Call to Action: People’s Climate Prayer

People’s Climate Prayer: November 29th – December 11th, 2015

12th November 2015

To All Plum Village Practice Centers,
To All Order of Interbeing Members,
To All Our Sanghas World-wide,
To Our Dear Beloved Friends,

To support the upcoming Paris Climate Summit (COP21) and in solidarity with the Global Buddhist Climate Change Collective, One Earth Sangha, Plum Village Earth Holder Sangha, and faith communities around the world, we are calling on the International Plum Village Community to gather and send our spiritual energy to Mother Earth and to international political leaders, so that they may have the courage, clarity, and compassion to come to a wise and responsible agreement.

As a global community we have the technology, we have the opportunity, and what we need now is the political and collective will and spiritual courage to act decisively to change course.

We invite our Sanghas to come together to breathe, sit, and walk mindfully for the Earth, and generate a powerful collective energy of mindfulness and compassion. This powerful collective energy is our spiritual offering to the Paris Climate Summit and the highest form of prayer for our precious planet.

Here are actions we can take as a community:

1. Join a March: On Sunday November 29th we invite you to gather as a Sangha and join a Global Climate March in a town or city near you. 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. You can find a march near you or create an event of your own.

2. Fast from meat and dairy for two weeks: For the duration of the Paris Climate Summit, from November 30th to December 11th, we invite you to fast from meat and dairy products. You can come together as a sangha to eat a vegan meal “potluck-style” or as a family in your home. 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.

3. Wear a Green Ribbon: For these two weeks, from November 30th to December 11th, we invite you to wear a green ribbon in order to raise awareness, amongst those around you, of our collective practice of mindfulness and compassion in solidarity with the Earth during this time.

4. Get Together: We encourage you to attend a sangha gathering near you, and to read from Thầy’s books Love Letter to the Earth and The World We Have. Raising awareness in our sanghas promotes collective awakening in society. You may also like to join gatherings and vigils organised by our brothers and sisters in other faith traditions and climate action groups, and offer your presence, peace, compassion and support.

5. Make a Commitment: We encourage you to reflect on your lifestyle and consider making a personal commitment with concrete actions to reduce your environmental impact. Tell those you live with or your local sangha what you plan to do (or refrain from doing), and ask for their support.

When we meditate together and walk mindfully together, we amplify the power of our mindfulness, concentration and compassion. This strong energy of collective awareness will be felt in the world. It has the power to re-establish the Earth’s equilibrium and restore balance, since we are nothing less than Mother Earth herself. Our actions will lead to collective insight, collective awakening, and collective change.

We do not know what the outcome of the Summit will be. But we determine our future by the way we live the present moment, and the way we live our daily life. Our awareness and compassion, and our love for the Earth will extend far beyond December’s Summit.

With trust and love,

Thầy Pháp Dung

On behalf of the International Plum Village Community