Mystic Mantra: The pollution of soul

For millions of years our earth has had clean air and fresh flowing waters. But our exploitation of the planet has sullied these natural resources. We have polluted our air, water and soil, and are destroying the earth’s ozone layer, forests and its animals. In a similar fashion, our insatiable appetite for gratifying our senses has polluted the natural purity of soul.

When soul inhabits a physical body it must work through a physical mind and organs. Many of us think that our seat of intelligence is brain. But the brain is merely a tool, like a complex computer, through which the soul communicates with and receives impressions from the outer world. The operator behind the machinery of the body and mind is the soul. The soul should have been in control of the mind and body, but situation has been reversed. The soul is now led by the mind and has been caught up in the multi-coloured impressions of the world.

The sights and sounds, the aromas and tastes, and the intriguing sensations of the world have attracted our attention, which is the outer expression of our soul. As a result our attention has been dragged outward through the nine doors of the body: the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth and two organs below. The mind, being a lover of enjoyment, has pulled our consciousness into the physical world and we have forgotten our true self.

If our planet, with its interdependent ecology systems, is to survive, we have to learn to live in harmony with all creation. Ecology means that if we are polluting our world it shows that we do not care about anyone else. The whole problem of ecology could be solved if we as humans start to realise that each form of creation inhabiting the earth is an embodied soul. If we realise the soul in us is the same soul that inhabits every being, whether plant or animal, and comes from the same source, from the same oversoul, from God, then we would care about and love every being. We would see the light of God in each living thing. If all of us in this world start thinking of everyone else as our brothers and sisters, as being of the same essence as God that we are, then we would not do anything to harm other people. We would try to live our lives so that we do not pollute the environment in which other people have to reside.

Thus, we have to develop a kind of respect for our environment in which we do not ignore the claims and contributions of even the tiniest of insects. Ecologists sensitively do not want to alter anything in the environment, which will upset the balance of nature. Similarly, when we advance spiritually, we begin to move through life with sensitivity. We no longer injure the feelings of others. As we develop positive virtues and continue meditating, we find imperfections and pollutants that covered us will fall away and we are restored to our original purity.

Let us devote our time to the spiritual practices so we can recover our innate God-given beauty. Once we develop it, we will reflect the radiance to all those with whom we come in contact. We will, in fact, shower that love on all living things and on our planet earth. By restoring the ecological health of our soul, we will be purifying and uplifting all creation. Then, this world will return to the divine stage of godly bliss and ecstasy for which we were created.