During the first week of October, Insight Meditation teachers and centers around the globe will be celebrating Earth-Care Week. This is a newly minted event arising out of the International Vipassana Teachers’ meeting at Spirit Rock in June. It was one response from the teachers to a letter signed by over 2,000 people requesting that teachers provide “guidance and leadership in addressing the issue of climate change.”
With seeds planted this year we hope EarthCare Week will become a significant annual event among the worldwide communities of Insight Meditation practitioners.
IMC will be observing Earth-Care Week in the following way:
1. Gil will focus his talks on the connection between
Buddhist practice and caring for our natural world.
2. To reduce IRC’s carbon footprint we will have a drive to
raise money for a solar water heater at IRC.
3. We will encourage calculating one’s carbon footprint as a
mindfulness practice (see, e.g., nature.org/greenliving) .
4. We will encourage reducing gasoline consumption.
5. Our children’s programs in October will focus on caring
for the environment.
6. On Sunday October 13th, 11am to noon, everyone is invited to participate in small and large group discussion where we can learn and inspire each other in practical ways we can care for our planet and all life it houses.
Information about the wider Insight communities’ efforts for Earth-Care Week is found at 1earthsangha.org.