238 - Eco-Anxiety and Buddhism – Part 2

It’s natural to feel some eco-anxiety as the earth’s natural life-support systems break down. Buddhism clearly admonishes us to refrain from killing, to actively care for all life, and see ourselves as being in the “same boat” with all beings. In what ways can our practice help us stay strong, and how can it help us respond to our climate and ecological crisis in a way that’s consistent with our Buddhist values?

Read/listen to Part 1

Quicklinks to Article Content:
Facing Our Climate and Ecological Crisis: Despair Versus Denial
The Middle Way with Respect to Our Climate and Ecological Crisis
Liberation through Facing Reality
The Perfection of Endurance
Taking Action on Our Climate and Ecological Crisis

In the last episode, Part 1, I reviewed some of the sobering reasons we might be experiencing some degree of eco-anxiety. I talked about how this response is only natural given the dire circumstances we find ourselves in, and the difficulty of keeping ourselves aware of those circumstances, let alone finding a way to respond that seems commensurate and meaningful. I reviewed some of the Buddhist teachings which ought to make Buddhists some of the most motivated advocates for preserving life, human or otherwise. We may, on occasion, need to take refuge in silence and stillness, but simply hiding out from the problems we face in order to preserve our own peace of mind is not real Buddhist practice. In this episode I’m going to discuss “the real practice.”

Facing Our Climate and Ecological Crisis: Despair Versus Denial

One of the most useful Buddhist teachings I’ve found when it comes to dealing with our climate and ecological practice is the Middle Way. According to tradition, this was the very first teaching Shakyamuni Buddha gave after he awakened. He arrived at the Middle Way after trying two opposing extremes: sensual indulgence (his life in his father’s palace before he set off on his spiritual search) and intense asceticism (where he nearly starved to death and killed himself with his striving). Having found neither of those extremes gave him the result he wanted, he tried availing himself of just enough food and comfort to support his practice, and – voilà! – he was able to awaken.

The Middle Way applies to everything, not just meditation or spiritual effort. It’s the wise course whenever we’re faced with what seems like two opposing options, neither of which is ideal. To tread the Middle Way, we try to mindfully find a way forward that doesn’t involve either extreme. Our primary practice is to avoid getting caught in dualism – either this, or that – and instead to keep our eyes and ears open, willing to adapt and respond in a dynamic dance with life.

When it comes to facing our climate and ecological crisis, it helps to start with identifying the two extremes we want to avoid. One of them is to fill our awareness with the horror of what is happening – to focus tirelessly on the destruction and loss of life, on the lack of commensurate response, on the part of our governments, on the dire predictions for the future. To dwell perpetually in emergency mode, to deny ourselves any pleasure or relaxation, to constantly expose our hearts and minds to stories of loss and injustice.

It’s fortunate that our minds are as naturally resilient as they (usually) are, in many ways. If we were able to sit down and truly comprehend the extent of the destruction, the precarious state of earth’s natural life-support systems, the strong likelihood that climate and ecological collapse over the next 10-20 years will destabilize and even destroy governments, countries, economies, and the food supply… if we were able to fully comprehend this stuff, we would probably be mentally and emotionally wrecked and unable to function. When we err on the side of letting ourselves be overwhelmed by the suffering, we’re falling into the extreme of despair.

Despair is clearly not helpful to anyone. I think this is why many of us err on the side of denial, the other extreme, because the only other option we see is despair. Even if we were willing to sacrifice ourselves to embrace despair, even if we suspect that the situation calls for despair, it doesn’t seem worth it. It doesn’t look like any sacrifice we make will make a difference.

So, we develop the habit of denial, which I discussed somewhat in the last episode. Intellectually we may not deny the realities of our climate and ecological crisis. We may even educate ourselves about what’s happening, or regularly read news about it. But we keep the reality of it at arm’s length, letting our mind scurry away from anything that gets too scary or intense. We absorb ourselves in our daily, personal responsibilities and pleasures as if the world isn’t simultaneously drowning and on fire. We allow our minds to operate according to the adaptive denial installed in us by natural selection, thinking, “If it’s not happening to me, it’s not that big a deal.” Of course, for the long-term survival and well-being of ourselves, our children, grandchildren, and all living beings, this denial is actually maladaptive.

