Individual and collective action for the rebalancing,
protection and celebration of a healthy, living world.
As the lords of materialism wreak havoc on our natural world, destroying rich ecosystems and threatening our very existence, Touching the Earth warriors come together with the aspiration to live within our planetary boundaries, retake our seat as good neighbours in the community of life on Earth, and to grieve for what we have already lost.
activities and engagements that bring to light the need for Down-to-earth sanity
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Global Warming
Crisis
PrayerBy Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
May the blessings of the exalted sources of refuge,
The Buddha, his teachings and community: the Three Precious Jewels,And the spiritual teacher, meditational deities and protectors of the Buddhist teachings: the Three Roots,
Fully pacify the terrors of illness, famine and war,
Along with chaotic disturbances of the four elements —
The imminent and terrifying danger that the whole world will become a great wasteland,
As temperature imbalance causes the solid glaciers of snow mountain massifs to melt and contract,
Afflicting rivers and lakes, so that primeval forests and beautiful trees near their deaths!
May the sublime endowments of good fortune and spiritual and temporal well-being flourish,
And may all beings nurture one another lovingly and kindly,So that their joy may fully blossom!
May all their aims be fulfilled, in accordance with the sacred teachings!At the request of the scientist John Stanley, a student of the Lord of Refuge Dudjom Rinpoche, the
Thrangu Tulku made this prayer. Translated by David Karma Choephel.
When human beings live in harmony with the principles of heaven and earth, then the four seasons and the elements of the world will also work together harmoniously.
—Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche,
Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior
Why are we doing this work?
Earth Salon
The Earth Salon is intended to bring us together to explore the greater implications of our bodhisattva vow. We hope to include guided practices, as well as guest speakers to focus on how our daily activities bind us or alienate us from the earth we share with all creatures.
How do we rouse our intention? How do we move from intention to action? How do we build resilience and appreciation? How do we create a pathway for caring activity on this earth?
Together we will investigate these questions and more while looking at food & gardening, housing & construction, travel, clothing, energy, consumption, and many other areas that will undoubtedly arise during our conversations.
Passcode: sacred
The Earth Salon occurs monthly on the second Sunday at noon Atlantic, offers guest ‘experts’, is hosted by the Touching the Earth Collective, and curated and facilitated by Deborah Luscomb
Global Equinox Lhasangs
One of the most significant practices passed on to us by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche is lhasang – the ceremony of burning juniper to purify space and invoke the dralas, the enlightened energies of the natural world. Simply offering a stick of incense can be a lhasang.
Many of us in Shambhala are familiar with the drala principle. We understand that by connecting with the dralas we can help restore the health and vitality of the natural world. The purifying smoke of the lhasang carries our aspirations upwards and, at the same time, provides for the blessings of the dralas to flow downwards. Meeting the dralas in this way also creates an opportunity to deepen our personal connection to the earth and all living things. Now, with the earth in extreme peril, what better time to practice a collective, global calling on the dralas.
With this view, we hold a global lhasang ceremony with Shambhala Centers, formal and informal Groups, and individuals, performing lhasang in their respective time zones each Spring and Autumn Equinox. This creates a continuous smoke offering that circles the earth for 24 hours.
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Book Reviews
Touching the Earth Collective publishes regular book reviews on the Shambhala Times website exploring different facets of our uncertain ecological times.
Check out our review archive here.
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