our burning planet

I feel I would be remiss as someone who promotes the 3 loves: love of self, love of angels, and love of animals, if I didn't write down my feelings about the forest fires that have been consuming vast areas of our planet in recent weeks.

As I write this we are facing the most destructive forest fires ever as they consume vast areas in 4 corners of our planet: California, Alaska, Canary Islands and, most notably, the Amazon where the smoke has traveled 1500miles to Sao Paulo, smoke that is covering a landmass so huge it can be seen from space.

Forest fires naturally occur every year and are Nature's way of transmuting the old, dead, decaying matter into valuable nutrients which kick off the whole life cycle again. But the size of the current forest fires seems to be moving beyond this natural scope as they consume acres upon acres of land, burning out of control, creating states of emergency, causing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

July was recorded as the hottest month ever by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving wood dangerously dry and turning forests into tinderboxes, just ready to catch even the smallest of sparks. Throw huge amounts of deforestation in South America, specifically the Amazon region, into the mix, where huge areas of the Amazon are being purposely set on fire to quicken deforestation, and it feels like our beautiful planet that provides for us in so many ways every single day is teetering on the brink of disaster. Because the more fires our planet endures, the more carbon is released into the environment, further intensifying climate change. And the more trees that are destroyed in the quest to create land for livestock and crops, the less oxygen, oxygen that we depend on for our survival, is breathed into the atmosphere.

It feels like such a vicious, unpenetrable cycle.

So I can understand the finger-pointing that is currently happening towards Brazil and its leaders, I can understand the anger that people feel towards those they are blaming for this environmental and un-natural catastrophe. But, in my heart and in my soul, I do not feel that anger and blame are the solution. Because like every emotion, anger has a vibration. And like every vibration, like attracts like. So when we show and act in anger and with anger, we send out a ripple affect that penetrates others who, in turn, behave and act in the same way. And as we direct our anger towards those we feel are to blame, we are faced with their mirrored emotion of anger coupled with resentment, non-responsibility, and an unwillingness to change or listen.

So where is all this anger getting us? Yes, it's highlighting that there's a problem. But it's only going to exacerbate that problem even more. Because anger alienates the very people we wish to sit with, to talk with, to understand, and to help.

I feel we need to turn our anger into an emotion that attracts a much higher vibration. An emotion that has a positive ripple effect as it travels from one person to the next, and onwards. And I believe that emotion is love.

When I say we should express love instead of anger, I'm not in any way condoning what is happening. But, as I have already said, anger isn't getting us anywhere, it's only making matters worse. So when I say that we should change our emotion to one of love, I'm suggesting we send love to the people who are causing this destruction, we send love to the planet that is being destroyed, we send love to the animals that are suffering, and love to the people who are losing their homes. Because it's only through love that we can heal.

When we are consumed by love, when our hearts and souls are filled with love, there are no gaps where destruction, damage, hurt, anger can wriggle their way in. When we are filled with love we no longer act out of fear, focus on lack, and we no longer hurt those around us be they fellow-humans, animals or the environment.

In the past week, conscious and enviromentally-caring politicians have stepped up to help quash the fires in the Amazon. They have water-bombed the blazing areas, they've donated millions in money to help stop the fires. And as honourable as that may be, I do not feel that is the answer. I feel that it is a short-term solution to an ongoing and growing problem.

Throwing money or resources at a man-made problem doesn't stop the problem, it doesn't bring an end to it. If anything there's the possibility that it may exacerbate the problem as it gives the message that as new fires start, other nations will provide the money and resources to help put those fires out. It's a very reactive way to curing a dis-ease. What we need is a pro-active approach, one that looks to the future and isn't, literally, fire-fighting today.

The only way I see that this devastation can ever come to an end once and for all is through healing; healing the hearts and minds of those who are causing this destruction.

And when we bring healing into the equation, we bring also love.

So, again, we are back to the belief that love is the answer.

I believe that everything happens for a reason, there are no coincidences in life. As devastating as the Amazon fires are, I feel they're an essential lesson, and test, for humankind. This is our chance, our opportunity to heal the minds and hearts of all mankind through love. When we open ourselves to receiving, giving and being love, then we have no desire, we see no benefit in walking a path that hurts, damages, or burns those we share this earth with or, indeed, the planet itself.

But how can you and I create this change? We're only individuals with very little, if any, leverage. Surely those in power, those who have much greater leverage and powers of persuasion than we could ever wish or dream of, surely they are the ones that should effect change?

I disagree. As a collective of souls we are truly powerful. As a collective of souls we can create more change than any one person (or people) 'in power'. When we consciously bring our energies together we can achieve anything. And I feel that that's exactly what we're being encouraged to do. I feel that it's the collective souls that can turn this and many more devastating situations around, through our collective energy.

in the past week I have seen and joined other healers all over the world in sending love and healing to the Amazon and its people. And I invite you to do the same, because each and every one of us has the capacity to heal. For only a few minutes each and every day I encourage you to send your focus and energy to the Amazon and the people who are creating these un-natural fires and I encourage you to send them the vibration of healing and love. I invite you to create a ripple effect that, as it travels through each and every one of us, will grow in strength and intensity.

As a collective we can bring great healing.

Viv xx