Sikh tradition begins with the simple premise that all the universe is sacred and worthy of respect. Every bush, ant and tree is, in its own way, engaged in worship. The last line of the Sikh common prayer is: “May good be done to all” – to not all Sikhs or all humans even, but “to all”.
Ecology, like all virtues, best begins at home. The following are five helpful pointers for developing a healthy personal ecology, taken from the tradition of holism.
1) Don’t store toxic wastes in inhabited areas: Drink 8 glasses of water daily and get plenty of physical exercise.
Be sure to clear your bowels regularly. If they are functioning well, solids should take no more than a day to be eliminated. Check this by eating a meal of beets and seeing how long it takes before the red stool arrives. Eating beets is also beneficial for your body since they work to gently detoxify your body's main toxic waste disposal system, based in your liver.
2) Use energy-efficient, non-polluting fuels.
a) Eat a vegetarian diet. It takes fewer resources to grow than flesh foods.
b) Breathe fully. Make a daily practice of breathing exercises.
c) Treat your body to solar energy daily. The rays of the sun can energise, heal and uplift, when proper precautions are taken.
3) Don’t generate a greenhouse effect. Wear natural fibres (cotton, linen, wool, silk, hemp, cencel and natural rayon). Your skin will breathe easier, and you will feel more relaxed.
4) Preserve your "Amazon rain forest". Keep your hair long and beautiful. It enhances our ecology in ways we have yet to fully understand.
5) Promote biodiversity. Give Mother Earth your very best - which is you, of course! (What did you think, silly!) Appreciate your own exquisite uniqueness. Relax with it. Cherish it. Be creative with it. Let go of fear. Love all beings.
Live in truth – Sat Naam. And experience the ultimate joy of Wahe Guru!