The Dali Lama, Pissing Against Trees and the Interconnectedness of All Beings

The Dali Lama teaches compassion by emphasizing how we are all interconnected. After reading some his teaching I sat zazen for a bit. The image that came strong to my mind, that I could not ignore, was of a family hike I took along the Continental Divide.

While on the hike, I felt a call of nature I ducked behind a tree and took a leak, pissing into the drainage of both the Atlantic and the Pacific at the same time. I contemplated that urine to my left rolling down stream to the water supply of Las Vegas, turning the turbines of the Hoover dam, and into the drinking water of Los Angeles and San Diego. The urine to my right would irrigate farmer’s fields from the Front Range through Kansas and Missouri, then rolling downstream passed St. Louis to New Orleans and the oysters and shrimp in the mouth of the Mississippi.

The insight Zen gives is wonderful isn’t it?

As I meditate I become far more aware of how my actions impact people all over the world. The bio-fuel I put in my car causes a rise in food prices that leads to riots in Egypt. The beef and fish I eat produce a great deal of the carbon that warms our world. As I become more mindful of this, I find myself making more and more changes in how I live and consume. I already drive vehicles with high gas mileage (between 32 and 45 MPG).

I have read how switching to a vegetarian diet will lower my carbon footprint far more than driving a hybrid. I cannot go that far, at least yet, but as an act of compassion I will be making sure that I stick to an all vegetarian diet at least once per week and I will try to keep every breakfast (at least) made from vegetable products (mmmmm pancakes). When I do eat beef or fish, it will be as a treat, and very high quality. I will grill a rib eye, not stop in a hamburger stand drive through. I am finding that the sacrifice is minimal when one prepares the food with an eye to quality, or eats cuisine that is strongly influenced by Hindu or Buddhist beliefs (mmmmmmm Nan Bread!). It is a tasty act of compassion.