Dearest Friends,

It was deeply nourishing to be in your gracious company again at our most recent gathering.

In our last session, we continued exploring the expressions of joy in the dharma as a way of expanding our capacity to meet, hold and transform the ecological crises of our times. This time, we focused on sukha—the calm and gentle joy that arises when the mind is settled. Often translated as contentment or tranquility, sukha serves as the antidote to the hindrances of restlessness and worry in formal mindfulness meditation practice.

In the context of ecological engagement, sukha can counter the frantic agitation and debilitating panic provoked by environmental crises and remind us that inner steadiness and stability are vital to sustaining the long-term work of planetary stewardship. Sukha can also serve the latter by reconnecting us with the joys of simplicity and sufficiency—of living with less, savoring what’s already here and aligning with the natural rhythms of the living world.   

In short, sukha teaches us that contentment is not resignation but resilience. By resting in sufficiency, we find the steadiness to meet the ecological crises of our times with patience and persistence, sustaining our care for Mother Earth over the long journey ahead.

SUGGESTED PRACTICE:

Sit quietly and take a few moments to attend to your breath. When you’re ready, recall a moment spent in nature that left you with a quiet, peaceful and gentle sense of contentment. It might have been resting under the shade of a tree. It might have been watching clouds streaming across the sky. It might have been listening to the sound of rain on a windowpane. Notice what it felt like for that moment to be enough. Notice what it felt like to not have a trace of craving, grasping or wanting in the heart-mind. Imagine Mother Earth herself resting in this way: forests breathing, rivers flowing, soil renewing. Imagine your tranquility harmonizing with our planet’s natural rhythms. Allow this quiet, gentle and simple joy to steady your heart—reminding you that calm is possible even amidst crisis and chaos.

RECOMMENDED POEM:

Mary Oliver’s Praying

REFLECTION PROMPTS: 

1. When facing ecological crises, how does restlessness or worry show up for you?
2. What practices of simplicity or sufficiency help you cultivate sukha or the joy of contentment?
3. How might communities embody sukha together, creating spaces of calm that support ecological resilience?