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Sustainable Living
by Dao'ud Paprocki

Winter 2002
 
The Sustainable Living Committee has a mandate with a seemingly infinite agenda the responsibility to educate and support our Community to live more sustainably. Instinctively, we know that the destruction of our environment is detrimental to our well-being. We understand the consequences of this in physical, and even emotional terms, yet few of us have deeply understood how living sustainably, in balance with nature and with each other, is connected to our spiritual path.

Particularly after a Sohbet that Murshid gave in late September, we were reminded, and perhaps came to better understand, that a healthy environment is essential for our spiritual realization. There is, in fact, a direct link between living in balance with the environment and our ability to return to Allah. Never before have I understood so clearly what it means to live ad-Din al-Fitr (the way of nature). Every species lives in balance with the environment and so, too, have humans until recently. With our greater intellectual capacity and free will, we can and have chosen to operate against the course of nature and are now doing so with far-reaching con-sequences.

Murshid explained that material greed (often driven by our personal imbalances) has led us to commoditizing the environment for our own use. We've skewed our economy by not assigning appropriate value to our natural resources, resulting in exploiting them beyond their regenerative capacity. It is estimated that we are currently causing the extinction of some 25,000 plant and animal species every year. Scientists estimate that this kind of massive dying-off happens only once every sixty-five million years. It is happening now and we're causing it. Without a healthy planet, as Murshid pointed out, we don't have the environment necessary for experiencing human life. Having this human experience with all its expressions and lessons is absolutely essential for our evolution and return to Allah. Thus, a healthy environment is necessary for spiritual growth.

Murshid continued by telling us, "Once you understand that we have to live in alignment with the environment, the question is how to organize ourselves. One has to participate in their environment as an organizer and that is politics. The real meaning of politics is how we organize ourselves . . . So now my teaching is this: In order to be a fully illumined person you have to complete yourself politic-ally. You can't avoid it."

The truth of Murshid's message shot through us like a revolutionary call to action. Here is the clearest of reasons to change a system that is so inimical to our well-being. A review of global human conditions shows the disregard for life that our current political and economic systems pro-mote. We must take personal responsibility to organize ourselves in harmony with the ways of nature.

With Murshid's guidance, we have begun our organizing process. We are looking at better ways to live and making more informed choices about every cent we spend and every material we use. We are making our best efforts to be present to the consequences of our actions in the political, social and economic spheres. This is especially incumbent upon us as Westerners who, though only twenty percent of the world's population, consume eighty percent of its resources and pollute commensurately. Therefore, as Murshid points out, the personal is political.

It is the intention of the Sustainable Living Committee to assist our Community as we increase our understanding and implement practical ideas to become truly sustainable. It's a task certainly worth all the effort we can give it.

Summer 2004
 
Of the "Three Oaths of Initiation" that we take with our spiritual Teacher, the second is "Service and Blessedness." We promise the conscious safeguarding of harm against all sentient beings and the offering of our thoughts, words and actions for the welfare of all and the glorification of God, Allah.

Within this promise is the vow to protect our environment. But how one truly lives into this promise is the question. To gain some insight, the Sustainable Living Committee revisited the theme of our Annual Planning Session, "Enlightened Leadership on the Path." Murshid has been telling us since day one to find the natural leadership that resides within ourselves. At first this sounded daunting, but slowly we are witnessing our development as leaders. This planet needs as many conscious people as possible to provide leadership to inspire others to know the truth regarding our interconnectedness and the intrinsic value of all life.

We must make the effort to maintain this "leadership consciousness" until it becomes an integral part of our lives. Performing our spiritual practices is key to becoming healthier human beings and natural leaders. How did St. Francis, Mother Theresa and the Prophet Muhammad (saws) become such great human beings? It was by focusing their intentions and performing their practices. Following in their footsteps, we make our oath of service and blessedness, and we renew our intention to practice each day.

Recently our Community has seen that despite our personal shortfalls, we find ourselves in a position of leadership on environmental matters in the greater community of Southern Illinois. During the "Earth Day" celebration in April, our Community received repeated attention from the local media who featured Earth Week related stories. The news reporters said, in effect, "Whenever we asked for leads on matters relevant to Earth Day, they kept leading us to your Community." At first we were surprised, but soon realized that we have supported many public projects with "earth-friendly" values that have included: publishing and distributing The Purchasing Guide for Sustainable Living, which is featured for sale at eight local businesses; initiating two Carbondale business coalitions to increase awareness of sustainability issues to help build the local economy; providing classes on organic farming and permaculture for students at Southern Illinois University as well as others by inviting them to Dayempur and organizing an Earth Day event for the greater Carbondale community. In addition, Dayempur Farm is quickly becoming a regional model for organic/permaculture farming, renewable energy use and appropriate building technology.

In the few projects described above, we find that we are diligently attempting to practice the 11 Principles of Progressive Development (please see the following page). Our activities promote personal and social responsibility, better utilization of resources, protect the environment, provide healthier economic models and offer education to the public. By God's Grace, our commitment to the vow of Service and Blessedness is touching the hearts of both those known and unknown.

We are aware that we must begin at home as well as in our Community, and we have only just begun. We must challenge ourselves by asking, "Are we willing to make basic lifestyle changes in even simple things, such as the cleaning supplies we use or the foods we eat?" How far beyond our comfort zones are we willing to stretch? Murshid said at the Annual Planning Session, "Service begins when we regard existence as something that should be selflessly served for our intended purpose, that is the realization of Allah. Our level of care in our relationships to each other and the planet would change if we were in the direct and knowing awareness that each action is our relationship with Allah."

The understanding of how our every act is connected to a larger consequence is required to help us make changes in our daily lives. This realization develops over time especially through the persistent leadership of our Teacher and other great leaders who have exemplified enlightened behavior. Our small Community has come a long way, and yet, we need to continue leading by example so that we may follow true to our oath.