Buddhism begins with the Buddha sitting beneath a tree, touching the earth. The Buddha's vision of connection and kindness encompasses earth, sky, and sea; from the tiniest being to the largest. The practice of non-harm invests us with empathy and care for all of life. Yet what we see happening today to the earth and its beings is likely to fill us with anxiety, "eco-anxiety" as it has been termed. This talk encourages us to allow ourselves to experience our eco-anxiety and how we respond to it, and suggests ways we can use that response to open up to the wisdom and compassion that arises from a place of love. It was originally given at Aryaloka Buddhist Center, Feb. 2020, for an Order Mitra Gathering on the theme of our environment, the many changes that are occuring to it, and how we can bring our Dharma practice into the fore of our experience in responding to these changes.
