Global Climate Prayer

November 10, 2015

In accordance with the UN climate negotiations November 30 through December 11, our friends in the Thích Nhất Hạnh community have created a format for us all to practice together as a global community. These practices are intended to both develop our awareness of interdependence with all beings as well as reduce each of our contribution to global carbon emissions. They will be taken up by Buddhist and mindfulness communities around the world for this two week period. We invite you to join us!

Join a March: Sunday November 29 we invite you to gather with your local Buddhist community (sangha) and join a Global Climate March in a town or city near you. Furthermore, we invite you to gather with other mindfulness practitioners in your area by posting an event on our event listing. Share where and what time you will meet and describe your the signs or other visual identifiers you will bring. We can contribute to the Climate March our collective energy of peace and stillness, enjoying every step with freedom and deep connection to the Earth.

Two Week Animal Fast: For the duration of the Paris Climate Summit, from November 30 to December 11, we invite you to fast from meat and dairy products. Not all of us have the ability forgo meat either because of medical conditions or we might live in a “food desert.” But for the rest of this, this is possible. Eating in this way nourishes our energy of compassion, and we can send this energy to support the Paris negotiations. As we eat our meal, we may enjoy moments of silence to cherish the food and nourish our gratitude and appreciation for the Earth. You may like to practice The Five Contemplations.

Get together: During the two weeks of the Summit, we encourage you to arrange to meet up with like-minded friends and practitioners, to nourish yourselves with inspiring readings, meditation practices, and being together in solidarity. This is a time to actively connect with our loved ones and with the Earth and to overcome feelings of isolation. We know that nurturing a collective awakening, we can build a positive future for humanity and for the planet.

Wear a ribbon: For these two weeks, from November 30 to December 11, we invite you to wear a green ribbon to raise awareness among those around you, of our collective practice of mindfulness and compassion in solidarity with the Earth during this time. As conversations with friends, family, colleagues and strangers arise, you can think about skillful speech to engage them on the issue (see our resource for these discussions: Skillful Conversations).

Make a Commitment: We encourage you to reflect on your abilities, privileges, and care for life. Given that many are and will suffer from climate impacts, what is your responsibility to them. How can we take our fare share of climate risk and discomfort? From this contemplation, make a commitment to take concrete, meaningful steps to join with others in ending broad scale ecological harm and creating a peaceful, just world. Create a campaign of writing op-eds, organizing your neighborhood to go solar or invest in urban farming, stage a peaceful direct action, challenge workplace practices or learn about local environmental justice issues and offer your time and skills to these causes. There are as many powerful ways to love Earth and all her beings as there are of us!

We invite you to join us in this two-week, Global Climate Prayer and share the opportunity with your networks. We can gain great strength and energy by knowing that people of all Buddhist and mindfulness traditions are doing these things together, all around this Earth.