In a world where carnal desires are placed above larger interest, it is but natural for the earth's resources to send out a warning about their exhaustion. In more ways than one, earth has been sending out these 'warning' signals in the form of global warming. Plundering nature's resources has helped in fluctuating temperatures across continents, tornadoes, floods and droughts causing deaths of people and wildlife with nature unleashing all its fury at regular intervals.
How often have we been witnessing these natural disasters now? In many countries, flooding has been on a forewarning since long. In the name of development and tourism, we have made inroads into nature's best kept secrets. We have been ignoring the warnings with our increased use of toxic substances which have been turning into landfills, thus poisoning the womb of mother earth.
Through these years when we built nations, and created our own little safe havens at the cost of tilting nature's balance, we have held earth for ransom. And it will just be a matter of time before all this and much more will be held at ransom too. But, we the humans - the most intelligent creatures of earth - who have been successfully exploring other planets too for life, have been so indignant about what we have been doing to this planet.
Where did we go wrong? The consumerism driven economies have been placing man at the centre of everything else. Need is no more something to reckon with. We cater to greed, and how!
The mass production of food, the mass rearing of animals to meet the growing demand of markets, the ever consuming chain of humans all this has led to earth turning into a huge furnace where the fire rages all through to cook the goose of mankind.
Amidst this, it is the green house effect that's threatening to wipe life off the earth's face that we have chosen to ignore.
Taking remedial steps is all very well appreciated. But, how long would that be before we take the earth back to her glory? Seems impossible, isn't it?
There is something called 'self-restraint' that the world needs to discover. Than employing earth to meet all its desires, it would be better if the humans realized they didn't really need all that they 'think they need'.
Hoarding has been the name of the game. And, a capitalistic economy will always encourage consumerism at the cost of disturbing the balance of earth's resources. Didn't we read somewhere? "Earth has enough to meet the need of its people, not the greed". Developed nations and developing ones, will suffer equally if this reckless plundering continues.
Touching upon the topic of saving earth through self-restraint, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the recently held United Nations General Assembly Meet spoke of mindless consumption of earth's resources. It is perhaps time to consider them sacred, he said.
Now, in a world that has been knocking the doors of science to find answers and sending satellites to other planets, 'sacred' is not emotion that comes home without conflict.
However, shift from a human-centric world to that of the homo-sapiens as comprehensive beings, it comes together to make perfect sense.
Narendra Modi drew the world's attention to another Indian concept - Yoga. In his speech, which was compared to the one Swami Vivekananda had delivered at Chicago centuries ago; Modi spoke of comprehensive well-being of people across nations.
Expressing his concern that development, prosperity and well-being were costing earth it's valuable resources, Modi said this can be avoided even while keeping the economies sacrosanct.
Yoga was the magical word that could take humankind from its consumerism to concern for the earth. West has discovered yoga since long and those who have believed in it, have realized the value of this ancient Indian tradition that can set mind and body in perfect sync.
It is the embodiment of mind and body - which in other words would mean thought and action. For a nation to adopt a holistic approach towards the needs of its people can also meet all the requirements yet, not abuse the nature.
Central theme of yoga is not just the body that undergoes some changes. It is the body that's in perfect rhythm with nature. Yoga can be the answer to the unending consumerism the world is witnessing today. A date with Yoga can set right the cravings and carnal desires, by way of reducing the 'demand' part of the market economy.
When a consumerist turns away from the shelves of supermarket, with just about how much he/she needs, and does not fall prey to hoarding, the chain collapses to a moderate one. This way, nature won't see an enemy in man. And, that will be the path to earth's redemption.