Monday, May 25, we will meet online.
Dear friends,
This week, we will meet Monday evening, May 25, from 7-8:30PM ET online; Wednesday morning, May 27, from 7-8AM ET in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW); and Friday, May 29, 12-1PM ET online.
On Monday, Annie will facilitate. We will practice Touching the Earth, a practice to deepen awareness of our interbeing nature.
I’ve been reflecting on the moment we are in - personally, culturally and politically - and I'm seeing that one of the things that most divides us is when we forget our interbeing nature - we are all in this together - and believe instead that we are separate individuals.
When we slip into believing we are separate, we create enemies that we then blame and target. In the moments when we remember and recognize our interbeing, we naturally want to protect life and care for everyone; we see that no one is outside of the whole. The Buddha and Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) often taught about the interdependent nature of all beings. When we calm our bodies and minds and look deeply, we are able to see that we are not disconnected. There is no way for us to live apart from the rest of life.
This is one meaning of solidarity - we all belong. Every single one of us. No one can be separated from the web of life. And even with that awareness of oneness in the ultimate dimension, we never give up taking care of each other here in the historical dimension.
Thay wrote in 2000 in the essay “Man is Not Our Enemy”:
Having learnt and practised the teachings of Interbeing I no longer see anyone as my enemy and in my heart is a feeling of lightness and immense space. I do not even feel hatred towards people who have made me or my people suffer because I know how to look at them with the eyes of understanding and love.
You may ask: "Then are you going to give that band of mad, cruel, fanatical thieves and murderers freedom to continue to destroy and make misery without doing anything to stop them?" No! We have to do everything we can to stop them, we cannot allow them to continue to kill, plunder, oppress and destroy, but our actions will never be motivated by hatred. We have to stop them, not allowing them to cause misery. If necessary we can bind them, put them in prison, but this action has to be directed by our bodhisattva's heart and while we act like this we continue to maintain our loving-kindness, wanting them to be able to have a chance to wake up, and change.
When I received the Dharma Lamp at Plum Village in 2022, I wrote this gatha (verse) about a moment of recognizing that I fully belonged to this world, even after my death:
Seeing the skull with teeth in these foggy rainy woods,
I know this wildly free, composting world is mine, is me.
All of us will arrive home together chanting Namo ‘Valo,
Leaving nothing but our love and a few muddy footprints behind.
There’s nothing that I am not. Whether beautiful or ugly, neat or messy, clean or dirty. When we truly know that we belong, we feel a sense of home. I have arrived, I am home. It’s the “ahh” we utter when we arrive home after a long trip or long day at work, and fall back onto our favorite chair. This deep calm permeates our nervous system and removes blocks to true connection. If we never feel that sense of true solidarity, interbeing and being at home, the world can become alien to us, and we may get lost in anxiety and fear.
The practice of Touching the Earth is a reminder of all the ways that we inter-are with each other. The text we will listen to is below and here. It’s a blend of several texts from Plum Village and the ARISE sangha. After enjoying sitting meditation and Touching the Earth, we will have time to share with each other about our life, our practice, and our challenges. If we have time, we will sing “Awaken Spirit of the Earth,” too.
You might enjoy reflecting on the times that you forget the insight of Interbeing and thereby create and blame enemies, and the practices that bring you back home to belonging and solidarity.
I look forward to connecting with you then.
with love,
annie.
Five Earth Touchings
Introduction: This is edited text guiding the practice of Earth Touchings based on what we use at Plum Village practice centers and sanghas including some text woven in from the ARISE Sangha.
Practicing the Three Earth Touchings gives us an opportunity to deeply touch the reality of interbeing across space and time. After practicing with this text, we encourage you to write your own, so that you can go even deeper into your practice.
To begin this practice, we invite you to join your palms in front of your chest in the shape of a lotus bud. If you are with others, one of you may like to take the role of bell minder and invite the bell and read the text for others to practice. If you are alone, you may like to invite the bell and read the text out loud. Then, gently lower yourself to the ground so that all four limbs and your forehead are resting comfortably on the floor.
While touching the Earth, turn your palms face up, showing your openness to the Three Jewels — the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. When we touch the Earth, we breathe in all the strength and stability of the Earth and breathe out our suffering - our feelings of anger, hatred, fear, inadequacy and grief.
Enjoy your practice.
[invite the bell three times to begin]
I. Touching the Earth, I connect with ancestors and descendants of my spiritual families.
[invite the bell] [touch the earth]
My spiritual ancestors may include the Buddha, the bodhisattvas, the noble Sangha of Buddha’s disciples, Jesus and Mary; Moses and Abraham; Mohammed and the Sufi Masters; Krishna; Mother Earth and Father Sun, and the many wise and courageous spiritual teachers still alive or already passed away. They are present in me because they have transmitted to me seeds of peace, wisdom, love, and happiness. They have woken up in me the seeds of understanding and compassion.
