Chapter XXII of Rio Plus 20 Document by Cho Tab Khen Zambuling (Alfredo Sfeir-Younis)
XXII. Inner Like Outer-Outer Like Inner
We live in a world without boundaries. We live in a world of total interdependence.
These are two spiritual laws that are to be completely mainstreamed in all we do for peace, security, empowerment, freedom, love, compassion, and solidarity. In the realm of intelligence and subtle human existence these laws are of fundamental importance. This is why some sages have stated that “the outer is like the inner and the inner is like the outer”. This is not just something mysterious or esoteric. It is of transcendental importance in addressing every aspect of our material and spiritual transformation. In addition, this spiritual law has important and intricate implications as regards how we make decisions and choose instruments to create a better future for humanity.
First, if the outer is like the inner, it is evident that what happens in the outer will greatly affect our spiritual transformation. This is to say that a destruction of the external environment will be the basis for the destruction of our inner environment. That external environment is like our container and if the container is rotting, so it will happen to the content –i.e., all living beings. One policy implication is the mandatory nature of addressing, for example, air and water pollution. This is to be done not just as a material phenomenon that embodies a material outcome, but also as a major source of cleaning our inner water and inner air. The contaminated air and water will contaminate the internal ones. Similarly, the existence of external global warming is creating inner warming too. Our CO2 levels are also rising and all the conditions of global warming are penetrating our minds and bodies the same way. Thus, it is very plausible that global warming may be a major cause of nervous system breakdown, depression, and all of that, which relates to inner warming (stomach diseases and some type of cancers). Therefore, all the efforts to combat global warming will have major beneficial effects on people’s lives including health and inner welfare.
Second, if the inner is like the outer, this means that whom we are inside is also having great implications for the quality and extent of our outer environment, where most human interaction takes place. In particular, behaviour that is egotistic and full with anger will influence the external natural environment in a different form than a behaviour that is full of love and compassion. The above also means that my inner pollution, which may come from negativity, bad thoughts, and the like, will change the quality of outer pollution. Our inner tsunamis will manifest somewhere in the outer environment.
Third, it has implications by the way in which we choose instruments to correct distortions or support shifts in one direction or the other. This is to say, it is possible to correct what is happening outside –like global warming– with personal or collective inner work and inner transformation. As it is presented elsewhere –when we speak about self-healing or making peace with the environment—it is possible that by cleaning our five elements of life we would be able to clean the same elements that are outside. Furthermore, changing our thoughts into positive thoughts, we will have positive results on the outside. One specific example is that of material success. It is often said that optimistic people have more success materially than pessimistic people.
To conclude, the most important message to be conveyed here is that inner development and transformation may be extremely effective in combating global warming. This inner work should not be discounted.
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