Climate change action group
The Southern Insight Meditation climate-change group is a lovely mix of people with very varied interests. We have been meeting regularly in Addington for 18 months. We keep a focus on enjoying our engagement round this issue, and taking inspiration from a number of sources for the work that we are doing together.
We have a lot of fun, and our meetings include a surprising amount of laughing. We enjoyed being part of the Climate Parade in Christchurch last December, carrying the artwork that Julie and friends put together. The vigil prior to the march, which included some poetry reading, meditation and discussion with people from different faiths, was also an uplifting experience. It was incredibly heartening to see people across New Zealand and the whole world marching in support of action to protect our beautiful planet.
Since that time we’ve been meeting and continuing to find inspiration by starting to understand our own carbon footprints and to experiment in our own lives with more sustainable practices – both mentally and physically.
The group draws on the Awakening Joy practices to remind ourselves to notice the beauty of nature, and the great things that we all have in our lives. These, as well as mindfulness and compassion practices, sustain us as we open to how the life-giving air that connects and breathes us all is being affected by carbon emissions. Group members have been involved in looking at energy, financial and trade systems through to changing diets, cycling and walking more or catching the bus, and noticing the enjoyable aspects of these forms of travel.
If you would like to join our group or even just stay in touch with what we are up to, email us at Southern.Insight.Meditation@gmail.com and we’ll add you to our list. We meet fortnightly on a Monday evening.