We are learning from global warming that we humans shape the weather. But we've known for a long time that the weather also shapes us--what we wear, how we live, and even what we believe.
In ancient times it was common for people to believe that weather was a function the gods. Floods, storms, volcanoes were all signs of distress in the heavens. Sacrifices and sacraments could appease the gods and change the course of the seasons, it was hoped.
Are we really so different? Maybe. Click Here to take the Inner Neanderthal survey on religion and spirituality.
But plenty of Christians believe that wild weather is the prelude to the Armageddon or the Rapture. And plenty of Indigenous Peoples still engage in seasonal rituals to entice the rains to fall, the sun to shine, and the crops to grow. Personally, I'll confess to plenty of superstitions...ideas and icons that I've collected from around the globe.
With global warming already melting ice and permafrost and changing lifestyles around the world, it's time for us to consider what climate change means for our humanity. What does global warming mean for our spirit? For our spiritual practices?
As the weather gets more and more confusing, wild and dangerous, will we become more superstitious, more fervent in our worship or our rituals, more suspicious of strangers who believe differently from us? Or will we become more rational, purposeful and scientific?
As water becomes more scarce and flood and drought threaten the food supply, how will we respond?
As this video reminds us, the weather isn't just the weather. The climate isn't separate from us. We are wrapped up together with our environs, not unlike the ancients who prayed to sun gods, sacrificed to the volcanoes, and carried talismen to honor the wind, water and lightning.
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2 comments:
Things that make me go hmmmm -
Think it's interesting the increased environemental awareness is a two-sided coin: Increased interest and participation in ecological preservation....based upon trendy voices in environmentalism (Whether it's Gore, Depp or whoever). The Oprah effect I think sums it up. It's cool it's cool to be green but the very nature of it's potential short term nature scares me a bit.
So the flip side is who cares if it is trendy as long as something happens! Kind of mirrors our political conundrums (Sp?)that we want change - just not sure what that is or how it is supposed to occur or look like down the road.
A wise elder told me about Einstein's decision to have faith or not - bottom line was 'Why not have faith? What have you got to lose?' So does it matter the reason or impeteus as long as it happens?
Hmmmmmm
For some reason I was not able to take the "religion and spirituality" quiz. I'm very interested in this topic. I think the thing that transcends many religious traditions is the capacity for centering meditation. Tha would be the skill that I would want to take with me. I'm a pretty secular and somewhat agnostic person, but I do believe that if everyone stopped to meditate daily, we would reduce our carbon print (for a number of reasons).
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