When I look at my spiritual ancestors, I see those who are perfect in the practice of the mindfulness trainings, understanding, and compassion, and those who are still imperfect. I accept them all because I see within myself shortcomings and weaknesses.
Aware that my practice of the mindfulness trainings is not always perfect, and that I am not always as understanding and compassionate as I would like to be, I open my heart and accept all my spiritual ancestors, descendants and friends, human and more than human.
[take three breaths] [invite the bell] [stand up]
II. Touching the Earth, I connect with the land, all the ancestors who made it available, and all people and all species that are alive at this moment in this world with me.
[invite the bell] [touch the earth]
I see that I am whole, protected, and nourished by this land and all of the living beings that have been here and made life easy and possible for me through all their efforts. I see all those known and unknown who have made this country a refuge for people of so many origins and colors, by their talent, perseverance, and love—those who have worked hard to build schools, hospitals, bridges, and roads; to protect human rights; to develop science and technology; and to fight for freedom and social justice.
I touch my African ancestors of this land, you who were enslaved and brought to this land, who poured your blood, sweat, and tears on this land, whose unrewarded labor helped make this country an economic world power. I aspire to preserve, nourish, and pass on your strength, patience, perseverance, love, forgiveness, humility, your creativity and innovation in agriculture, inventions, history, music, dance, art, the sciences, sports, oratory, literature, religion, civil and human rights activism, and community spirit.
I touch my Asian and Pacific Islander ancestors of this land. I touch your sacrifice and contribution to the economic success of this land through your underpaid labor in gold mines, farms, and canneries along the Pacific Coast, your work in the dangerous construction of transcontinental railroads, and your many innovations in agriculture, textiles, manufacturing, and technology throughout this land. I aspire to preserve, nourish, and pass on your patience, perseverance, determination, respect for ancestors and elders, commitment to youth and family, education, arts, and your painstaking care to maintain culture, language, and religion for future generations.
I touch my European American ancestors, you who came to this land to find freedom from political and religious oppression and poverty, who came seeking a new vision of society. I touch the deep insight and compassion of the Quakers, Abolitionists, peace activists, and the great conservationists of this land. I am aware that many of my European American ancestors lost their fortunes and even lives to resist the oppression of people of color. At the same time, I touch the great suffering experienced by some of you who were misguided in your views, whose belief in your superiority led to the decimation of Native peoples, the horrors of slavery, and the exclusion of people of color.
I touch my Latina and Latino ancestors of this land, you who are the children of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and the Spanish colonizers, who for centuries lived on and built up roughly half of the present-day U.S., and some who immigrated from Central and South America more recently. I am in touch with the suffering of my Latina/o ancestors due to war and racist policies, like the deportation of millions of Mexican Americans, and the continued targeting and deportation of immigrants south of the US border, as well as loss of land and culture. I aspire to preserve, nourish, and pass on your strength, patience, perseverance, love, forgiveness, humility, humor, your creativity and innovation in the arts, your nourishing foods and commitment to taking care of family.
I touch my Native American ancestors, you who have lived on this land for such a long time and known the ways to live in peace and harmony with nature, protecting the mountains, forests, animals, plants, and minerals. I am grateful for all the foods that you, our ancestors have cultivated to nourish us today, and for the Iroquois contribution to our system of government. I am in touch with the profound suffering of my Native American ancestors: genocide, displacement, racism, and separation from homeland, culture, religion, food, dance, and songs. I aspire to preserve, nourish, and pass your medicine on, ingenuity, humor, courage, dignity, clarity, compassion, art, culture, traditions of cooperation, and selfless service to the community.
I touch my Middle Eastern, Arab, and Northern African ancestors who enriched the economic, political and cultural landscape of American life and the scientists, engineers, and doctors who contributed to the making of a great America. I am grateful for all the foods that you, our ancestors have shared with America from a generous spirit, the beautiful tapestry and art, and your priority of education, entrepreneurship, family and extended family support, and respect for our elders. I am in touch with the way this historic and current day suffering may at times manifest in unskillful actions leading to wrong perceptions and persecution of our beautiful culture and religions. I aspire to preserve, nourish, and pass your bravery, your perseverance, generosity, your religions and languages, your ingenuity, clarity, art, culture, foods, traditions of cooperation and family loyalty
I pour all this suffering on the earth and ask the earth to help me transform it into wisdom and compassion. I aspire to preserve, nourish, and pass on the courage of all of my land ancestors in coming to an unfamiliar land, their strong faith and commitment to democracy, their perseverance, ingenuity and love.
I feel the energy of this land penetrating my body, mind, and soul, supporting and accepting me. I vow to cultivate and maintain this energy and to transmit it to future generations. I vow to contribute my part in transforming the violence, hatred and delusion that still lie deep in the collective consciousness of this society—in all ethnic groups—so that future generations will have more safety, joy, and peace. I ask this land for its protection and support.[1]
[take three breaths] [invite the bell] [stand up]
III. Touching the Earth, I connect with ancestors and descendants of my spiritual blood and chosen families.
I see my mother as a young woman, smiling, vibrant, alive, innocent, with so many ideas and plans for the future. I can feel her energy in me fully.
