UN-led talks on climate change are looking at giving billions of
dollars to poor countries. But an Indian spiritual leader is
telling delegates that they instead should subsidize love.
Shri Shri 1008 Soham, who helps guide the massive Kumbh Mela
pilgrimage on the Ganges River, journeyed from his Himalayan cave
retreat to the Mexican beach resort of Cancun to spread his
message.
Wearing a flowing yellow robe and attached turban -- his UN
accreditation badge hanging around his neck -- the guru known as
Babaji questioned if the conference was looking at the big
picture.
"We talk about climate change. But what about the climate inside
us?" he asked.
"We are all the time talking about subsidizing the fund to the
developing countries. It is fantastic. I feel very fortunate.
"But what about subsidizing the essence of human love?
Compassion, accepting and respecting each other to share the
collective responsibilities of our planet," he said.
Babaji voiced regret that "very little have I seen spiritual
masters" at the two-week conference, saying they could encourage
respect for "Mother Earth."
"When a mother is taking care of a child, she does not count her
time, her frustration, her good mood, bad mood. She is just happy
that she is a mother, taking care," he said.
Babaji also asked the talks to look at history, saying that
Genghis Khan went on his conquering spree in part to find land for
Mongolia's cattle.
"You can imagine what would happen if there is no drinking
water," he said.
Babaji gave an example of his love-for-Mother-Earth initiative,
hailing as a "great success" his efforts to clean up plastic from
the latest Kumbh Mela earlier this year.
The Kumbh Mela, considered the world's largest festival, drew
some 80 million people who bathed at the site where the Ganges and
Yamuna holy rivers meet in northern India for more than 104
days.
Babaji invited the journalists in Cancun to take part in the
next Kumbh Mela in 2013.