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9/12: Lantern Flies Ecodharma, and The Three Characteristics with Joy
Published 11 days ago • 4 min read
We are a Theravada Buddhist community based in New Haven, Connecticut that seeks to create an inclusive space for all to learn about and practice meditation.
This Saturday, September 12, from 10:30 am to Noon, we will meet for meditation, small group discussion and a dhamma talk by Joy Burns on, “Lantern Flies, The Three Characteristics, and EcoDharma.”
Dress in layers for the cool ocean breeze and bring a cushion or chair. Stay awhile or leave early.
Great Buddha in Autumn #11, Michelle Burgess
Fall, leaves, fall
By Emily Brontë
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away; Lengthen night and shorten day; Every leaf speaks bliss to me Fluttering from the autumn tree. I shall smile when wreaths of snow Blossom where the rose should grow; I shall sing when night’s decay Ushers in a drearier day.
Interested to learn more about Buddhism and the intersection of mindful environmental stewardship?
Shamabala has a great list for browsing that may lead to that great read.
New and Forthcoming Books to Transform Climate Anxiety into Positive Action
"I’ve always had a physical aversion to the end of August; its ripeness disgusts me like the rotting fruit speckling the ground. But when I moved to the USA, nothing prepared me for the desolation of Labor Day: a formal end to summer with a spitefully early September date, weeks (sometimes months!) before the sun runs out."
In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I have found myself musing about nonviolence, its contributions, its limits, and its place in the Buddha’s teaching. I have also been surprised to hear many of my acquaintances confuse the Buddha’s teaching of nonviolence with pacifism (which I will here take to mean the objection to any kind of violence for any reason), so that, due to their confusion, they find themselves either rejecting nonviolence as hopelessly naive and inadvertently destructive, or embracing the politicized group allegiances of pacifism, which they imagine incorrectly to present what the Buddha taught.
The Buddha did not intend to form either a religious or political position, nor a philosophy of society. Historically, he lived before the era of organized, systematic theorizing about the human collective. He addressed himself as an individual to individuals. Even when he spoke to large groups, as he frequently did, he focused on individual responsibility. He understood every group—for example, the democratic states that existed in the India of his times—as resting upon the insight, conscience and actions of each of its participants. He had no theory of, nor belief in, supervening collective structures of society or government that could amend or replace the bedrock of individual choice.
"The “Dhamma,” or path to liberation for which the Buddha was spokesman, is not an idea but a mode of conduct and a way of life that leads to personal realization. Its goal is to release its practitioners from authorities and ideologies, not anarchistically or capriciously, but through training, by deepening their personal experiences of the nature of their true self and its ethical implications."
Please share your experience and input about your background, the planning for the sangha and upcoming events. Your feedback matters!
And then... there were Two
There's now a newsletter team!
For a few hours each month, this newsletter will be produced with help from Mia.
Mia is a high school junior, a writer, and an editor for her school’s student-run newspaper. She is passionate about social justice and journalism, and she is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to volunteer with ECI.
Mia is excited to contribute to the ECI newsletter and hopes to learn more about Theravada Buddhism and its impact on her community.
Dana, the practice of generosity, supports teachers in continuing practice and the lineage of Buddhist teachings. If you benefit from these practices and from this community, please consider supporting us. Dana is currently used to support our website, arrange visiting dhamma teachers, help to feed the New Haven community in need, and support the New Haven Free Public Library in gratitude for their generosity in providing our Saturday meeting space. The easiest way to contribute is through this link where you can make a donation via Venmo or with a credit or debit card (via PayPal, no account required). Alternatively, if you want to send a check, please address it to: Elm Community Insight PO Box 6195 40 Putnam Ave Hamden, CT 06517
Volunteering
We are seeking volunteers to assist with future Saturday Sangha meetings, including setting up, greeting visitors, and providing technical support at the Library. One way to help is to arrive early at the Library (~10:10 am) to help set up the room for Saturday Sangha. Thank you!
Community Resources
Melanie Stengel is the Sangha's Goodwill Ambassador: if have a need for concrete support (e.g., dog care, food, furniture moving) or emotional support (e.g., going through a hard time, would appreciate check-ins or visits), please reach out to her for coordination by clicking here: SanghaGoodwillAmbassador. For supportive telephone conversation, warm lines are another resource. These phone lines are staffed by people with expertise in providing mutual aid. A list of Connecticut's warm lines is available here.
Our Community
Find more information about us, learn more about community meditation resources, or subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website at: elmcommunityinsight.org
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