Open a newspaper today or switch on your TV and you will hear one report after another of terrorist threats, global warming, growing economic disparity and corruption, the depletion of natural resources at a rate completely out of proportion to anything in our past. Each of these disparate and complex situations seems to demand a unique solution. In most cases, still out of our grasp. But they can also be seen collectively as a mindset that is now dying: one that simply cannot continue because it is unsustainable. Every single indicator of the health of this planet continues to decline. Perhaps the death of environmentalism is the tragically narrow view most environmentalists have of their work. By defining the environment as something out there to be protected, we set up a dualism that separates human beings from nature. In focusing on narrow, technological, regulatory and legislative fixes we fail to address the depth and breath of the problems at hand. Our environmental movements need to provide a positive
vision that appeals to our aspirational nature as human beings.

The health of our bodies depends on clean air, clean water and clean food. Yoga and Ayurveda are grounded in an understanding of this interconnection. Historically, yoga developed in the context of a close relationship with the Earth and cosmos and a profound reverence for animals, plants, soil, water and air. This reverence toward life is the basis of the yogic teaching of ahimsa, or non-violence, non-injury and non-harming. As practising yogis, these charges inspire us to think of the ways that yoga can contribute. How can we offer vision and values for a different way to live in relationship with this planet? How can we cultivate the idea that we need to remake ourselves and that a deeply lived yoga practice makes this possible?

The Yoga awakening and subsequent shifts in consciousness change ordinary people leading everyday lives; change in who we know ourselves to be and the nature around us. These awakenings initiate a gradual metamorphosis that is both evolutionary and endless. A spontaneous generosity of spirit, an impulse to serve and a willingness to transform living into art gradually
replace the normal relationship to life marked by fear and acquisition. This
endless process of evolution and transformation is translucent. Translucent people who glow from inside have access to their deepest nature as peaceful, limitless, free and unchanging and at the same time remain fully involved in the events of their personal lives. Contemporary translucents defy many of the spiritual concepts we have inherited from our religious traditions. Not recluses, they play vigorously in their relationships with others, their work, their creativity, their political and environmental causes - but they play to play more than to win. Thoughts, fears and desires still come and go; life is still characterised by temporary trials, misfortunes and stress but the personal story is not longer opaque. It is now capable of reflecting something deeper, more luminous and abiding. Translucents display an abover-average generosity of spirit. Giving to other people and to the environment replaces old habits based in lack, desire and need. They are not spiritual in any way that can be obviously recognised through lifestyle choices. As a group they display a wide variety of occupations, appearance, educational and cultural backgrounds as humanity itself. They generally don't identify themselves as having attained anything and they are not trying to become enlightened. They are not overly materialistic or spiritually cynical. They are not uniformly vegetarians, political liberals, socialists, communists, religious zealots, new-age hippies or self-improvement junkies. They don't all wear Birkenstocks. Above all, they have a humourous and often irreverent relationship to their personal life, beliefs and identity.

You are probably more a part of the solution on this earth than a part of the problem. What you do and how you live is not as trivial as you may sometimes think. What you choose to do in the next five minutes - and the spirit in which you do it - contributes to the difference between nuclear annihilation and the opportunity for this world to return to Eden. The future rests in your hands and the stakes are getting higher. It is time for all of us to wake up to our natural sanity and to live it passionately, dangerously, intensely, translucently. People just like you are waking up and changing the world.

The values Green Yoga provides is a vision of human beings, the earth and the universe as part of an organic whole. Whilst it's important to adopt environmentally friendly practices and choose green products wherever possible, that's just one piece of the puzzle. To truly heal the Earth, we must awaken our connection to it. When we live with the awareness of our interdependence with the Earth, giving back and living in harmony with the Earth comes naturally and makes us feel happier, more fulfilled and more alive.

