Plum Village, the Buddhist network of practitioners inspired by activist and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, has been offering an online global course called "Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet" for some years. More than 7,000 people have participated. Like the author of this piece, I have taken the course. I can't recommend it enough. As a lifelong activist, I found the insights I gained extraordinarily helpful in sustaining me both through the climate crisis and the democracy crisis. Knowing how to stay calm in the storm, faithful to our values and commitments and to not give up in the midst of the current insanity is crucial for the future.
This excellent. Very helpful. Included, but not explicitly stated is the need to find others. Often I find people asking, “what can I do?” But they mean, “what can I do alone?” Because they don’t realize that they are not alone in their fears and grief. And they don’t understand that social and political change happens through movements, not individual acts like voting.
That’s why my first piece of advice is, join a group and engage as much as you can. It’s the most important AND the most rewarding thing you can do.
We need to reach our young children in school who are so absorbed in their digital devices. We need more outdoor education and practical hands-on education. Altech.foundation is teaching school children about Rainwater Harvesting and wastewater management through a program called Rainreach (alttech.foundation/rainreach). We need such programs to change the approach to nature and water, and transform thinking from consuming/wasting to conservation.
Raj, you might be interested in the program we run with facilitators at colleges and universities across the US and Canada. Beyond information, there’s such need for help with orientation. https://www.climatewayfinding.earth/training
Plum Village, the Buddhist network of practitioners inspired by activist and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, has been offering an online global course called "Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet" for some years. More than 7,000 people have participated. Like the author of this piece, I have taken the course. I can't recommend it enough. As a lifelong activist, I found the insights I gained extraordinarily helpful in sustaining me both through the climate crisis and the democracy crisis. Knowing how to stay calm in the storm, faithful to our values and commitments and to not give up in the midst of the current insanity is crucial for the future.
What a gift Plum Village is offering. Truly extraordinary. This is a piece I wrote last fall reflecting on that experience, insights gained, renewal: https://drkwilkinson.substack.com/p/acorning-without-attachment
This excellent. Very helpful. Included, but not explicitly stated is the need to find others. Often I find people asking, “what can I do?” But they mean, “what can I do alone?” Because they don’t realize that they are not alone in their fears and grief. And they don’t understand that social and political change happens through movements, not individual acts like voting.
That’s why my first piece of advice is, join a group and engage as much as you can. It’s the most important AND the most rewarding thing you can do.
Absolutely. I couldn’t agree more. It’s good strategy. And it’s good joy.
"Small is not the opposite of power. It is often where power begins."
Such an important reminder.
We need to reach our young children in school who are so absorbed in their digital devices. We need more outdoor education and practical hands-on education. Altech.foundation is teaching school children about Rainwater Harvesting and wastewater management through a program called Rainreach (alttech.foundation/rainreach). We need such programs to change the approach to nature and water, and transform thinking from consuming/wasting to conservation.
Raj, you might be interested in the program we run with facilitators at colleges and universities across the US and Canada. Beyond information, there’s such need for help with orientation. https://www.climatewayfinding.earth/training
Have we learned our lesson? POTUS is cruel and attracts violence. We need to stay safe and not invite him to our events.
Thank you.