Sore Throat – Sore World!

There are several causes for the Global warming and climate change that we see happening in the world around us now. There are the obvious external reasons such as as greenhouse gas emissions, but there are more interior causes, which also need to be acknowledged.

One of these can be seen by drawing an interesting analogy from the ecology of the human throat. In a healthy state, the throat is populated by a mixture of bacteria, fungi and viruses which live in a state of balance and ensure the smooth and healthy functioning of this major organ of the human body. One of the more important of these is the streptococcus bacteria. But when the colonies of this bacteria multiply uncontrollably, we develop some sort of infection like a sore throat or tonsillitis. The toxins released in this condition lead the body to generate a higher temperature than usual which reduces the streptococci to the correct level, and this leads to the recovery of health. 

Now let us imagine that humanity is occupying an analogous global position as the planetary streptococcal colony. Here we are, multiplying out of control, and our toxic emissions of greenhouse gases and the general pollution of the global biosphere are helping the earth to warm up, for it is this rising temperature which will inevitably – and tragically – reduce human numbers to a size that is in harmony with the earth’s needs. That is, if we don’t do it first by some catastrophic 3rd world war on the physical plane.

Does it have to be like this? Most emphatically not, if – and this is a very big IF – humanity as a whole collectively takes remedial action. Much is already beginning to happen with, for example, the major switch over to electric cars now taking place and parallel moves towards decarbonising electricity generation, and also to a more biologically benign system of agriculture. These two sectors of the world economy, transport and industrial food production, together directly generate about 34% of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions, and indirectly a lot more.

But behind this need for radical change in our physical use of the planet and in our demands on its resources lies another need – a much more spiritual, and therefore primary one. And this is the need to foster within humanity as a whole a deep spirit of cooperative responsibility. Many millions of people around the world are already replacing selfishness with the values of the soul – generosity, kindness, love. But nations and governments are lagging far behind. We need to transmute national selfishness into world service. We need to transform national borders – those great symbols of fear and the sense of separateness – and replace them with bridges of understanding and hope. Then the ground is ready for us all to work together with a common vision and bring renewed life and healing to the planetary biosphere of which we, as physical beings, are in integral part.

Worldwide a great many people and groups recognise the seriousness and urgency of the present situation. A significant number of politicians and government officials also realise its gravity, but most of them appear to be content with kicking the issue into the long grass because economic, employment and electoral interests take a priority over this problem.

But we need to remember that we are not just a pesky bacterial colony. Humanity is also the planetary energy centre of creativity. We are collectively the interlinking cells that make up the planetary brain which in reality anchors the consciousness of our planetary life onto the physical plane and throughout the plant, animal, and mineral kingdoms in nature.  Collectively we can choose to respond to the promptings of the planetary Soul, the ideas and ideals for which It, like each of us on our infinitely small scale, came into incarnation. 

Climate changes, however we may understand these, hold before the eyes of the world the  need for major changes and they are producing multiple visions of a possible way out of our current cul de sac of difficulties. In this sense the warming climate can also be seen as an image of higher fires of creativity fuelling multiple approaches to sustainable and regenerative ways of living on the earth. 

Systemic goodwill, demanding the “best for everyone” is arising in humanity, producing the understanding that happiness comes from good human relationships, not from the idolatry and possession of things. In so many different spheres (UN agencies, civil society, business, national and local governments), a vision is emerging of  viable political and economic systems based on ‘living simply that others may simply live’, yet at the same time giving full rein to the spirit of enquiry and creativity.      §

World Goodwill Newsletter 2022 #2
Towards Climate Balance