Enviro Zen
The lives of people as part of the natural world and the natural world as part of the life of humanity.
Nature is not the enemy of people, nature is the expression of the unity of life. When we realize this
we develop appreciation and gratitude.
Placing a flower into a vase to control the view is a thing of ego, the flowers wilt. However placing a
flower into a vase to appreciate its transience brings attention to our co-relationship with the flower.
The very fact flowers wilt gives beauty to live flowers, the very fact that life passes gives value to life
lived. This is the art of the flower, the art of nature.
Humans come to nature in order to see nature within humans, and therefore nature comes to itself
to see itself in humanity. Who is seeing? We mistakenly think we see the mountain without
appreciating the mountain sees us.
The Chinese character for crisis also contains the character for opportunity, whether climate change
or climate crisis, opportunity to change mind, to save, value and repurpose presents itself.
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For additional resources about Zen Buddhism and the environment
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https://www.organism.earth/library/document/eco-zen
For the writings of DT. Suzuki on Zen and enviromentalism
https://herebus.hu/zen/mesterek/rossa.pdf
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Essay on Gardens and Zen
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