Mother’s Day, observed on the second Sunday of May since 1908, is widely celebrated as a tribute to mothers’ love, sacrifice, and unwavering support. Yet, in its purest form, it is more than a celebration, more than a token phrase or a date on the calendar; it is an invocation—calling upon us to honour the nurturing spirit that sustains all life: Mother Earth, our mothers, and ourselves.

Although this momentous occasion has, over time, grown in scale, style, pomp, and grandeur, its true essence lies much deeper. It is a sacred moment—a time for soulful reflection and a heartfelt reimagining of our bond with the living world.

And in this spirit, the Chicago-headquartered Parliament of the World’s Religions (PoWR) hosted an enriching interfaith and intergenerational dialogue titled “Sacred Circle Conversation: Honoring Mother Earth, Our Mothers, Ourselves, and One Another” to mark Mother’s Day on May 11 this year. Anchored in a deep reverence for Mother Earth, the conversation envisioned a transformative path for humanity—shifting from a culture of conflict to one of peace, from seeing life as a mere resource to embracing it as a shared community, and from patterns of exploitation to principles of regeneration. At its heart, the dialogue reaffirmed a collective commitment to well-being and the sacred interdependence that binds all forms of life.

On behalf of PoWR, which strives to build a just, peaceful, and sustainable world, Rev. Charline Manuel, Chair of PoWR’s Board of Trustees, moderated the session that brought together voices from across the globe, united by a shared resolve to restore reverence for the Earth and for the women who sustain life in all its forms.

I had the privilege of attending virtually, at PoWR’s invitation, where participants listened to a chorus of insightful voices led by three esteemed speakers—widely respected for their unwavering commitment to Mother Earth. Their reflections, rooted in civic engagement and shaped by genuine, impactful work, resonated with deep moral urgency and spiritual clarity—inviting us all to embrace our shared responsibility.

A Critical Dialogue in Troubled Times

At the heart of these discourses lie more than a grim reality check—it is a soulful appeal to awaken, or reawaken, our collective conscience and compassion. It stands as a powerful reminder that healing Mother Earth begins with healing our relationship with her—and with one another.

In a world plagued by deepening social, spiritual, and ecological crises—and amid an escalating environmental breakdown marked by climate collapse, deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and the reckless overconsumption of finite resources—the Earth still holds a profound, forgiving strength that sustains life. Yet it is our nature-defying choices, and often our indifference, that continue to endanger the very roots of our survival.

Rev. Charline opened with a poignant reflection, drawing a sacred parallel between honouring our mothers for their life-giving care and revering Mother Earth for nurturing and sustaining us. She emphasized that our Mother Day celebration should become a vow—to restore balance, shoulder responsibility, and renew our sacred bond with the living world.

Inspiring Voices of Wisdom and Courage

Minnesota-based Mary Lyons, a revered elder, spiritual advisor, water protector, and tireless advocate for Indigenous and Native women and children, reminds us that everything on Earth carries spirit and memory. She held that from the moment our spirit enters the womb, we are supported by the four essential elements of nature—water, air, fire, and earth—forces that sustain life impartially, without discrimination or favour. These elements embrace all beings equally, illuminating our deep and unbreakable bond with the natural world.

In reflecting on humanity’s bond with the Earth, she cautioned that the desecration of nature severs us from memory itself—inviting disorder, disorientation, and suffering. Thus, the four sacred elements —water, air, fire, and earth—are not mere metaphors; they are our kin. When they are lost or degraded, all life stands imperilled.

By confronting the harsh societal realities of addiction, systemic injustice, and violence, Lyons issued a call for collective responsibility—reminding us that within each of us lies a piece of the healing, a part of the solution.

Dr. Catherine Meeks, a distinguished voice in socio-cultural studies, a beacon for community transformation, and founder of the Turquoise and Lavender Institute for Transformation and Healing, offered a sobering truth wrapped in compassion: the Earth will endure—but we may not unless we change course. She emphasized that interconnectedness is not merely a poetic notion but a vital, lived necessity. “Honoring the Earth is deeply tied to saving ourselves,” she said.

Meeks believes that without confronting the divisions within us, our outer efforts lose meaning. Many do important external work, yet neglect the inner work that sustains it. True change begins with caring for ourselves—acknowledging the ways we unknowingly harm the Earth. For Meeks, generosity and kindness are not soft virtues, but transformative forces. “You can’t truly care for the Earth or others,” she insists, “if you haven’t first learned to care for yourself.”

Kehkashan Basu, an eco-feminist and founder of the Toronto-based Green Hope Foundation, brought a compelling intergenerational voice, urging a shift from exploiting Earth as a resource to honoring it as a living being.

Her foundation, active in 28 countries and engaging over half a million people, has planted millions of indigenous trees and mangroves and led ecosystem restoration efforts—from Norway’s fjords to the canals of the Netherlands, and from Oman’s beaches to Suriname’s turtle nesting sites. In the world’s largest mangrove forest—the Sundarbans, the organisation empowers “tiger widows,” women who have lost their husbands to tiger attacks, by supporting sustainable livelihoods such as fish and poultry farming.

Underscoring the urgency of global disarmament, Kehkashan called for redirecting the trillions spent on nuclear weapons toward food, health, education, and clean water—reminding us that sustainability and peace are inseparable, and that true justice invests in life, not in instruments of destruction.

Fivefold Reflection

The conversation yielded transformative ideas, distilled into five key insights—urging us not to despair, but to rise with renewed clarity

Reevaluating Success: It’s time to redefine success beyond profit and status—grounding it in collective well-being, compassion, and ecological harmony.

Memory as a Cherished Legacy: The planet carries the memory of people, places, and spirit. Reawakening ancestral wisdom through storytelling can root the young in identity, belonging, and a sacred connection to the Earth.

Local Solutions with Cultural Legacy: Lasting solutions emerge from local contexts—such as food sovereignty and reforestation—by empowering community voices as essential stewards of ecology and cultural heritage.

Spiritual Ecology: Seeing the Earth as sacred kin—not a commodity. Our rituals, lifestyles, and systems must embody reverence rather than exploitation.

From Symbolism to Sacred Action: Amid a tide of performative gestures, our actions—through conscious living and systemic change—must genuinely embody the values we claim to uphold.

Call to Collective Awakening and Action

A shared truth surfaces: In these times of global fragmentation, we cannot heal the Earth without healing ourselves—our fractured bonds with one another and with the sacred world. Our small acts matter. If more of us pause, notice, and care, the ripple effect could be profound.

We must try to make kindness contagious, continually becoming better versions of ourselves. It is time to move beyond mere reverence toward restoration; from celebration to sacred stewardship; and from fleeting inspiration to enduring commitment. Doing as much good as we can, in as many ways as we can, for as long as we can—for our Mother Earth, our mothers, ourselves, and one another—is the most meaningful legacy we can leave behind.

(The author is former Deputy General Manager, India International Centre, Delhi; former General Manager, International Centre Goa; and author of Whispers of an Ordinary Journey. Views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at db.bhattacharyya@gmail.com)