Creative Buzz

It is hard to believe that summer is coming to an end but alas, the seasons must change. Here in the Pacific North West summer is too short, cliche I know. I must lament, many of the creative projects that I intended to work on or wrap up this summer simply didn’t happen. Though in my failure beauty emerged, beauty in the form of unscheduled spontaneity that resulted in amazing time with family and friends, beauty in the form of downtime that allowed a very deep and profound ancestral healing, the type that you cannot command to happen or schedule in. I feel so deeply calm and focused and although I crave more sun, as we all do, I feel ready to embrace autumn.

summer sunset

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Here is a teaser from the documentary END:CIV directed by Franklin Lopez of submedia.tv based on the works of Derek Jensen. During the winter and spring I had a ton of fun doing some post production on this project.

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Meat consumption is a significant contributor to global emissions, primarily beef and pork. The larger the animal, the heavier the footprint. If you are not vegetarian, consider going veg one day a week to do your part. If the whole planet stopped consuming meat one day a week emissions drop considerably. See if you can go to two days from there, and stick to poultry and fish, although it seems that salmon is not really an option anymore. When I think about how we can carry our existences and pursue our dreams while reducing our footprints on the planet it kicks in my creativity and I get a little buzz from it. Riding my bike around, growing food, consuming less, it has been fueling me as I discover little details that make my day more sustainable, and more magical.

 

Environmental Guidelines by a Buddhist Master

With great joy I am passing on the link to a downloadable book written by HH the 17th Karmapa, a Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teacher. It was written to ensure all Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, centres and communities are clear on how they can have a positive impact on the fragile Tibetan ecosystem rather than contribute to further destructive practices. This 26 page ‘Archana’ in PDF format clearly defines how to protect our forests, our water, our wildlife, and discusses waste management and climate change. It pertains to Tibet but is applicable to the entire planet and is a must read.

When HH Karmapa gave public talks in Seattle last year I was inspired to hear him say that the world is in a state where it is in danger of being destroyed, and that we have to get out there and do something about it. As meditators we don’t have the luxury of sitting in caves and enjoying benefits of lots of spiritual practice. We have to work hard and bring all of our efforts out into the world. He gave us some very clear instructions on how to do this. And do this I do.

HH the 17th Karmapa

I challenge all religious heads, governments, corporations and collectives to take this issue seriously and implement such guidelines. Hop on board! Collaborate, think about what the obstacles to living on our planet without damaging it are, find ways to live on the land sustainably while bringing it back into a state of balance, and relentlessly support this ambitious endeavor. I feel so relieved after reading this clear manual that these coherent words are accessible.

It is a beautiful book with 4 lovely watercolor paintings that Karmapa painted and you don’t have to be a Buddhist to gain from reading it. So… CLICK HERE to download this free read and think about how you are refining your part.

drinking kava root tea…