Human Ecology

WED., NOV. 9, 1988, 6:16 AM
FARM, STUDY

The reading for your sabbatical project is close to completion. You have saturated yourself in the writings of this author, and with the next arduous process you shall be quite aware of how he feels about humans and the earth. This Teaching is not offered to confuse you and the total issue, but just on the general premise that knowing My view of any matter is desirable.

In the past you have been critical of the term “human ecology,” but it is rather clear that this is appropriate to Dubos’ writing. Pure ecology would be the study of and the science of relationship among all forms of life in a particular physical environment, without valuing any life form above any others. Hence humans would be seen as a life form, but no more to be favored than mice, horses, or viruses. Dubos’ is not a purist, and neither am I, in this matter. The earth is, say I, a plane of being for human spiritual growth.

This means that I am more concerned about human behavior and motivations than about other forms of life. And yet this is a physical plane of being, evolved into great complexity through My creative processes, with humans dependent on other life forms in many ways. Therefore the major human role in relation to this complex earth scene is that of steward… the intelligent, caring keeper of the balance. One of your spiritual tasks, then, is to sacrifice in some ways for the benefit of the earth and for the continuation of healthy relationships.

One of the major reasons for science, in My view, is to better understand these complex relationships among life forms and the apparently non-living earth so that better decisions can be made about what humans can and cannot… should and should not… do. I am not opposed to science, but I do decry the premise that humans should do whatever science and technology make possible. Just as some possible personal behaviors should be restrained, so should some technological ones.

The positive message I offer is much like that which you are reading. Humans can improve upon nature. Nature doesn’t always know best. You can see what happened to a portion of your original garden when you let nature have its way. The vicious and non-productive blackberry canes are now entrenched, and you retreat. Do not let them encroach any further. You are not to be a slave to the “whims of nature”. Yet it does require exertion to maintain this garden area.

If you were making your living from this piece of earth you would have motivations to take actions that would make for maximum production. You would find that there would be temptations to do things “the easy way,” with technology and chemicals. The best way would be the judicious use of these modern means, along with plenty of hard labor and natural processes… and the wisdom to balance these properly.

A strong spirit in a human will have a goodly “portion” of sacrifice. This involves looking for the best for others and for this physical planet and then working for this best, even as it requires much of you. If there are to be as many humans inhabiting the earth as I count now, then you must live more simply and with less conflict. Affluence is to be used for the benefit of others and not for myriad expensive pleasures. Yet I realize that this is often difficult to work out in actual living.