COP17, UN’s Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa – 30th Nov.

Media morning at C7, NGO Forum at University of KwaZulu-Natal

On this beautiful summer morningSister Jayanti and Golo Pilz were interviewed by both Live TV and radio on the veranda of the university overlooking the green hillsides of Durban.

The TV Station SABC 3 LIVE has a special COP17 feature and they were very interested in what was happening at the Peoples Forum. The first slot was given to Sister Jayanti, asking how the power of thought can really help the climate change crisis. The next slot was given to Golo Pilz, and the interest was around

Directly thereafter there were interviews with RadioLotus FM Newsbreak with Sister Jayanti and Golo Pilz. Both topics of Consciousness & Climate Change and Solar Energy created a lot of interest. Radio Lotus had previously interviewed Dr. RakhsaBalbahadhur from the Durban BK centre, asking the same question: What is the link between spirituality and the environment.

Consciousness and Climate Change - Confluence of Two Living Systems

It was a beautiful gathering of multi colours and cultures who listened with great attention to Sister Jayanti. ‘Human beings have had a tremendous impact on the environment and therefore on climate.’ Sister Jayanti highlighted some of the dramatic changes happening in nature around our planet and the devastating impact that it has and will continue to have on human beings. Quoting DrRajendraPachauri she said “if temperatures increase by 2 degreescelcius, we have no idea of its impact on our oceans; including ocean life and the earth beneath it. It is too late to reverse some of the factors, butmaximum time we have to try to reverse things is until 2015.”

Sister Jayanti described nature as a living eco system that we have been exploiting and oppressing and what we are seeing is nature’s reaction to that. Everything starts in the human mind and because we have got caught up in physical consciousness, matter, we have become absorbed in materialism and consumerism. We have forgotten our own energy; the power of the mind, and if we change to spirit consciousness, by creating thoughts of peace, love and compassion, we re-connect to our own inner truth. Without this, there is an emptiness of spirit that can’t be filled and we are consumed by our needs and wants. In the words of Mahatma Ghandi ‘there’s enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for one person’s greed’.

Sister Jayanti expanded further by saying ‘When I know who I am deeply, at an inner level, there is self-respect and when there is self-respect, there is no discriminatory behaviour. I will respect myself, others, all forms of life and the living system of the earth. We have had more value for a barrel of oil than for a human life.’

Sister Jayanti also highlighted the difficult position of governments. If they impose their decisions on climate change, and if people reject them, they can lose their positions of power. With all our information and communication systems, it’s ‘people power’ that can bring about the change and it’s the awareness of spirit that empowers us as individuals to make those changes. Our inner core values of peace, love, truth, joy and purity awaken and this in turn builds our capacity to simplify our needs, reduce our dependencies and draw from our inner resources at the time of need.

After the talk Sister Jayanti was interviewed by the national newspaper “NewAge” who is featuring Environment & Sustainability in connection with all the thousands visitors to Durban this month.

Living in Harmony exhibition at Climate Change Expo

The BK's have an exhibition at the Climate Change Response Arena, which hosts major exhibitors from different countries. At this expo, together with three beautiful panels reflecting our key message - Climate& Consciousness, Solar Energy and Yogic Agriculture, the stand offers some interactive activities which are very popular. We have a large wire tree and people are invited to write a message for the earth on a green leaf and hang it on the branches. This exhibition is open to the public and so many school children were very intrigued and enthusiastically shared messages of hope. We also have an online survey where people can calculate how green their day was. In addition, beautiful meditations by Carmen Warrington, a short movie to share the essence of our message visually and cards with special green slogans. All this offers the public a lovely opportunity to engage in conversation with BKs and is proving to be very popular.