Harmonizing with the Living Earth
There is one Holy Book, the sacred manuscript of nature, the only scripture that can enlighten the reader. – Hazrat Inayat Khan
What is Ziraat?
Ziraat is a path of cultivating our sacred relationship with all of life. The first step on this path is purifying the mind of adverse patterning ingrained by our culture, which often views human beings as the pinnacle of creation with the authority to plunder nature. Every day we see how this has brought our beloved planet to a point of crisis. Hazrat Inayat Khan chose to use agricultural symbolism to help guide those on the Ziraat path in this purification and to open us to new horizons.
In Ziraat we pledge to do inner spiritual work to prepare ourselves to receive seeds of inspiration so that we may know how to help bring balance and healing to ourselves, humanity, and our planet. Our outer work in the world in turn informs our inner spiritual development, so there is both an inner and outer dimension to Ziraat.
Ziraat asks us to hold the Earth in our hearts, and to care for her with love and compassion. There are many ways to express this in our lives. Some will glorify and offer gratitude for Nature’s wonders. Others will commit to addressing climate change. Some will dedicate themselves to protecting the animals, plants, minerals, and the people of the Earth. Others will nurture in their children a reverence for Nature. Some will choose to engage in regenerative agriculture, recognizing the sacredness of this work. Hopefully we will all learn to relate to all beings within the web of life, including our fellow human beings, in a manner that respects our shared kinship. We each can offer what is ours uniquely to give. No one is excluded from this journey. We all depend on Mother Earth for our sustenance and we all have the responsibility to live in a way that honors and supports her and all beings.
Though Ziraat is a deeply personal practice, we find support and inspiration from sharing with others. It is only in working together that we will effectively address the challenges of the day.