Article: “How to Protect Our Inner Amazon

The Amazon, often referred to as the ‘lungs of the earth,’ has experienced its worst fires in nearly two decades this year. More than 53,000 fires have ravaged hectares of precious rainforest, despite a slight decrease in deforestation compared to last year [oai_citation:1,News headlines in 2024 — Global Issues](https://www.globalissues.org/news/2024). It’s a tragic example of how nature cries out for attention and how our collective tendency toward destruction is becoming increasingly apparent.

From the perspective of *A Course in Miracles* (ACIM), we could view this external tragedy as a reflection of our inner state. Just as we see the physical trees in the Amazon burn, we often burn internally in our own thoughts of fear, guilt, and judgment. We see the world as a dangerous place that constantly threatens us, while the real ‘fires’ are raging in our minds.

Imagine the Amazon as a symbol of our inner peace, our natural state of love and connection with the Source. Every time we choose fear over love, we are, in fact, throwing a match into our own inner rainforest. What follows is a raging fire of guilt, judgment, and separation that clouds our vision of the loving reality.

Let’s take a lighter approach. If we were to call in the ‘fire brigade’ of the Holy Spirit, what would that look like? Picture the Holy Spirit arriving in a bright yellow fire truck, equipped with a powerful hose of unconditional love. He pulls up next to you, rolls down the window, and says, “Come on, let me help you extinguish these flames of fear!” You look at your thoughts, which are flaring up wildly, and you decide to hop in the truck.

Together, you direct the hose of forgiveness at every thought of separation you have. That thought about how someone hurt you? Puff, gone! That idea that you’re not good enough? Sssss, extinguished! Every time you choose forgiveness and love, you see your inner rainforest start to regenerate. Trees of peace, flowers of joy, and a gentle stream of calmness begin to appear in your mind.

But what about the real Amazon, you ask? Of course, it’s crucial that we take action to protect and restore our physical environment, and that starts with conscious choices in our own lifestyle. However, we must not forget that the external world is merely a projection of our inner state. The more we focus on inner healing and forgiveness, the more we can transform the collective thought patterns of destruction.

So, the Amazon’s call is twofold: let’s protect her, yes, but let’s also tend to our inner wilderness. Every time we choose peace and love over fear and judgment, we extinguish a bit of the inner fire and contribute to the healing of the whole.

The next time you feel overwhelmed by the news about the Amazon, take a moment to breathe deeply. Imagine your inner fire truck is ready, turn on the hose of love, and start extinguishing. Because who knows, maybe by doing so, we’ll save not only our own mind but also the world around us.