And so it happened again. Another earthquake in the same beautiful ancient region shaken last month. Another reminder of the inherent power in the Earth. Forces working together for countless epochs to bend, shape, twist, crack, push, lift and crumble. Forces we try to measure with little numbers — number of miles away from here, 7.3 on Richter Scale, property damage costs, casualty tallies, lives displaced, hearts broken.
Of course, attempts to quantify only further exemplify our innate human tendency toward definitive explanation. We crave understanding and demand answers. We need to predict and prevent, to gather facts and collect data, to blame or blaspheme. It is our nature to question Nature. Yet, Nepalese culture and tradition inherently honors those forces more than most. The people of Nepal practice Hinduism and Buddhism and respect ayurvedics, revering the human connection to and relationship with Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Landlocked between the majestic Himalayans on one side and subtropical lowlands on the other, the country rests right on the edge of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, reverberating with extremes… perhaps a sacred peace emanates from that energy source, waving along with the characteristic colorful prayer flags that brighten the horizon. Perhaps we have much to learn from that energy… Teach us, Nepal.
Bless Nepal. Bless the Earth. Bless the forces of nature that link us together, even when things fall apart.
Śānti.