I think most of us would admit that this kind of functional denial isn’t ideal. It certainly doesn’t manifest our Buddhist values, our deepest aspirations, or our love for life. But what’s the alternative, besides despair? What is the Middle Way we could walk, without getting stuck in either the extreme of despair or denial?

The Middle Way with Respect to Our Climate and Ecological Crisis

Frankly, the Middle Way is not something you can pin down. It’s not like I can describe a way to live that’s the Middle Way, and then you can follow it and be sure you’re doing the right thing in Buddhist terms. Instead, the Middle Way is about not falling into duality. It’s about being real – as present, attentive, honest, and open as we can be. Our attentiveness doesn’t exclude our own internal experience. In addition to cultivating awareness of what’s happening in the world around us, we cultivate awareness of what’s happening in our own bodies and minds. Are we slipping towards despair? Are we starting to numb out in denial? How are our actions affecting the state of our minds and hearts?

When we stay grounded in practice, it’s possible face the truth of what’s going on in our lives – and in the world around us – without falling apart. It’s not easy. Sometimes it’s very painful. Sometimes our hearts will break. But we’ll also find out that powerful emotions like pain, grief, and fear can move through us without destroying us. In fact, our effort to keep these experiences at bay makes us tense and anxious, and in the end we just suffer more. Letting them move through can be deeply connecting and liberating, freeing up creativity and determination.

What does it mean to stay grounded in practice? It means we cultivate as much self-awareness as we can possibly muster. What is the best thing to do for all involved? If you are erring on the side of denial, it’s time to do what I have described on the podcast before as Bearing Witness – mindfully exposing yourself to the suffering in the world, letting it affect you emotionally, giving yourself time to absorb the truth with your body, heart, and mind. (See Episode 127 – Bearing Witness: Exposing Ourselves to the Suffering in the World for how to go about this.)

If you are erring on the side of despair, particularly if it’s because you’ve been Bearing Witness, it’s time to take care of yourself. This may mean taking a break from the news and instead reading about some of the positive things being done in the world today. It may mean taking joy in the simple pleasures of your life. It may mean cultivating a deeper understanding of Emptiness and Suchness, so you have an unconditional source of strength. Neither side – Bearing Witness or taking care of yourself – is a place to stay for good.

Liberation through Facing Reality

As I’ve discussed before, when we Bear Witness, we need to temporarily set aside any question about how to respond, any question about whether there’s anything we can do to fix the situation, any question about whether the situation can even be fixed. Unless we set aside those questions, we will be emotionally unable to Bear Witness. Part of us wants to avoid the painful reality by dreaming up a solution. We’ll mull ceaselessly over who is to blame, or what is the best tactic for making a difference, or how the situation is beyond repair, and we’ll never actually let the reality touch us, inform us, and change us.

Buddhism’s central message is that liberation is found through facing the truth. It may seem counterintuitive that directly contemplating old age, disease, death, and loss leads to peace of mind, but that’s our practice. When the Buddha’s monks were seeking to overcome their attachment to self and their fear of death, they sat in meditation in charnel grounds,[i] contemplating corpses in various states of decay, reminding themselves over and over that someday their body would be the same. Eventually, they won through to an understanding that permanently relieved their attachment and fear – even though they remained in human bodies, and eventually faced death like all of us.

The tricky thing is that for many of us – those of us, that is, who are lucky enough not to be on the current frontlines of climate and ecological destruction – it’s often easy to avoid facing the truth. While it may seem like the ecological crisis has brought out a special kind of denial in people, our avoidance of thinking too much about it isn’t that different from the tendency of human beings throughout time to avoid thinking too much about old age, disease, and death. 2,500 years ago, the Buddha looked around him and saw people trying to avoid and distract themselves from the inevitability of loss and mortality. He sought – and found – a better way to live which not only didn’t require denial, but helped people prepare for their day of reckoning with more equanimity.

We have to make facing the truth a deliberate practice, carrying the intention to live our lives firmly grounded in reality. It may seem like a small thing, but the results are quite profound. It’s impossible for us to know everything, to perceive everything, but when we encounter something new there’s a big different between turning toward it with curiosity and willingness – even if it’s uncomfortable to face – and turning away from it to preserve our own (short-term) peace of mind. Because, after all, turning away supports our short-term happiness at best. Something difficult doesn’t disappear because we ignore it. In fact, the problems we ignore tend to just get worse, and in the meantime, we cause ourselves stress and suffering by resisting what we know – or at least suspect – to be true. This is what the Buddha called dukkha.