In our Green Yoga pilot program and our Ayurvedic work at Nirvana, we've
looked at and considered possible changes to our infrastructure, such as
using more Earth-friendly power, spring water, natural heating, cooking,
flooring, even yoga mats. We hope to bring yoga and Ayurvedic students
together in supportive community, inspired to change old habits and form new
world views. In addition to installing low-flow toilets, composting and
recycling lets open up a dialogue in our yoga communities about our current
situation on this planet. Let's discuss ahimsa (non-violence) in the context
of our ability to alter the geology and chemistry of the planet and to melt
the glaciers.

Let's look at the needs of our local ecosystems, learning about watersheds and local plants. Let's go outside as the early yogis did and celebrate the rising of the sun and moon, the turning of the Earth, the cosmic liturgies of the seasons. Not all of us are ready to live off the grid, but we can begin to take steps now to move our consciousness and our lives more into balance with the needs of the earth. Scholars and members of yoga, religious and environmental communities must look at the needs of the biosphere and discuss ways the ethical teachings of yoga can guide us towards a beneficial relationship with the earth. Practitioners can learn how to build and manage a more ecologically friendly homes, clinics and yoga centres. In our clinics, our meditation and our fully embodied yoga practice, let us help each other to remake our lives, one cell of our body at a time. In yoga, the healing of the body and healing of the planet come together as we foster ecological consciousness, reverence and action as we practice lightly on the earth within the yoga community.

One of my favourite quotes from Mahatma Gandhi is, "As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world, as in being able to remake ourselves". For me this quote expresses the power of yoga to transform us. Through yoga and Ayurveda we can awaken reverence for all beings and the entire universe, ultimately growing into more wise and loving beings.

GREEN YOGA VALUES STATEMENT

Today the viability of the earth¹s life systems is in danger. If humanity is to survive and thrive, we must learn to live in balance with nature. Now is the time to cleanse and heal the earth and to establish a sustainable relationship with the environment for enerations to come.

Therefore, as practitioners of yoga and Ayurveda, we will:

Educate ourselves about the needs of the biosphere as a whole and our local ecosystems in particular.

Cultivate an appreciation for and conscious connection with the natural environments in which we live, including animals, plants,
soil, water and air.

Include care for the environment in our discussions of yogic ethical practices.

Commit ourselves to policies, practices and actions that minimise environmental harm and maximise environmental benefit.

Offer support and resources for the community to green their business.

And, if we are yoga teachers or centres, we will incorporate these commitments into our work with students. We will foster
ecological consciousness, reverence and action within the yoga community.

GREEN YOUR YOGA

Cultivating a closer relationship with the Earth allows us to deepen our understanding of yoga as union. Here are some simple green practices to transform your feeling of connection to the Earth.

1. Stand like a mountain

You can practice tadasana (mountain pose) all the time, whether you are sitting, standing or lying down, simply be being aware of your body and your connection to the earth. This will allow you to cultivate the same quality of awareness that you have in your yoga class during every activity. When you bring this awareness to everything you do, your whole life becomes your yoga practice.

2. Everything¹s cooking

The earth nourishes us by bringing forth food. Any time you prepare food, remember that fruits, vegetables and grains are the Earth¹s gifts to us. As you hold a fruit or vegetable in your hand, be aware of your body and the Earth¹s body, letting go of your thoughts, then perceive your food fully. Pay attention to its texture, weight, colour and aroma while you are washing, cutting and cooking it. Food will come alive to you when you give it your attention. The earth¹s bounty nourishes and sustains you.

3. Place yourself in the landscape

The body of the Earth is unfolding around you all the time, even when you are in your car. When you are driving, be aware of your posture and breath and take note of the changing landscape all around you. Notice when a hill curves down a valley; when you travel over a bridge, look at the water, the shore and the land rising around it. As you drive along a highway, watch the changing shape of the land - this is the Earth supporting you.

4. Connect to the Source

Walk barefoot on the Earth or lie on the ground. For just a few moments, let go of your plans for the future and thoughts of the past. Be aware of the physical sensations of your body contacting the ground. Then observe the plants and animals, the wind and the light. Maintain some awareness of your own body as you still your thoughts and attend to what you see. Be fully present to the sentient beings around you and you will experience your connectedness with everything.

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