Planet Earth Shows Us Our Collective Need to Heal
Recently I’ve been thinking about how we’re in the midst of a 6th mass extinction, this one created by humans. 50% of the world’s living species are predicted to be extinct by 2100. Current extinction rates are already 1000-10,000x the natural extinction rate. 3/4 of known species have and already are disappearing. We will lose half of our world’s biodiversity, one that all of humanity and life depends on. We are already consuming 175% of the planet’s resources and what it can regenerate in one year. And in order to prevent humans from going extinct, we would need 5 more earths to sustain our current lifestyle and population of 8.5 billion people.
Global health and wellness is an enormous industry valued at $5.61 trillion and is projected to grow to $8.47 trillion by 2027 (Statista), reflecting the growing and serious need for health solutions. The people of our world are plagued by imbalances in mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. This is reflected in the mental and physical health statistics of our global population. Chronic noncommunicable diseases represent 76% of all deaths in the world, and is projected to increase to 86% by 2048 (World Health Organization). Noncommunicable diseases overtook communicable diseases in the 1940s, paralleling the rise in capitalism. And originate within the individual, resulting in chronic, oftentimes unexplainable health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and mental health illness. It is projected that at least half of the world’s population will experience at least one mental health disorder in their lifetime (World Health Organization). Chronic stress, anxiety and depression are now common human conditions, especially in wealthy, developed countries. These conditions increase with every generation. Around 40% of millennials (ages 28-43) report having a mental health condition, and 1 out of 3 report having a behavioral health condition. In generation Z (ages 12-27), 9 out of 10 people report experiencing at least one physical or emotional symptom because of stress, such as feeling depressed or hopeless (APA), and suicide is now the second leading cause of death among 12-27 year olds.
Let these statistics sink in. Contemplate the current state of our planet and how it relates to our own state of human health and wellbeing.
The excess imbalance of masculine energy in our worldview and way of being—of capitalism and industrialization—is ingrained in the collective human program. Driving the beliefs, values, behaviors, and perspectives that continue to create and perpetuate this hotmess reality we live in. In humanity’s quest to transform nature’s wonderland into city, earth into concrete, human into robot…we continue to mow over our natural essence in exchange for an unnatural and inhumane way of life. Mass extinction events and human cancer and disease, are all simply manifestations and symptoms of our extreme disconnection from nature/energy/soul, and imbalance between yin-feminine and yang-masculine dual energies. This overall state of disconnect and imbalance is reflected in the massive planetary environmental crisis, extreme loss of ecosystems, dwindling species populations, over-acidification of oceans, global warming, desertification of land through forest loss, draughts and wildfires, increasing natural storms and hurricanes, a human mental health crisis, cancers, pandemics and “incurable’ chronic diseases. If we continue to bulldoze, destroy, eradicate nature and its forms, we will be left with nothing. Concrete jungles and artificial food offers no nourishment to our natural human souls.
The state of our planet, of animal health, of ocean health, air health, forest health, human health…is all connected. Its overall state of wellbeing shows us that we are in dire need of healing. Our planet and people have a massive waste problem. Much of the issue is centered around our inability to properly deal with and dispose of waste in a sustainable manner. This applies to the excessive amount of pollution and waste that is generated through human activity, expelled into the system. And the excessive amount of energetic pollution and waste that is also generated through human activity, expelled into the system. Ecosystem imbalances and fatalities are largely caused by excessive amounts of pollution and unprocessed waste expelled into the environment. Mental and physical health conditions and diseases, too, are largely caused by excessive amounts of unprocessed emotional energy stored as landfills within individuals, and spewed out into the energetic system. Healing is primarily a matter of effective waste management, cleaning, and disposal. It asks us to let go of the old, dispose of our waste, clear space, and allow for regeneration and new growth.
When people take the time to heal and to get healthy at an individual level, it changes everything. Healthy people want to live in healthy, natural environments. Sick people want to live in unhealthy, unnatural environments. When we take the time to heal in nature, we feel and remember that everything we need is already found in nature. Humans may generate the sickness, but the cure is found in our connection to nature. As we are natural constituents of a natural Earth. So long as we live according to this unbreakable connection, we will always be well.
More on environmental challenges and what we can do in our everyday lives.
There are three main issues manifesting right now: 1. habitat loss, 2. over-consumption, and 3. waste and pollution.