Liberation comes through giving up our resistance to things as they have come to be. This is deeply counter-intuitive. In the case of our climate and ecological crisis, a strange kind of peace of mind is available when we accept the reality of what human beings have done to the natural world, and to each other in the process. When we let go of our resistance to how things have turned out, when we let go of our desire for things to have turned out differently, we can truly absorb what’s going on. Then we are free to ask the question, “What’s next?” Our deep acceptance of our current reality does not imply passivity about the future. As I discussed in the last episode, our Buddhist values require us to participate in active care for life.

The Perfection of Endurance

Before I get to action, though, let me say a bit about the Buddhist perfection of Kshanti, which can be translated as patience, tolerance, endurance, or forbearance. (See Episode 153 – Kshanti, The Perfection of Endurance: Life’s Not Always a Bed of Roses for more on this topic.)

A friend of mine recently suggested it helps to point out to Buddhists what they are already doing that addresses the climate and ecological crisis. I’ve already talked about the Middle Way, and about a commitment to facing the truth. Kshanti is another thing we can practice in order to put ourselves in the best possible place for compassionate and skillful response. This is because Bearing Witness to the breakdown of earth’s natural life-support systems is not something we do once, and then it’s over. It’s something we’re going to have to do a lot, over and over, before our crisis is finally over. Some of us may spend the rest of our lives experiencing eco-anxiety and the associated feelings of grief, anger, and frustration.

As I discussed in Episode 153, I appreciate that Kshanti is included in the lists of six (or ten) Buddhist “perfections,” or paramitas. In the list of six, the other paramitas are Generosity (Dana), Ethical Conduct (Sila), Energy/Diligence/Zeal (Virya), Meditation (Dhyana), and Wisdom (Prajna). The inclusion of Endurance, Kshanti, as a perfection acknowledges that no matter how hard we work, no matter how spiritually developed we become, there will be times when life is difficult to endure. When that’s the case – when our hearts are breaking as we witness the mindless destruction of life, when daily life weighs on our conscience but we don’t see better options, when our minds are full of worry for the future of our children or grandchildren – what does the practice of Kshanti look like?

To my mind, it looks like doing our best to keep moving forward anyway. To keep practicing even when it’s hard, even when we don’t necessarily feel like our effort is making much of a difference. We keep trying to face the truth, Bear Witness, follow the Middle Way, honor our vow not to kill, and seek ways to manifest our bodhisattva vows to care for all beings. Just to keep going, to keep trying, is a virtue. It may help to remind yourself of this, to give yourself credit for what may seem like a daily effort that’s not even really a choice. But it is a choice – to show up and do your best is an incredible gift.

Taking Action on Our Climate and Ecological Crisis

Much of our Buddhist practice is in service to becoming a more aware, responsible, compassionate, and skillful person – all good things when it comes to responding to our climate and ecological crisis. Of course, we shouldn’t lull ourselves into thinking our internal or personal work absolves us of responsibility to take action – as if our “thoughts and prayers” are all that is required of us.

When it comes to taking action on our climate and ecological emergency, though, we’re at a difficult time. As I mentioned in the last episode, the momentum of our exploitative, fossil-fuel based economies is so great that much “activism” feels like floating in rowboat next to the Titanic, trying to push the massive ocean liner off its tragic course by pushing on it. I suspect, however, for better or worse, that the next five years will see a massive shift in public attitude about the necessity for commensurate climate action. I hope that, when a meaningful course of action opens up, that Buddhists will help lead the way in demanding the creation of a new, life-sustaining society.

Here’s another area where our practice can help: Opening our minds to what is possible. Central to our practice is recognizing that what we think and feel does not necessarily reflect reality. We seek to awaken to entirely new ways to perceive ourselves and life. Right now, it is difficult to imagine how world governments – and the economic interests which control them – are ever going to make the radical changes necessary to avoid a horrific acceleration of climate and ecological catastrophe. (Note that we don’t even say “make the necessary changes in time” anymore, because we failed to do what we needed to in time, and now the catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes.)