I see my father as a young man, fresh, at ease, determined, engaged, wanting to contribute to the world. I can feel his energy in me. I feel their eyes looking out of my eyes now.
I see my grandparents on my mother’s side and how they worked to raise my own mother in the best way that they could, and my grandparents on my father’s side and all the difficulties that they faced. And I see all my ancestors streaming back in time, wherever they lived, and I know that they worked hard in their lives in order for me to live my life now. I feel their joys and their sorrows, their expectations, and hopes, which have been passed down to me, in my very bones.
I carry in me the life, blood, experience, wisdom, happiness, and sorrow of all of these previous generations. I open my heart, flesh, and bones to receive the energy of insight, love, and experience transmitted to me by all my ancestors. I am practicing to transform their suffering. I see all their beautiful intentions and I feel love, compassion and sorrow for their hurts. I pour out all of the negative habit energies and experiences I have received from my ancestors, into the support of Mother Earth beneath me, leaving only their inner goodness -- their Buddha nature -- in me.
I know that parents love and support their children and grandchildren, although they are not always able to express it skillfully because of difficulties they themselves encountered. As a continuation of my ancestors, I bow deeply with gratitude for all that my parents, grandparents, and ancestors went through to provide me with life today. I open my heart and accept all my ancestors and descendants – those who exist now and those I may have in the future - with their good qualities, their talents, and also their weaknesses. I open myself to allow their energy to flow through me and I ask them for their support, protection, and strength.
My spiritual ancestors, family ancestors, spiritual descendants, and family descendants are all part of me. I am them, and they are me. I do not have a separate self. All exist as part of a wonderful stream of life which is constantly flowing.
[take three breaths] [invite the bell] [stand up]
IV. Touching the Earth, I connect with all of life.
[invite the bell] [touch the earth]
I am one with the wonderful pattern of life that radiates out in all directions. I see the close connection between myself and others, how we share happiness and suffering. I am one with those who were born disabled or who have become disabled because of war, accident, or illness. I am one with those who are caught in a situation of war or oppression. I am one with those who find no happiness in family life, who have no roots and no peace of mind, who are hungry for understanding and love, and who are looking for something beautiful, wholesome, and true to embrace and to believe in.
I am someone at the point of death who is very afraid and does not know what is going to happen. I am a child who lives in a place where there is miserable poverty and disease, whose legs and arms are like sticks and who has no future. I am also the manufacturer of bombs that are sold to poor countries. I am the frog swimming in the pond, and I am also the snake who needs the body of the frog to nourish its own body. I am the caterpillar or the ant that the bird is looking for to eat, and I am also the bird that is looking for the caterpillar or the ant. I am the forest that is being cut down. I am the rivers and the air that are being polluted, and I am also the person who cuts down the forest and pollutes the rivers and the air.
I see myself in all species, and I see all species in me. I am one with the great beings who have realized the truth of no-birth and no-death and are able to look at the forms of birth and death, happiness and suffering, with calm eyes. I am one with those people—who can be found a little bit everywhere—who have sufficient peace of mind, understanding and love, who are able to touch what is wonderful, nourishing, and healing, who also have the capacity to embrace the world with a heart of love and arms of caring action. I am someone who has enough peace, joy, and freedom and is able to offer fearlessness and joy to living beings around themselves. I see that I am not lonely and cut off. The love and the happiness of great beings on this planet help me not to sink in despair. They help me to live my life in a meaningful way, with true peace and happiness. I see them all in me, and I see myself in all of them.
[take three breaths] [invite the bell] [stand up]
V. Touching the Earth, I let go of my idea that I am this body and my life span is limited.
[invite the bell] [touch the earth]
I see that this body, made up of the four elements – earth, water, fire, and air - is not really me and I am not limited by this body. I am part of a stream of life of spiritual and blood ancestors that for thousands of years has been flowing into the present and flows on for thousands of years into the future. I am one with my ancestors. I am one with all people and all species, whether they are peaceful and fearless or suffering and afraid.
At this very moment, I am present everywhere on this planet. I am also present in the past and in the future. The disintegration of this body does not touch me, just as when the plum blossom falls it does not mean the end of the plum tree.
I see myself as a wave on the surface of the ocean. My nature is the ocean water. I see myself in all the other waves and see all the other waves in me. The appearance and disappearance of the form of the wave does not affect the ocean. My Dharma body and spiritual life are not subject to birth and death.
I see the presence of myself before my body manifested and after my body has disintegrated. Even in this moment, I see how I exist elsewhere than in this body. Seventy or eighty years is not my life span. My life span, like the life span of a leaf or of a Buddha, is limitless. I have gone beyond the idea that I am a body that is separated in space and time from all other forms of life.
[take three breaths] [invite the bell] [stand up]
[1]from ARISE