We are aware that without the support and energy of the Earth and our land ancestors it would be impossible for us to live and sustain our practice here today. In this moment, Let us make the sincere aspiration to live in harmony with the Earth, with all its creatures, large and small, its vegetation, its minerals, and with all the people who have lived and continue to live on this beautiful planet of ours.
We are aware that to effect real change in our global ecological situation, our efforts must start here, right where we live, working in harmony with each other and in our local communities, and that our efforts must come from a place of peace within ourselves, and be based on understanding, love and respect for ourselves, all our ancestors, and future generations. We understand that when we are truly in harmony with ourselves and with each other, we are also in harmony with the land, the plants, the animals and the whole of the Earth. Thus, we vow to contribute to the regeneration of this beautiful planet, and offer freshness, peace and happiness to all who live here. We resolve to plant our understanding, our love and our equanimity on this land, and in the hearts of people, with our light and peaceful steps. We are determined to practice wholeheartedly so that the doors of understanding, love and freedom may be opened for each one of us.
As children of this land we ask for your great compassion and forgiveness, as we have made a great many mistakes out of ignorance, and we want to begin anew and reestablish a good connection with you, our Earth. We are aware that the degradation our planet is currently suffering from has been brought about by the unsustainable use of material resources and we are determined to use the practice of mindfulness to help reverse that process, knowing that that is our greatest protection, both for ourselves, each other and the earth, now and into the future. Knowing that the collective suffering such as global climate change, deforestation, water scarcity and the pollution of the air, the soil and the water arises from our daily actions, both individual and collective, we are committed to vastly transforming our way of life in order to bring about peace and harmony within ourselves, our Sangha family, and in our local and global communities and ecosystems.
We vow not to fly or drive unnecessarily, to find alternative means of transport and fuel whenever possible; to eat more local food that is in season, to grow more of our own food organically, and to compost to the best of our ability; not to buy or use unnecessary products or those with excessive packaging, such as bottled water, but rather to use biodegradable products and to thoroughly sort and recycle our trash on a continual basis; not to waste water and to recycle rainwater whenever possible and use grey water as well; to learn about and educate others about planting and nourishing native plant species in our gardens and communities to help protect animals, plants and minerals; and to explore ways in which we, our families, and practice communities can make use of alternative energy sources so that we can individually and collectively reduce our ecological footprint and reach eventual no-trace living.
When we look deeply into all the natural elements surrounding us, we can feel the presence of our Earth Mother and all the ancestors on this beautiful land holding and sustaining our daily practice. When we come back to the present moment, we can be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements inside of us and surrounding us. We can feel the earth supporting our peaceful steps, the rocks our sitting practice. We can experience our deep connection with blooming mango and avocado trees, singing mocking birds, colorful painted buntings, magical hummingbirds, fragrant water lilies, delightful orchid flowers, sweet pineapples and refreshing papayas. We can marvel at the miracle of wild strawberries growing by the side of the road in southern France, luscious blackberries surrounding a grass runway in central Florida, delicious raspberries rising under the forest canopy in eastern Switzerland, and scrumptious blueberries emerging in between the rocks in upstate New York. Our planet is always there for us, let's make a commitment to be there for our planet. On this Earth Day, let's make a commitment to help preserve our Earth Mother for generations of living beings yet to come. Let's make a commitment today to be the change that we wish to see in the world!
Written by Martha Martinez based on the Offering to the Land Ancestors in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
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