Online: The Buddha, the Body, the Earth – Teachings on Impermanence, Loss, and Joy
with Arisika Razak
Wednesday, November 9th, 2022 | 7:00pm – 9:00pm ET
“Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold, and which to us appears changeless and eternal, may change. Today is fair. Tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds…”
-(Ascribed to) Chief Seattle, 1854
In many Buddhist teachings, the body is presented as a living symbol that illustrates the reality of impermanence, loss, and change. All human life is subject to old age, illness, disability, and death. These heavenly messengers remind us that change – and the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings it engenders – is inextricably linked to life in the body.
The Buddha taught there was a middle way between overindulgence in sense-pleasure and asceticism or absolute denial of the body’s needs. The body is the foundation of our practice: we bring mindful attention to the everyday acts of breathing, walking, eating, sitting, and our interactions with our inner and outer worlds. In some traditions where chanting, walking, prostration, and prayer are central to practice, the body is still the vessel through which we offer our service, prayers, and commitment to supporting all beings in their search for liberation.
In many Indigenous earth-based traditions, the body is the human reflection of the Earth and the ancestors who return again and again. Like the Earth, we, too, have seasons of growth and renewal, seasons of loss and change. Despite multiple environmental crises, many of us believe that our fragile and beautiful planet is strong and resilient and that we – and she – can survive the many crises we are facing.
This evening of practice weaves Buddhist teachings on the body of the Earth and the bodies of humans with earth-based Indigenous beliefs that celebrate the harvest, the ancestors, and the regenerative powers of the Earth and all who depend on her. As we enter the fall season, let’s acknowledge our fragile imperiled Earth and our fragile imperiled bodies; let’s honor our ancestors’ wisdom and the beauty of our planet.
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