Climate Change as a Door to Awakening, A Day of Mindfulness with Dharma Teacher John Bell

How can we more mindfully and more fully feel our connection with our earth and with climate change?

During our day together, we will expand our awareness and embrace our hopes and fears using guided meditations, short videos, songs, poetry, mindful eating, and the sharing of our personal experiences. Our aspiration is that in doing so we will nourish our love for the earth and its creations, and move beyond despair and powerlessness to what Joanna Macy calls “active hope." Climate change then becomes a door to awakening, an opportunity to recognize our inextricable connection with all that is.

The day will be facilitated by John Bell, who has practiced with Thich Nhat Hanh for more than 30 years and was ordained as a Dharma teacher in 2010. In addition to guiding the Mountain Bell Sangha, near Boston, and leading mindfulness retreats across the US, John co-founded YouthBuild USA in 1978 and, until his recent retirement, guided its development into an integrated program that offers education, construction training, and leadership development to low-income young people in 260 communities across the U.S., and in 105 communities in 15 other countries

We will practice together in the Octagon at Blueberry Gardens in Ashton, Maryland.

The suggested dana (donation) is $40-$70. Dana is a gift from the heart that supports the community and the teachings: please feel free to contribute less or more according to your circumstances.

Please bring with you a vegetarian dish to share as well as a plate, utensils, napkin, and cup for yourself.

Blueberry Gardens is about 13 miles from Crossings in Silver Spring and also 13 miles from the Columbia Yoga Center in Columbia. We will facilitate the formation of car pools to make the drive more enjoyable and to reduce gas consumption.

Register now. If you have questions, please please contact our registrar, Gene Klinger: gklinger@verizon.net or (301) 260-1635. For directions to Blueberry Gardens, go to www.blueberrygardens.org.

We invite you to join us. Please pass this notice on to friends or groups you think might be interested in practicing with us.