Dear Earth, you are burning & I am small.
On 16th February 2020 by SatyaIf I returned home to a fire in my living room, I would race to the fire extinguisher. If my children were starving, I would steal to feed them. Dear Earth, you are burning. You are melting, and choking, and being poisoned. Your children are dying. Your animals are being wiped out. I am so
Dear Earth, we are so vulnerable.
On 11th February 2020 by SatyaThe Corona virus is killing our brothers and sisters. 6.7 million people in Yemen are relying on food aid. A few days ago, a twenty five year old colleague died suddenly. He had been trying to save you, dear Earth. Outside, a few flakes of wet snow are diving past the hazel catkins and the
Dear Earth, help me to take pauses.
On 4th February 2020 by SatyaBuild gaps in your life. Pauses. Proper pauses. Thom Yorke 2013 Kaspa is away and so I am in charge of the temple. Mornings consist of cleaning litter trays (and all the other places our old cat has deemed equivalent), getting the bunnies up, giving medication, searching for dog poo in the garden, and all the
Dear Earth, will you be my friend?
On 30th January 2020 by SatyaWe have a friend who moves slowly and who is a reserved deep-thinker – he had a beautiful mellow labrador for many years. When our little dog Aiko introduced herself to him when she was a puppy, she raced around him, jumping up inappropriately, running away and then back, and generally trying to get him
Dear Earth, a confession of unfaithfulness.
On 28th January 2020 by SatyaSweet Earth, this is a confession. When I write these love letters to you, I am unfaithful. A part of me is devoted to you, and another part is greedy for the praise I will receive for what I write. I can feel kindly towards this greedy part. It is trying to receive love in
Dear Earth, in praise of wet afternoons.
On 26th January 2020 by SatyaIn praise of finds on the wet forest floor: a snapped off squirm of pale root imitating a worm, a majestically spiked conker coat, a lime strip of moss like the sloughed-off pelt of a mini beast. In praise of the chance meeting of three dogs on the hill, strangers for a few seconds only,
Dear Earth, this is for you.
On 25th January 2020 by SatyaAt the end of our Buddhist services we often transfer merit. This means that we symbolically gather together all the peace, insight, consolation and joy that we’ve received from our practice, and we pass it on to those who might need it. The great thing about transferring merit is that, in the giving, we receive.
Dear Earth, I am not in control of the universe.
On 22nd January 2020 by SatyaWhenever I’ve got a problem, whenever I’m in pain, whenever I’m unhappy, I have to at least be open to the possibility that the reason for it is that I think I’m in control of the universe. It’s often that. ~ Russell Brand, from a video on Recovery Over the past few weeks, dear Earth,
Dear Earth, we are not alone.
On 21st January 2020 by SatyaThis weekend eighteen Buddhists from different traditions came together in your name, dear Earth. We are all members of Extinction Rebellion and we wanted to feel less alone. At the start of the first day I led an exercise where we all stand in a circle facing each other. Someone calls out a category they
Dear Earth, I woke to a dance.
On 16th January 2020 by SatyaOur Little Dog was poorly last night, and so for the second time this week we counted the hours until morning. “And?” I hear new mothers and insomniacs say. I salute all those who function on little sleep. I am feeble when it comes to needing decent chunks of it, and sleeplessness leaves me feeling