Spirituality and Sustainability

Anil K Rajvanshi

All the development models will become untenable if we do not put a cap on our greed for materials, resources and energy. Present economic models are based on increased consumption and encourage greed. Ever increasing choices available to an average person fuel the greed impulse since the fear of missing out is very high. Spirituality can help in keeping our greed for materials and resources in check and sustainable development can only take place when we use the resources for our needs and not for our greed as Mahatma Gandhi once said. Spirituality is the state of mind that makes it understand that the Truth is beyond the barriers of worldliness, caste, creed, race or geographical boundaries.

It is universal in nature and a great spiritual thought is a cause of celebration for the whole mankind. It connects us to Universal Consciousness and gives a certain perspective in life. As a person progresses on the path of spirituality his or her priorities in life change. The focus of life shifts more towards getting personal happiness through mental peace and is less on material needs and desires and more towards sustainability. Recent examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Einstein have shown that with very few needs and living very simple lives they were able to produce the highest quality of thought.

Spirituality also helps us have a compassionate view of nature and as we evolve spiritually we become more tuned to it which helps us in preserving it. Besides it helps us live in harmony with each other and enables everybody to work together for the common good. Also in all religions the respect for nature is preached and the maxim of simple living and high thinking is ingrained. Nevertheless the clock on technology cannot be turned back. It is an evolutionary process and as we advance technologically we also become more spiritual, since technology helps us in doing things more efficiently and thus our needs are satisfied with less quantity of materials and energy. This allows us to think and reflect on higher things in life.

Eventually we will follow nature where all the processes are carried out extremely efficiently with few materials, in minimum number of steps and at room temperatures. Thus a combination of high technology together with spiritual growth will be a new paradigm of sustainable development. Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) 2004