Image credit: Tim Nicholson
This Monday December 19, we will meet in person.
See calendar for online and in person schedule here.
Address for the OHMC meditation space:
3812 Northampton St. NW
Washington DC 20015
This Monday evening Bea and Camille will facilitate.
We will play the this video from Plum Village from 20:00 to 35:00
“All activists must have a spiritual practice in order to suffer less, to nourish the happiness in them and to handle their suffering so they can be effective in helping the world. With anger and frustration, you cannot do much and you can make the situation worse,” said Thay in an interview with journalist Jo Confino during a winter retreat in Plum Village in 2011.
There is a lot going on in the world that can make us be angry, especially when it comes to the environment and human destruction of it. In a conversation about our relationship with Mother Earth, Thay prompts us to move beyond the idea of ‘environment,’ and to fall back in love with our life-giving planet. But in order to do that, we must first understand that Mother Earth and the Environment are not separate from us. We are Mother Earth and Mother Earth lives within us. Not understanding this, says Thay, is to live in Wrong View.
Thoughts from Bea:
About a month ago I was on a plane to Italy and watched a video sponsored by the Calm app. It was a beautiful documentary about our planet, our galaxy and the universe. It was soothing and relaxing and, most importantly, it put everyday life into focus and perspective. We humans are such a tiny part of the infinite Cosmos. We have the ability to be so destructive to our beautiful planet Earth and yet, we are so powerless relative to the immensity of our Cosmos. That awareness alone gave me peace of mind, like a long and deep exhale.
It will all be OK, I thought to myself. War, conflict, climate change, greed, anger and exploitation - it will all pass because nothing is permanent, especially in light of the vastness of this magnificent universe that we are part of. I am not saying this to offset responsibility for my actions, but to lessen the anger and frustration that I sometimes feel as a human and as an activist. Indeed, we are all part of something much bigger than us and our daily struggles must be understood in the greater context. Seeing Mother Earth from afar, puts into focus the concept of Interbeing and interdependence.
I have that same feeling when I work with clay. Making pots on the wheel is a form of deep communion with Mother Earth. My hands become one with the clay as I shape a form and I am deeply immersed in the sensory experience. I start from emptiness and feel my way through to a mug, a bowl or a vase. Regardless of how good or bad my final shape is, the process of creation is both humbling and grounding. It is the opposite of seeing Mother Earth from afar. It is about being Mother Earth from the inside out. When I am frustrated or upset, the clay feels it and it becomes unruly. It reflects back my internal struggle. It becomes “off center” and we are no longer in communion. We are separate and it shows. But when we dance together and are in a flow, we co-create beautiful shapes from the heart center. We are in harmony and the forms reflect it. It is so basic, yet so hard sometimes to be in communion with Mother Earth.
Thoughts from Camille:
So much of what I say and do is connected to my understanding of where I am in the physical world (my body, my breath, mother nature) and where I am in my emotional world (my happiness, sadness, compassion and understanding). My ancestors have played a huge part in who I am and how I navigate this world. In "Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet" our teacher Thich Nhat Hanh says "I am the continuation of my parents, I am the continuation of my ancestors. Thay says we are the "continuation of parents, ancestors, stars, moon, sun, rivers, mountains." "Everything" is in me. I am in the Earth and the Earth is in me. With the help of Thay's teaching - I believe even more than ever that when we connect to nature we touch the true meaning of interbeing and interconnectedness and the realization that Mother Earth and humanity are one. What affects me, affects all beings. And when Thay says the, "Earth is in danger" and "plants and animals are in danger" then we are all in danger. I know for me - I want to be part of a collective awakening by taking care of myself, and nourishing myself and heal my suffering by enjoying the wonders of the earth. When I can do this and be in touch with mother nature I can find joy and I can help others to do the same.
One of the ways for me to lessen the suffering in myself and others is to enjoy simple things in my life. Before Thay - my first teachers were my parents and grandparents. To share a glimpse of touching mother nature - one of my fondest memories as a child was foraging with my dad for mushrooms and Italian greens. For the mushrooms we would hike to a special place in the woods where he taught us to recognize edible mushrooms, pick them gently, not disturb any other plant, bring them home to cook with onions and tomatoes, and then enjoy our harvest. I was so proud that I could recognize and pick edible mushrooms and that they were free from mother nature for us to enjoy!
The greens were Italian rabe and dandelions - seeds that had most likely been brought here by our Italian ancestors. We would find them in large fields, pick them and also bring home to share and enjoy. My mom is especially great at cooking those. Both parents learned to love gardening and growing their own food (passed down from our ancestors) and shared that with us - and while their gardening and foraging days are somewhat limited (they are 92 and 93) they taught us to respect and enjoy these simple things in life. My brothers continue to pick the greens and mushrooms back home, and my son has become quite an experienced mushroom forager and with his sisters they all have a fondness of gardening - from working in our garden at an early age. As I continue to find ways in nature to bring joy to my life and my family and friends, I believe that Thays expression of " collective awakening" can be the answer to healing ourselves and mother earth.
Question to ponder on:
In what ways might nourishing ourselves help save the planet or mother earth?
How do mindfulness and concentration help you return to nature?
In which natural settings do you feel most nourished?
When was the last time you felt deeply connected with nature?