refuge: earth day 2011
TRANSCRIPT
8/7/2019 Refuge: Earth Day 2011
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Refuge: Earth Day 2011
Marajina Samaneri
Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, California, USA
There is a clearing on the Aranya Bodhi road that reaches up to the ridge. The sky is wide open there,
like a nest of stars, above the redwoods. The stars and moon above the circle of trees create a center point from which to abide in Metta for the entirety of the universe and space. Joyful Metta,
Compassionate Metta, Equanimous Metta. Metta for the devas and demons and friends in this forest.
Metta for our family of supporters. Metta for Mara. Metta for those with no feet, with two feet, withfour feet, the many-footed and the differently-footed.
The Buddha told us we have been wandering on for so long that there is not one being who has not
been dear to us. The tiny flying beings above, the delicate crawling beings below, the curious walking beings all around, the hunters, the scavengers, the consumers... each has been our beloved. When we
see this, we can also see that we are now reunited. It is a very happy meditation to love all of our dear
ones once again. To care for each other again; to be found. And likewise to allow oneself to be loved, togive and to receive Metta from those beings who are sitting, just as we are, at the same moment, around
the planet. The Earth connects us, in a solid, physical sense to each other.
Alongside the Pacific Ocean, the forest of Aranya Bodhi sits in meditative equipoise. It is easy to sit
with Earth, to be with Earth in community within this forest. The forest has her history. The humans
have ours. The forest dwellers also have a history. But what seems to matter most, for most of us, is notwhat we can say of the past, but the present telling.
In the shaded, reclusive spaces and the airy, light spaces of forest- dwelling, the mind intent on
seclusion is drawn inward. Concentrated, the mind recognizes the ancient elemental meditation goingon all around and it desires to gather into the continuity. To be collected, in community, in harmony, to
be content. All beings, we know, desire happiness.
The forest is not a refuge in and of herself. She needs nourishment and protection, like we do. She is
fragile, like we are. Like us, she can give only so much. She can sit in meditative equipoise only for so
long. Forest-dwellers need our protection. They are fragile, like us. Human beings need our protection.We are fragile. When we can recognize that all sentient beings have been our mother, that we have each
been very dear to each other we can remember to carefully care for each other, right now
Walking in the forest, each moment we step into a great meditation hall alongside all of our mothers.Our feet get lost in the shuffle of simultaneous movement, there are innumerable feet, bones, scales,
feathers, bark, skin and fur. It doesn't matter which direction one faces, we are always facing each
other. We can't remember exactly what we look like or what language we speak. There is just thiscontinuity, this surrender, this unconditional caring...
Refuge is like this.