Habitat Loss
The planet has lost 1/3rd of the world’s forests and rainforests due to deforestation for agriculture and industry. The majority of the world’s habitable land has already been claimed by humans for development. The problem is that animals have less and less land to live in and are dying out from pollution and decreasing food sources. In the oceans, animals also contend with massive overfishing, commercial nets and trawlers, and enormous amounts of plastic and chemical waste pollution, destroying their natural habitats and killing food sources. When the layers of the food chain are knocked out, it throws the entire ecosystem off balance and leads to eventual collapse. Each successive layer relies on each other. With humans towards the top, we will have nothing to stand on.
What we can do is to advocate for greater habitat protection. The world is already committed to protecting 30% of the world’s land by 2050…but as citizens we will still need to play our part by pushing for legislation and protection to hold governments responsible. Otherwise, they will not get there. Ecocide is another global development, calling for the global and legal criminalization of environmental damage and destruction.
Over-Consumption of Energy and Resources
As I mentioned earlier, humans have been consuming 175% of the planet’s resources and what it can regenerate in one year. That means we are consuming what is available for this year + what is available for next year…which basically means that our natural resources don’t even have time to regenerate. We consume so much that we would need 5 more earths to sustain our current lifestyle.
The U.S. is the 2nd largest energy consumer in the world (consuming 17% of the world’s energy and resources), and is the #1 consumer of oil (consuming 20% of the world’s reserves), but yet the U.S. only represents 4% of the world’s population. China may top the list as the #1 energy consumer but the average U.S. citizen uses 2.5 times the energy of the average Chinese citizen.
What every single person can do is to dramatically decrease their energy usage to only what is essential. E.g. turn off the A.C. and open a window or turn on a fan. Unplug all of your electronic devices. Enjoy being outdoors or activities that don’t require electricity. Transform your home to be as energy efficient as possible. Install solar panels and deploy renewable energies. Walk or bike instead of driving. Minimize purchase of oil to the bare minimum. Stop purchasing and buying so many things. This will not only reduce the stress on the world’s resources, but it will also save you money as well.
Pollution & Waste Generation
We have a massive garbage and waste problem in this world. With so much consumption there’s so much waste. And the waste has nowhere to go. Current human solution is to bury it in the Earth. Trash and plastic can be found everywhere—in the oceans, inside animals, inside our food, inside our bodies. Yep there are microplastics in your body. Along with enormous list of pharmaceutical chemicals, poisons, toxins, etc. that leech into our global water supply. Waste and pollution is everywhere—we drink it, we eat it, we breathe it.
The U.S. is the largest dumper of CO2 emissions in history. Contributing 25% of the world’s total CO2 emissions, and remains as the 2nd largest polluter in the world. Again, China may top the list as #1 but the U.S. pollutes almost 2 times the amount of China per capita.
The U.S. is also the #1 generator of waste in the world. And it holds the record for the largest landfill on the planet: Apex Landfill in Las Vegas at 2,200 acres. A giant swath of garbage land.
What every single person can do is to dramatically decrease purchasing items. And if you do buy something, shop locally, bring a reusable bag, buy in bulk with minimal packaging. Bring reusable containers and bags for everything you purchase including food. Better yet, plant a garden and grow your own herbs, vegetables, fruit. Minimize meat consumption. Make your own yogurt, bread, pickles, condiments, jams, etc. Again, you’ll be saving a lot of money and you can have fun learning new hobbies.
The U.S. pretty much tops every list as being the most consumerist, most wasteful, and most environmentally damaging country in the world. Not a big surprise when our governments, businesses and every aspect of our society is engineered to promote the singular goal of having the highest GDP in the world. And for awhile, the U.S. has served as an economic model for the world…and is a major economic leader and decision maker in global politics. But this greed is destroying the only home we have. And soon enough, that GDP will fall when there are no more resources to go around.
What it really comes down to is the decisions and actions we make now in our everyday lives. And those decisions and actions accumulate over time. Our decisions and actions are shaped by the way we think and perceive, and what we believe to be true. The only way to change those decisions and actions is to change what we believe. And what we believe and what we have believed over hundreds of years (believing and breathing capitalism as a lifestyle) has led us to this epic fail of climate destruction and mass extinction. So what we must do is to change our beliefs, and instead choose to believe in a sustainable and cooperative way of living. We can reduce the usage of energy and resources, we can stop consumption and purchasing to only what is absolutely necessary, we can redefine what is considered ‘absolutely necessary’, we can minimize waste, and we can learn to stop buying so much, and let go of things we don’t really need. These seemingly insignificant decisions we make on autopilot everyday are what really matters. They compound. And when we can change our beliefs and perceptions, we can change our day-to-day decisions. That is where real change happens.