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Sikhism and nature

“Air is the Guru, Water the Father, and the Earth is the Great Mother”

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p.146)

This quote gives us an initial glimpse at the importance of the elements and especially of the Earth as our common Mother. The Gurus have taught the importance of protecting the Earth and all Creation as manifestations of the Creator:

"The Creator created Himself…… And created all creation in which He is manifest. You Yourself the bumble-bee, flower, fruit and the tree. You Yourself the water, desert, ocean and the pond. You Yourself the big fish, tortoise and the Cause of causes. Your form can not be known."
Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1016

The divine Creator also provided each species with means of support and nurture. The Sikh scriptures explain that the purpose of human existence is to be in harmony with the Eternal, and by extension, all of Creation. Sikhism also teaches to be mindful and to not consume lavishly, as spirituality is also a liberation from material constraints and attractions.  

The Sikh Gurus serve as examples of living in harmony with the environment. For example, when Guru Har Rai (the 7th Guru) developed the town of Kiratpur Sahib, he laid out many gardens and parks and planted flowers and fruit trees that attract birds. Because of his sensitivity for nature and animals, the day of Guru Har Rai’s enthronement also marks Sikh Environment Day, celebrated each year on March 14.

Especially the first guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, emphasised that the world around us is always a reflection of our own inner state. The current instability of the Earth is therefore a reflection of the instability and pain within humans.
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© 2021 BEES FOR PEACE
Bees for Peace is a program of 
Pollinator Partnership Canada, a federally recognized charitable organization
(charitable registration no. 84169 5174 RR0001)
Validation of Pollinator Partnership Canada's charitable registration may be found here.

Bees for Peace acknowledges that it is operating primarily on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, in territory covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Why and How
    • Team
    • Achievements
  • Finding Value in the Web of Life
    • Bees in Religious and Cultural Traditions >
      • Buddhism and Bees
      • Christianity and Bees
      • The Gurung and Bees
      • Hinduism and Bees
      • Islam and Bees >
        • Unani medicine
      • Judaism and Bees
      • The Kawaiwete and Bees
      • The Mayas and Bees
      • The Ogiek and Bees
      • Bees in Indigenous Cultures
    • Web of Life >
      • Buddhism and Nature
      • Christianity and Nature
      • Hinduism and Nature
      • Islam and Nature
      • Judaism and Nature
      • Sikhism and Nature
      • The Golden Rule
    • Faith and Environmentalism >
      • Bees for Peace Israel
      • Islamic Help
  • Bee Protection Made Easy
    • Bees and Other Pollinators
    • Bee Hotels
    • Pollinator Gardens
    • COVID-19 and Community
  • Our Networks
  • Support us!
    • Contact and Privacy
    • Get Involved!