Welcome back.
It's day three.
On day two,
We discussed how important it is to listen to our feelings.
And today,
We're talking about how to reach out for help.
But first,
Congratulations on planting your first tree.
Ecosia will plant your first tree to fight hunger.
Warmer temperatures and irregular rainfall often lead to insufficient yields.
Planting trees on and around farms really helps,
And not just because of their fruit.
Trees also create cooler microclimates and provide shade,
Which protects crops in the dry season.
They attract rain and restore nutrients to the soil.
Smallholder farmers who grow trees alongside their crops often end up producing more than their family needs and can sell their surplus.
In Senegal,
Ecosia's trees have increased people's income by an average of 400 percent.
And we Ecosia had similar successes in Morocco,
Nicaragua,
And Ethiopia.
This additional income helps families cover essentials such as school supplies and medical bills.
The tree you plant today,
Just by meditating with us,
Will start this virtuous cycle.
Thank you.
Let's take a few deep,
Grounding breaths into this safe,
Supportive space.
Breathing in through the nose,
Exhaling through the mouth.
In through the nose,
Exhaling through the mouth.
One of the hardest things when you're upset is feeling isolated and alone,
Or feeling that no one you speak to understands you.
This is just as true for eco-anxiety as it is for other kinds of sadness and distress.
It can be very lonely if people who know little about climate change try to reassure you.
Even if people have the best intentions,
It can be deeply hurtful if people belittle you or mock you.
It's insensitive if they tell you to simply cheer up.
These responses can make you feel worse,
More isolated,
More lonely,
And more likely to blame yourself for being upset.
What you need most in these moments is people around you who will listen to you with love,
Curiosity,
Compassion,
And kindness.
You need people who will take your concerns seriously,
Help you reflect on what the climate crisis means for you,
And help you gradually decide what you can do about it.
For some people,
Their family and friends step up.
They listen and try to understand.
But other people,
Other people find that they need to look outside their immediate circle and make new contacts for this kind of support.
It can help to talk to someone who is a bit further on in their climate journey than you are.
Someone who understands it's possible to eventually feel more rooted,
Less troubled,
And calmer.
Joining a local environmental group where you'll meet people who have been thinking and working on these issues for longer than you have helps a lot of people.
Look for groups that resonate with your values,
Where you will feel comfortable.
Depending on who you are,
This might,
For example,
Be a faith-based group,
A political action group,
Or a local community group.
The right people will hear you differently and support you on your journey.
That's how you'll know.
For today's practice,
We'll do a love and kindness meditation.
Close your eyes and relax your body.
Get comfortable,
Whether you're lying down or sitting up.
Find a position that is comfortable for you.
Take a deep,
Full breath in and exhale through the mouth.
Allow any sigh or sound that feels necessary to release to release.
Keep repeating this for a few more moments,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth,
Releasing any sound that comes up and desires to be released.
In this relaxed state,
Let's turn inward and focus on your heart space.
Send gratitude and appreciation to yourself in this moment.
Now let's repeat the following phrases.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
May I be at peace.
May I be supported.
May I be loved.
Send and receive the energy of these love and kindness words to every cell in your body.
Envision your body in life embodying these words.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
May I be at peace.
May I be supported.
May I be loved.
Now bring to mind someone who brings warmth,
Comfort and joy to your heart.
Send gratitude and appreciation to this person.
Let's offer the same love and kindness phrases you nourished yourself with to this person and envision them receiving each phrase with joy,
Gratitude and an open heart.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
Bring to mind someone now you have conflict with or a challenging time with while journeying in grace with yourself.
Move through any feelings of resistance that may come up.
Again journey in grace with this practice.
Bring this person to mind.
With the same loving kindness let's nourish this person with it.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
Envision this person receiving each phrase with an open heart,
Joy and gratitude.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
Now envision a new person,
Group or community in your life that like you cares for the planet and is a great support system to you.
As you're envisioning send gratitude and appreciation through loving kindness to this person or group.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
Envision this person or group receiving each phrase with an open heart,
Joy and gratitude.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
Now,
Sending loving kindness energy to the entire planet and to all beings.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
Envision these words reaching all beings and the entire planet.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
May you be supported.
May you be loved.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes.
Continue spreading this loving kindness energy with yourself,
The planet and the people in your life in the coming days.
May it be a powerful foundation and baseline for journeying each new day.
The action step for day three is to think of all the people you know and set an intention to contact someone you think might understand and listen to how you are feeling.
If there's no one in your inner circle who you think could do this,
Try looking for online support groups such as climate cafes and listening to podcasts and watching videos about how to cope with eco anxiety.
Cheers to completing day three and to planting your first tree.
And tomorrow we'll explore grief and how to navigate it.
