Caring for our home starts with ourselves

The chaos of the world feels so strong right now. The fear, so real. But take a walk in your backyard, park or in nature, you'll find hope. Pause, breathe & watch the birds fly, a flower bloom, the grass grows or your small vegetable patch mature. It reminds us of how nature can still flourish despite the chaos. So, while you're on that walk stop for a moment, feel the breeze on your face & body. Despite the chaos around us, we too can flourish.

I am a part of the current cohort of Zen & the Art of Saving the Planet Course and find it a real blessing. Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings, supported by Plum Village Monastics around the world share their wisdom to find connection, hope and to come home to themselves. Last week, we shared an early exploration from this course which reminds us to look after ourselves.

What we may not know is looking after ourselves IS also looking after our home, our planet. If we honestly reflect this makes sense.

When you look after yourself, you prepare and cook more which means eating vegetables, fruit & protein. While the busyness of life may often result in convenient meals like fast food, there is less nutritional value & more waste for your body. The reality is while your digestive & nervous systems are actually trying to dispose of the waste, so is our environment. 

Think about the bags, boxes & plastic your takeaway comes in. Consider the disposal of the oil that cooked your chips. Looking after our planet starts with each of us looking after ourselves. BMS would like to take this opportunity to urge you to be mindful of your convenience practices...

What may feel necessary today (and a genuine act of convenience), is likely to have an impact on tomorrow - your scattered mind, your cravings and the decades that nature has to spend attempting to decompose the packaging. How can you live more sustainably? What is one small change you could make today?

Blessings & Guidance,

(Kurt on behalf of) BMS Sangha