[Ecodharma] Treeleaf Ecosattva Training Meetings 2024

[Guest]

Hi Myojin,

The Monday meetings are not recorded. They are for discussion of the Lesson Modules from the Ecosattva course that several of us enrolled in. We had one meeting in January and none in February. We also attend a discussion session once a month put on by the course instructors. Our goal is to eventually post the high lights of the course in the Forum.From my perspective the modules I reviewed are focusing on building self resilience in the face of major environmental change. Hopefully Kokuu can add to my thoughts.

I also just started another course of Practice to Action which looks at how to be active in helping environmental issues. I also plan to post a few summaries over the next month or so.

Doshin
Stlah

Hi Myojin

Thank you for your interest. As Doshin says, the Monday meetings are specifically for discussion of a training course some of us are doing. We had hoped to take most of the members of this forum on that journey but it didn't work out that way with no blame to anyone. But, as a result we have not been tending to this corner of the website as much as we might otherwise have done.

If there is something you would like to discuss here, please bring it up. Otherwise, Doshin and I are going to discuss other things we can do to breathe some life back into the place.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Understood, I was working under a misapprehension there.

I am quite interested in the Ecodharma idea, although I don't have the free time to apply for courses and things right now. I continue to study and practice as part of my life, without adding anything extra that would take up a regular block of time.

I think you're probably aware of my background, I have a fairly serious interest in the topic, but I do find that science has a way of putting a barrier of facts and figures between me and nature, except on the rare occasions I get to go out and do field work. I have a serious itch to get back to the countryside, grow some vegetables, keep bees perhaps, but somehow I ended up in a city working in a university, and since this is where I am, this is the only place I can do anything.

Anything that helps improve that connection to the natural world and also uses what I do to try to do some good in the world is a bonus. If we could find some way to promote the concept as part of the Treeleaf forum, in a way that doesn't require people to apply for a course of training, but instead can be part of our regular practice, would probably be helpful Maybe that's a discussion that would help breath life into things?

Gassho
Myojin

[Doshin]

I understand

This is the only course that a few of us decided to take and see if there was knowledge/actions we could bring back to the Sangha. Previous our focus was information sharing and book reviews.

Several years ago I started a thread focused on what you could do personally. The intent was to share ideas. I shared one but I don’t think anyone else did so I abandoned the idea for lack of participation.

Anyone can contribute to the EcoDharma Forum with ideas about what efforts can be made.

What can each of us do? That is always welcome here. Personally my home home is solar run and I have a xeriscape. I try to reduce consumption, reuse and recycle. My wife and I challenge ourselves to only put the garbage cans out every other week and sometimes 3 weeks. I also have reduced my carbon footprint further by reducing my travel. I volunteer for conservation organizations and donate when I can to groups pursing environmental good I also communicate with my elected officials. We each can only do what we can but I think making the effort is a noble action. Of course Jundo has alternative ideas of what needs to be done

Please, any more ideas share. We do not have a lot of activity in the EcoDharma Forum. Only a handful posts. Sometimes I have considered moving on from posting but then keep in mind that there are many readers and maybe a tibit of information will be of value

Doshin
Stlah

[Guest]

I understand

This is the only course that a few of us decided to take and see if there was knowledge/actions we could bring back to the Sangha. Previous our focus was information sharing and book reviews.

Several years ago I started a thread focused on what you could do personally. The intent was to share ideas. I shared one but I don’t think anyone else did so I abandoned the idea for lack of participation.

Anyone can contribute to the EcoDharma Forum with ideas about what efforts can be made.

What can each of us do? That is always welcome here. Personally my home home is solar run and I have a xeriscape. I try to reduce consumption, reuse and recycle. My wife and I challenge ourselves to only put the garbage cans out every other week and sometimes 3 weeks. I also have reduced my carbon footprint further by reducing my travel. I volunteer for conservation organizations and donate when I can to groups pursing environmental good I also communicate with my elected officials. We each can only do what we can but I think making the effort is a noble action. Of course Jundo has alternative ideas of what needs to be done

Please, any more ideas share. We do not have a lot of activity in the EcoDharma Forum. Only a handful posts. Sometimes I have considered moving on from posting but then keep in mind that there are many readers and maybe a tibit of information will be of value

Doshin
Stlah

Hi Doshin,

It's not the easiest nut to crack, nor an easy thing to talk about given that most of us. Try as we can, do some sort of green activity, even if it's only recycling, composting our old vegetables or whatnot. I find that, even with these things, it's a drop in the ocean compared to the damage being done.

The precept on non-stealing can be extended to imply not taking more than we need, non-killing implies refraining from wanton destruction, perhaps that's where a start must be made?

I currently research on ways to improve agriculture and land use to facilitate carbon sequestration, taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and locking it up in the soil and biomass of forests, field and farmland. But still, compared to what industry puts into the atmosphere, it's a tiny proportion, sometimes I feel like Cnut trying to hold back the sea, if only to make the point that it can't be done.

On the whole, we know what needs to be done, yet as a species, lack the will, we are lazy, we like things as they are.

Many years ago it occurred to me that without considerable consciousness change, nothing would improve, and I turned to spirituality, nature based philosophy and the rest. In a way I suppose I view the Dharma as something akin to this; why should I look after nature? Why, because I am nature of course, looking after nature is exactly looking after my own life. Until people generally appreciate this fact, not as a nice theory, but as a practical, I doubt much can be done.

Can the Dharma be a useful tool in spreading this? In the last 3000 years it's helped a few people among those billions, but that's small potatoes. I don't have an answer, and I don't think that one thing will tip the balance, but until people take it personally I can't see any largescale change occurring.

Sorry for running long

Myojin