we offer our calm, steady presence
An invitation to meditate together on behalf of imperiled waters worldwide.
Dear Reader,
Before last year’s Great Salt Lake winter vigil began, my teacher, Deena Metzger, suggested that we sit with the earth in silent solidarity. We added a morning online meditation to our daily rituals.
A team of lake-facing guides took turns hosting on Zoom every day of the 2023 Utah State legislative session, and dozens of people joined us in waves. Some sat with us for a day, and some were present daily. I thought the ritual would wrap up at the vigil's end, but I was mistaken. The core of our saline sangha was determined to continue meeting, and we have sat together every Monday- Friday from 7 - to 7:25 am MST throughout the wheel of the year. Tomorrow is our first birthday!
Initially, we devoted the meditation solely to Great Salt Lake, but we have since opened our awareness to include imperiled waters worldwide. Everyone is invited! You are welcome to bring your own beloved water body to the altar of our chat.
This gathering is a potent way to join the vigil from near or far. If you’re unable to join but would like to send your love for specific waters, please name them in the comments here so I can place the names on our morning altar. You are also welcome to use the dedication below in any water-loving context.
Our vigil at the State Capitol begins tomorrow morning at 8 am, just after our online meditation. We’ll be walking the waves, becoming the brine shrimp, flying the flocks—all to make our love for the lake visible. Yesterday we took some of the puppets to the shoreline to meet the sea. A bison walked past our procession and gave an approving nod.
May these bold gestures of relational repair be steadied by the quiet power of our collective loving presence. May the movement of waves and the celebration of species be nourished by the fertile ground of our silence. Please join us in the saline sangha if you can. Your presence will make a difference, and we’d love to share our birthday with you!
love,
nan
we offer our calm, steady presence to be read aloud before silent meditation, for calling a circle: we gather to turn our hearts and faces toward the water we hold lakes, rivers, and tributaries in loving awareness. today we name _______________________________ we devote our practice to the vitality and wellness of all watersheds, wetlands, and water bodies, and to the replenishment of imperiled waters everywhere, especially inland seas. we honor water as the intelligent and sentient source of life we give thanks for the water within and all around us we will now sit together in solidarity and loving silence ~ to be read aloud after silent meditation for opening the circle: we belong to the earth and each other look past the ways we are ranked to see the ways we are linked we are kin. we open this circle, may the benefits of this offering ripple in all directions we open this circle wide to include all relations.
"A bison walked past our procession and gave an approving nod."
Perfect, Nan. I will join the circle in the morning. And I will continue to spread the word of love for the Lake and all water bodies. I name the Catawba River and the Swannanoa River. with my love, katharine
This daily action and gathering (along with the prayer) is so deeply beautiful to see—thank you for sharing this. 🌞✨🌊✨🌞