will make you gasp with bliss. Our Earth creates glorious wonders. We have the opportunity to enjoy, protect and preserve her for future generations. Each day we can do one thing to protect our earth.

I believe, to be effective, it all starts with gratitude.

A part of a poem by e e cummings that I say as a daily prayer of gratitude:

"I thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes" - ee cummings

Full poem here.

I urge everyone, on Earth Day, and every day, to get outside, get your hands in the dirt, and grow food, herbs, flowers....just grow something. Watch the videos on growing your own food on our Earth Month Celebration video resource page to get inspired, and then get out there and grow something!  - Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America

Video message from Zen here.

Donate here.

Share this glorious declaration! Dr. Vandana Shiva has been an inspiring mentor, fearless leader and poetic speaker who gathers the masses to reimagine the future and take action together.

Dr. Vandana Shiva has shared moving words of wisdom, a decree for the planet, a declaration for health and freedom...

"The Earth is an interconnected web of life.

The health emergency we face as a global community is connected to the health of the Earth is facing: its steady degradation, the extinction and disappearance of species and the climate emergency.

We must shift from the economics of greed and limitless growth, of competition and violence, which have pushed us to an existential crisis, and move to an “Economy of Care”- for the Earth, for people and for all living species.

- Dr. Vandana Shiva, founder of Navdanya, author, speaker, Eco-Feminist

Read the full Earth Day Communique released today from Dr. Vandana Shiva here.

Picture courtesy of Dr. Vandana Shiva 

Thank you for your partnership in creating communities and a healthy earth!

Moms Across America