[EcoDharma] Living Earth

[Doshin]

Aldo Leopold was an influential conservationist at the beginning of the last century in my country (US). I first knew of him when I read one of his best known books A Sand County Almanac. Many decades later I made several pilgrimages to the the shack featured in the collection of essays about the wild and human’s affects on those landscapes. He is considered the father of wildlife management and during my orals at the University of Arizona I was required to read his book on wildlife management and discuss the concepts within.

Though Aldo died 75 years ago (just a few years before I was born) he has been an influence in my life and many others. I lived next to the Aldo Leopold Wilderness that was the first designated wilderness and he was instrumental in its establishment (it was known as being part of the Gila Wilderness area).

One of his essays is well known and tells of his epiphany (enlightenment) about the importance of apex predators. At the time there had been a major attempt at eliminating wolves and grizzly bears in North America and they were overly successful. The title of that essay was Think Like a Mountain for me always coincided with the teaching of Sit Like a Mountain. It tells of a basic Buddhist teaching of Interdependence. I have practiced Zazen many times on the side of a mountain inspired by these teachings. I was moved to share the essay and hope the Sangha finds it beneficial.

https://www.ecotoneinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/aldo-leopold-tlam.pdf

Doshin
Stlah

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[Naiko]

Thank you for sharing this, Doshin.
Gassho,
Naiko
stlah

[Kokuu]

That was a beautiful read. Thank you, Doshin.

[Guest]

Thanks for that Doshin, I’d not read Aldo Leopold but I’m reminded of reading I did as an undergraduate on the interactions between wolves, white-tail dear and poplar stands in the US, something that shaped my interest in soil-plant-animal interactions.

It brings me back to the precept of non-stealing, in the sense of knowing when you have enough, touching the world lightly, as humans we have the unusual ability to really reflect deeply on our actions, but with that ought to come a sense of the mutual interconnection between things, something that sorely needs to be taught in our schools.
Sat/lah
Dan

[Doshin]

compressed0.jpeg


Fall comes to the Chihuahuan Desert.

Looking at this scene I am overwhelmed with the Emptiness it represents. The interdependence and interconnections here would take many words just to highlight. And we are one with this as it is with us.

Doshin
Stlah

[Tairin]

Thank you Doshin. Beautiful view.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Doshin]

I started this Thread 5 years ago with a link to a summary of the State of Wildlife Report. I also linked to the 2022 report earlier this year. This link goes to the source where more information is provided. Some of you may find this of value. They point out the loss of wildlife is linked to climate change (not the only reason) and loss of wildlife (such as habitat) influences climate change. They are interdependent.

What I am reminded of each time I look at these reports is how much has declined in my lifetime and even more impactful the steep decline since the First Earth Day I attended in 1970. This time coincides with my career in wildlife conservation as well so it feels even more personal from an emotion side. The world population has also doubled in that time frame as well. Humans compete for space and resources with biodiversity.


https://livingplanet.panda.org/en-US...%20populations.


Doshin
Stlah

[Shonin Risa Bear]

I'm here because after 40 years of environmental activism I saw a chart that I felt showed me a certain amount of futility in how I had gone about it.


The author (a personal friend) of the article(s) where I found it was driven into a depression by his own math, and he recommended to his readers they join a meditation tradition as a kind of hospice; I think his is TM. My own studies had repeatedly brought up Soto, so.

gassho
ds sat today and a bit of lah

[Doshin]

I'm here because after 40 years of environmental activism I saw a chart that I felt showed me a certain amount of futility in how I had gone about it.


The author (a personal friend) of the article(s) where I found it was driven into a depression by his own math, and he recommended to his readers they join a meditation tradition as a kind of hospice; I think his is TM. My own studies had repeatedly brought up Soto, so.

gassho
ds sat today and a bit of lah

Doshin
Stlah

[Doshin]

Can we meet this moment of an environmental crises with enough resolve to minimize or reverse the changes that this planet faces?

I ask this question to learn what other members of our Sangha think.

From my perspective changes must be made at the individual, community, National and global levels. Is that possible?

Gary Snyder, poet, essayist and Zen student is quoted as saying “The best thing you can do for the planet is to stay home.” What do you think he means by that?

Doshin
Stlah

[Jundo]

Can we meet this moment of an environmental crises with enough resolve to minimize or reverse the changes that this planet faces?

I ask this question to learn what other members of our Sangha think.

From my perspective changes must be made at the individual, community, National and global levels. Is that possible?

Gary Snyder, poet, essayist and Zen student is quoted as saying “The best thing you can do for the planet is to stay home.” What do you think he means by that?

Doshin
Stlah

Honestly, I feel that, without radical changes to human nature, human excess, for billions and billions of people ... no. We can, perhaps, slow things down some, and help a little with our own personal efforts, or with our "movements" and the odd legal reform here and there, but nowhere near what is truly needed to stop the destruction ... So, no.

That is why I wrote my book.

https://www.futurebuddhabook.com

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Doshin]

Honestly, I feel that, without radical changes to human nature, human excess, for billions and billions of people ... no. We can, perhaps, slow things down some, and help a little with our own personal efforts, or with our "movements" and the odd legal reform here and there, but nowhere near what is truly needed to stop the destruction ... So, no.

That is why I wrote my book.

https://www.futurebuddhabook.com

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

I do know your thoughts. Your book arrives this week. Can I substitute it for one of my required readings

I am exploring what others think to inform myself. I know what needs to be done for many issues but the political will and the willingness to make the needed individual sacrifices is not evident in many around me. In fact I have had conversations and it is always someone else that needs to consider their choices. For example a long time friend in his 80s travels multiple times a year to see biodiversity. I discussed with him his carbon footprint and how I have reconsidered such travels the last decade or two. He is an environmentalist but his response was that he and I earned those trips because we dedicated our lives and funds to those issues. My wife and I were asked about taking a nature cruise to see the glaciers before they were gone. Our reaction was that traveling to do so would contribute to those glaciers disappearing.

Doshin
St

[Jundo]

I do know your thoughts. Your book arrives this week. Can I substitute it for one of my required readings

No, but definitely put it near the top of the list. It is not required either, but I hope people will read it and consider it.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Kaitan]

Can we meet this moment of an environmental crises with enough resolve to minimize or reverse the changes that this planet faces?

I ask this question to learn what other members of our Sangha think.

From my perspective changes must be made at the individual, community, National and global levels. Is that possible?

Gary Snyder, poet, essayist and Zen student is quoted as saying “The best thing you can do for the planet is to stay home.” What do you think he means by that?

Doshin
Stlah

I was wondering if "natural" disasters and pandemics like coronavirus are a calling from the environment that humans aren't the only beings affecting/affected. Such events can really shake humanity, maybe that's a hit from Gary Snyder?

Gasshō

stlah, Kaitan

[Tairin]

Hi Doshin

I remain hopeful that we humans can make the changes necessary to avert our many crisis.

Collective actions such as our response to COVID gives me hope. The majority of people when given the opportunity did the right thing I.e. wear as mask, isolate, stay at home. Yes there will always be those who look out only for their self interest but I believe they are the minority.


Articles like this also gives me hope. https://theconversation.com/how-a-tu...-planet-221838 For those outside of Canada, one of western provinces was recently hit with a streak of extreme cold. Rather than face rolling blackouts it seems enough people put aside their own self interests and did the right thing by cutting back on their own usage.

I am optimistic that we will see more and more actions like this. Hopefully not too late.


Tairin
Sat today and lah