Thank you for finding us. I’d like to tell you a bit about the inspiration behind the Sacred Living campaign.
For a while now I’ve been concerned about environmental health. I want to be more aware of what I use, re-use, recycle, reduce — and waste. I recently read “Little Heathens,” Mildred Kalish’s memoir of her Depression-era childhood spent on an Iowa farm. It struck me that there was a way of life – not in the distant past – that valued precious natural resources and was conservative in the non-political sense of the word.
Remember the saying “Waste not, want not”? This old-fashioned phrase dates back to 1772, but it feels especially significant today.
My mother grew up on a farm in Alabama where they drew water from a well and grew their own food. And my husband lived without running water until the age of nine. They conserved water because it was precious. Today, my state of California is in a drought. We’re also in an economic recession, and my family’s budget and financial decisions are clearly tied to our consumption and use of resources.
I’ve also asked myself to more deeply consider - in a spiritual sense - the way I live my daily life. Do I drive every day because I am always in a hurry? Do I buy things because it makes me feel better when I am down? When running the shower, how aware am I that we Americans are immensely fortunate to have access to pure, clean water – yet we squander it just by flushing the toilet?
I felt compelled to do something for the planet, my pocketbook and my spirit – something personal, concrete, and lasting. But where to begin? The sheer volume of data and advice on “living green” can be a real obstacle to just getting started. So I decided to change one daily habit at a time – one that did not require spending money.
I committed to take a navy shower for 6 months. Viewing it as a spiritual practice helps me keep my pledge and makes it meaningful. My idea is that once I change one habit and really integrate it into my daily life, I can tackle another.
The truth is that now I do more than one “green” thing at a time, because my awareness has grown since I began this journey. But it all started with just one habit…
Sincerely,
Hilary
