“Nature is God. It’s not to control, it’s to love! We are Nature. We’re here to love, not control.” Rajendra Singh, the Waterman of India, eloquently said. He pioneered the greening of thousands of square kilometers of Rajasthani desert in India. Bringing back rain, Nature and Life to previously dying villages. By merely working with Nature; observing, learning, following and encouraging, Nature flourished and gave back an abundance of life.
14 of us went to Sinai in Egypt to see if we can replicate his magic to revive the Rivers of Sinai. There was a time, long ago, when water was plentiful and people didn’t have to dig too deep to reach potable water in the Sinai desert.
Instead of focusing on environmental disasters, global warming, the pace of depleting our natural resources, we chose to envision plenty of water, food, Nature and Life for all beings. On our weeklong journey through the mountains and valleys of Sinai, we saw the possibility and our dream became more and more palpable.
We met with local and international experts, including zoom meetings with Rajendra Singh himself and his team as well as Bedouin elders who know the desert like the back of their hands.
We learnt about the cycles of water and how when we work with Nature, Nature gives back in abundance. Once we clued in to how Nature works, the solutions became so simple and obvious it’s almost laughable. We learnt how droughts and floods are linked like 2 sides of the same coin. Both caused by our human destruction of Nature.
Rain in Sinai comes in intense fits in the winter months. Most of it rushes fast to the sea, typically destroying structures, and offering little benefits to the local communities. If we slow down the flow of rain water enough to seep into the ground, it can replenish the wells and supply water year-round. By building small dams on the water paths, just enough to slow down the flow, the Earth will take the water in and create Life.
The key is decentralization, as Rajendra Singh emphasized. When we involve the people whose lives are at stake, they’re more likely to take ownership and responsibility for their destiny and wellbeing. Guaranteeing the continued maintenance and care for the water and the structures.
As if by divine guidance, on the last day of our gathering, the rain came down blessing us and the desert with its bounty. It was a good omen!
Water brings more water. Life begets Life begets Life, just like death begets death begets death. People predict that world war III will be over water and it’s easy to see that. Privatizing water resources is a huge step in that very dangerous direction. It puts material profits above Life and the wellbeing of living creatures. It also encourages waste. We need to consciously choose differently to break the cycles of death and destruction and turn them into cycles of Life, prosperity and peace!
When we work with mother Nature, she does, indeed, give back in abundance!
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Unconditional Love 