One positive way to describe the Buddhist approach to challenging our own minds is to say we seek to use our imagination. In his book, The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path,[ii] Norman Fischer makes an argument for the importance of imagination in all creative human endeavors, including our Buddhist practice. He writes:

All ideals are imaginative projections. Though we can conceive of them, they can’t exist in this imperfect world, yet they are valuable nevertheless. We need ideals to propel us forward into better futures, to inspire us to be better people in a better world. Religions are always idealistic, asking us to be more than we are, more than we could ever be. We cherish ideals as essential ingredients of our humanness. Without them we slowly lose energy. We become boring, small-minded, and eventually depressed, as life’s natural entropy overcomes us. Ideals lift us up.[iii]

You could say that part of the challenge facing our world right now is a failure of imagination. As lovely as our recent progress has been – more electric cars, increases in renewable energy, better batteries, rethinking agriculture – it is much, much too slow. And even as encouraging progress is made, for every step forward we take, it seems like we take two steps back. For example, on March 13^th, 2023, the Biden administration of the U.S. approved a controversial new fossil fuel project in Alaska. This is a report from the Guardian:

The ConocoPhillips Willow project will be one of the largest of its kind on US soil, involving drilling for oil and gas at three sites for multiple decades on the 23m-acre National Petroleum Reserve which is owned by the federal government and is the largest tract of undisturbed public land in the US.

It will produce an estimated 576m barrels of oil over 30 years, with a peak of 180,000 barrels of crude a day. This extraction, which ConocoPhillips has said may, ironically, involve refreezing the rapidly thawing Arctic permafrost to stabilize drilling equipment, would create one of the largest “carbon bombs” on US soil, potentially producing more than twice as many emissions than all renewable energy projects on public lands by 2030 would cut combined.[iv]

Compare this business-as-usual approach with what is possible. Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is entirely possible for us to take commensurate action on the climate and ecological crisis tomorrow. In early 2020, the entire world shut down in a matter of weeks. Many people suffered because of the shutdown, but the world as we know it more or less survived, amazingly. Economies and governments took a big hit but did not collapse. Small businesses and education struggled but our societies as a whole did not disintegrate. As we navigated a previously unthinkable world, people pulled together, and incredible innovations and adaptations were made.

Imagine our world governments taking commensurate (that is, appropriate or proportionate in amount, degree, or magnitude[v]) action on our climate and ecological crisis. Imagine that, for the good of all people on this planet, tomorrow:

♦ There was an immediate, absolute, global moratorium on any new fossil fuel projects and infrastructure. Tomorrow the construction stops. The machinery falls silent. The sections of pipeline are left in the fields and forests to rust out, and we point them out to our grandchildren and have to explain what they were for.

♦ There was an immediate closure of all fossil fuel projects which fail to capture the methane they produce. Somehow the fossil fuel companies would find the motivation and means to take care of their waste.

♦ There was an immediate end to the manufacture of combustion-engine cars and trucks. Factories fall silent and then are quickly re-tooled to manufacture electric cars. There’s a mad rush to buy the remaining gas-powered vehicles, which become collector’s items.

♦ There was an immediate end to the construction of buildings and houses relying on fossil fuels for heating or cooking. This would anger fossil fuel companies but provide opportunities and innovations for green technologies. In a few years, no one would remember it was ever done differently.

♦ There was an immediate ban of single-use plastics, toxic pesticides, and forever chemicals worldwide. People start hoarding their plastic bottles to take to the store and collect products, which are dispensed in bulk. Emergency innovation leads to sustainable agriculture. We learn to do without a lot of stuff that turned out to be poisonous anyway.

♦ In the U.S., we formed a Department of Climate and Ecological Emergency, which would get to work on emergency regulations such as rationing carbon emissions for individuals, businesses, government entities, and corporations.

♦ There was an absolutely massive, unprecedented effort like the mobilization for WWII to make all existing housing carbon neutral, including insulation and replacement of fossil fuel heating, done with massive subsidies so it didn’t overburden homeowners and renters.

This is only a short list of no-brainers when it comes to caring for life on this planet and saving as many beings as possible from heat waves, floods, supercharged storms, wildfires, and famine. Without imagination, we may think of this as an idealist’s wish list, never to come true. But COVID proved that isn’t so. All of these things are entirely possible. Implementing them tomorrow would throw a lot of things into chaos and cause some hardships, for sure. However, it wouldn’t be anything like shutting down the whole world for over a year.

Buddhism offers us many teachings and practices to help us cope with eco-anxiety – and not just cope, but to face the reality of our climate and ecological crisis and remain strong, caring, and open-minded. I hope you will be able to see your practice as directly relevant to our earth and what we have done to it.

Read/listen to Part 1