This year’s Buddhist Action Month (BAM!) - happening around the world throughout June - is about to kick off. The theme is “For the Earth” - and here on the Dharma Toolkit we’ll be looking at the intersection between urgent human issues like climate change, economic inequality and social justice.
The poetic version of this, rooted in personal and community practice, is that we have a perfect opportunity to speak up for the many beings...
On 1, 8 and 15 June, Sangha night will focus on the theme for Buddhist Action Month, which this year is …for the Earth. We will explore what we want to do or say ‘for the Earth’, with short talks, discussion and ritual and with reference to the Brahmaviharas – specifically Metta (love), Karuna (compassion) and Mudita (joy). These weeks will be led by Karunagita with support from Katja and the Sangha night team.
Kaspalita Thompson from the Network of Buddhist Organisations UK writes:
BAM! 2020
Hi everyone - we are heading towards June, Buddhist Action Month!
The theme for 2020 is … For The Earth. The invitation is to put your group name, event name or own personal theme before the phrase ‘For The Earth’. In this way we have both a unifying element, and a way of reflecting our diversity as Buddhists and activists. Some examples:
Tidying our park for the Earth Bodhisattva practice...
This year at the WBC we have been unable to participate fully in BAM due to a lack of resources but I think it’s important that we as Buddhists think about the outward facing aspect of our practice, there can be a bit of a tendency to get really focussed inwards, either on ourselves or on the Wellington Sangha. We can forget that we are part of a much larger picture.
Saving the Earth, a Buddhist response to the cries of the world. How would the Buddha respond?
Akuppa’s talk given at the Mid Essex Buddhist Centre on 7 June 2019 as part of their Buddhist Action Month
John Marder, One of the committee members of the Network of Buddhist Organisations UK produced a document on Greenspace Climate Action for Buddhist Action Month 2019. The introduction reads:
“In February this year, Buddhists from a number of different groups and traditions, gathered to discuss right actions that could be taken in response to the climate problem. Greenspace projects featured strongly amongst the ideas that were shared, prompting NBO to develop this guidance. Its intention is to provide basic...
The handbook explains the theme: Climate Action - Personal Action. It suggests Buddhist ways of engaging with the theme and thinking about climate change, including avoiding polarisation. There are suggestions of personal and group actions, and other groups that you can join with.
Buddhist Action Month: (BAM!) is an annual festival of Buddhist social action. It started in Britain in 2012 and has since spread out across Europe and beyond. Social action is one of the manifestations of METTA, the strong intention to create Loving Kindness for all, which is embodied in the desire to act for the benefit of the world. Practising this is at the heart of everything we do in the Triratna Buddhist Community.
