Page 31 - EH66

FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 29

Sacred Arts Tour, Cushing, Maine, USA World Peace Mandala

inspired daily by being a voracious reader of Buddhist sense of stewardship. This transformation begins with
texts, and my daily meditation practice truly sustains the individual.” This is the moment in time where we
me. I am motivated by many people, ancient and must emerge from the pandemic with knowledge
modern voices, and the beauty of the natural world here and kindness to make the changes urgently needed
on the coast of Maine. These words of poet Gary Snyder to reduce our carbon emissions, while working
often shine a light on my journey: “Meanwhile, be lean, together on solutions for long-term sustainability of
compassionate, and virtuously ferocious, living in the future generations on this precious earth. In 2019,
self-disciplined elegance of the wild mind.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote, “We need a sense
of universal responsibility as our central motivation
You mentioned the Buddhist concept of to rebalance our relations with the environment
interdependence where sentient beings are all and with our neighbors. Appreciating the oneness of
connected may at first seem like an important humanity in the face of the challenge of global warming
solution to climate change but you said it may be is the real key to our survival.” I think the concept of
exactly what is adding to the global dilemma. Can interdependence is the thread that weaves together our
you explain further on this? path towards a sustainable future, but we all have much
work to do to realize that way of being.
Inherent in our existence is an interdependence with
all beings, and the embodied awareness of this is what But if we truly understand the teaching of
creates a respectful and balanced living system. Yet in interdependence, wouldn’t we then cultivate
our modern culture, the technology we have come to compassion for mother earth because every human
rely on seems to create a world of instant gratification being – in fact, all sentient beings - need this planet
and mindless connection. The connections between to survive?
people are becoming increasingly remote, and the
supply chain is a mysterious and quick appearance Yes, of course! That is the very heart of how I
of material satisfaction…rather than a conscious understand the benefit and value of serving as a
awareness of where and how products are made. Buddhist practitioner. It is with an open heart and
The global pandemic made many of us realize how open mind that we must navigate the unknown. As
connected we are as a species, but I am not sure that our fragile planet is crying out for help, it is only with
the impact of our inequities made a lasting impression. clear attention, intention and love that we can slow
Interdependence, to me, means fully respecting, and down enough to cultivate the deep compassion that
caring for, all beings. As Christiana Figueres wrote in is urgently needed. As I write this, I am surrounded
The Future We Choose, “To survive and thrive, we must by unprecedented flooding from the small lake where
understand ourselves to be inextricable connected to I live in coastal Maine. I am struck not only by the
all of nature. We need to cultivate a deep and abiding imminent destruction of the climate crisis, but also by