Double rainbow at MA Center, San Ramon, CA

Question: What is the relationship between man and Nature?.

Amma: "Children, man is not different from Nature. He is part of Nature. The very existence of human beings on earth depends on Nature. In truth, we are not protecting Nature - it is Nature who protects us. Trees and plants, for example, are absolutely necessary for the purification of vital energy (the life force). Everyone knows that human beings cannot live in a desert. The reason is that there are no trees there to purify the vital energy. If atmospheric purification does not take place, the health of humans will deteriorate. It will cause a decrease in their life span, various diseases, and poor eyesight or even blindness.

Our lives are inextricably dependent on Nature; even a small change in Nature will affect our lives on this planet. Similarly, man’s thoughts and actions have an effect on Nature. If the balance in Nature is lost, the harmony of human life will also be lost, and vice versa.

The one factor which connects a human being to Nature is the innate innocence within man. When we see a rainbow, or the waves of the ocean, do we still feel the innocent joy of a child? An adult who experiences a rainbow as being nothing but light waves will not know the joy and wonder of a child who sees a rain- bow, or a child who is watching the waves of the ocean.

Faith in God is the best way to sustain this childlike innocence in man. He who has faith and devotion to God, which in turn stems from his innate innocence, beholds God in everything, in every tree and animal, in every aspect of Nature. This attitude enables him to live in perfect harmony, in tune with Nature. The never ending stream of love that flows from a true believer towards the entire Creation will have a gentle, soothing effect on Nature. This love is the best protection of Nature.

It is when our selfishness increases that we begin to lose our innocence. When this happens, man becomes estranged from Nature and begins to exploit her. Man doesn’t know what a terrible threat he has become to her. By harming Nature, he is paving the way for his own destruction.

As man’s intellect and scientific knowledge grow, he should not forget the feelings of his heart, which enable him to live in accordance with Nature and her fundamental laws."

Om Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu
Om Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu
Om Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi