“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”

Janis has been practicing Insight meditation for over 8 years and attends silent Vipassana retreats at Insight Meditation Society in Barre MA in a steady rhythm.

In those moments of stormy weather (thoughts, emotions, distractions, etc) Pema’s quote can serve as a great reminder that we always have the cloudless sky within us, we just need to clear the clouds to allow it to shine.

Mindfulness is the central tool to face the current ecological crisis happening in the world today. The climate crisis itself can be seen as the result of the three root defilements, in particular rampant greed and the deluded tendency to ignore its repercussions. The best way to save the planet is to develop inner contentment, which His Holiness described as “a natural resource.” When we are content, we feel that we have everything we need. Learning to be content is more important than having fewer desires, because without contentment we will never feel satisfied: we will always have unfilled desires and the feeling that we lack something. Craving and addictions cause one to consume more of the worlds resources.

May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be, Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, the great or the mighty, medium, short or small, The seen and the unseen, those living near and far away, those born to-be-born–May all beings be at ease! Let none deceive another, 0r despise any being in any state. Let none through anger or ill-will wish harm upon another. Even as a mother protects with her life her child, her only child, So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings; Radiating kindness over the entire world. - Metta Sutta

Beginning the day with a sitting meditation at sunrise serves those living on the land together to connect with themselves, the land and one another before heading into the day.