The True Meaning of Independence

The True Meaning of Interdependence:
While I am not naive as to what is meant culturally when we celebrate Independence, I am increasingly unable to let the word slide by in conversation, or  in long-commercialized holiday celebrations.

Our fundamental reality is that we are NOT independent. We are intimately entwined to multitudes of forces on which we rely for our most basic existence. Even if we only accept what we see with the obvious eye, we can not deny our dependence on the intelligence of nature, of which we, too, are an expression.
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Earthen richness to grow the plant materials on which we depend (whether it’s kale, potatoes for chips, or marijuana for CBD).
Water to hydrate, bathe, or brew coffee.
Fire for the warmth of the sun and the ripening of fruits on the vine.
Air for the precious exchange between us and the plant life on which we depend.

Our bodies, temporary and finite as they are, are described through yoga and Ayurveda as being comprised of these 5 elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether.
The density of muscles and bones;
the fluids the myofacial and organ systems, circulation, hydration of eyes, nose, joints, and more;
the fire that supports our metabolic processes;
the air we breathe;
and the most subtle form, ether, infusing the spaces.

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