Watering the Seeds of Ecodharma

Reflections from the second year of Ecodharma May

Conversation with Sarah and Abby

Click on the video below for a discussion about this year’s Ecodharma Residency, with Abby and Executive Director Sarah Giffin:

Abby’s Reflections

Additional written explorations by Abby

“I learned that ways of being, ones which prioritize community, gratitude, and mindfulness, are possible, and are necessary to cultivate, experiment with, and grow, so as to provide alternative models to the predominant cultural ethos we currently exist in.” – 2026 Ecodharma Resident

For the last two years, we’ve devoted the entire month of May to Ecodharma practice. The keystone of this month is our Ecodharma Residency, a cohort of practitioners who stay at Mountain Cloud for the month and engage in practice, conversation, and community around the theme of Ecodharma. 

Ecodharma is an evolving practice at Mountain Cloud. In reflecting on this year’s program, there are two areas that really shine: the practice and community.

Practice

“It was significant for me to pin that relationship to the environment – in connection with nature and other species – is a core part of Buddhist practice. I don’t think I would’ve as clearly identified that or felt rooted in that prior to the month….I now feel empowered to practice in that way.” – Naomi W., 2026 Ecodharma Resident

“What motivates my practice is not renouncing or transcending the world, but becoming better at existing in it. I want to belong to the world and its many relations, not turn away from them.” – 2026 Ecodharma Resident

First and foremost comes our practice, and especially our practice outside. Burnout is unfortunately a common phenomenon in our culture, especially in communities organizing for climate and social justice. Meditation and spiritual practice offer a refuge to sustain us for the long term. 

This isn’t about leaving the world behind or bypassing the challenges we’re currently facing. As our Guiding Teacher Valerie Forstman so often says, and as Ecodharma teacher David Loy echoes, our practice isn’t about transcendence. Our practice takes us right to the heart of the world. 

One of the special things about Ecodharma at Mountain Cloud is the land. Our 20+ acres offer a beautiful place to take our practice outside, both in stillness and in action through tending the trails, trees, and garden.

What I’ve witnessed from two years of Ecodharma May – both in myself and in other participants – is that practicing outside with the land creates space for a special kind of transformation, one that helps us remember our innate wholeness. One of the incredible things about being in nature is being able to realize that we are fully accepted by the trees, rabbits, cacti, mountains, rivers, and more. The trees aren’t judging us for what we look like or what we said 10 minutes ago. And eventually the recognition can come that we’re not just being accepted – we realize we belong. We are the trees, the rabbits, the mountains, the rivers. 

I witnessed this realization happen for multiple residents in the first two years of this program. One resident in particular had a deep experience of oneness with the Earth during David Loy’s 6-day sesshin last year that propelled them into volunteering after the program. Over a year later, this resident is still active in supporting their state’s community solar program.

It’s also particularly special that Mountain Cloud’s Ecodharma offerings come from the wellspring of Sanbo Zen. As one resident shared in the quote above, seeing the connections made between Buddhism and nature empowered them to intertwine them in their practice. Participants have come away with a sense of being rooted to both Earth and Buddhist lineage. 

Community

“When we feel seen or feel like we can step more fully into our wholeness, I think it allows us to then more easily or more clearly access how we can uniquely contribute.” – me (Abby) in the video above

The second aspect of Ecodharma at Mountain Cloud is community. Participants consistently name this as the most impactful part of the program. From my perspective, this is because sangha has been too often overlooked in Buddhist spaces, and in an individualistic culture, it’s so easy to feel alone in our practice and lives. Being surrounded by fellow practitioners who share a deep care for nature and motivation to act on behalf of life is an essential part of our path. 

Intergenerational community adds another dimension of support that, at least for me, has offered healing I didn’t even know was needed. Receiving wisdom from elders, hearing their stories of engagement across decades and their continued work to leave a better world for their descendants is deeply inspiring. I’ve heard the same from our elders – the energy of those of us from younger generations is contagious!

In addition, sangha like the ones formed among Ecodharma residents provides a place to bring our practice into relationship. Western dominant culture conditions us to act in ways that are antithetical to the values of our Buddhist lineage. This may include patterns like “canceling” or pushing people out of groups for making a mistake; believing there is only one right way to view the world or act for change; and, at the very root, that we are separate from each other and the Earth. 

Zazen shows us another way. 

In Ecodharma residency, we are learning together how to center our wholeness – our own and others – and how to be in the complexity and nuance that this world constantly presents to us. Nothing is ever only black and white, and everything is always changing. It’s a dance to stay true to our values while also recognizing we don’t know everything, and there are multiple perspectives that can all be true simultaneously. How can we practice listening deeply, sharing our truth, and honoring each one’s contributions and potential for growth?

To learn to be in this messiness together and treat each other with grace, care, and accountability offers a chance to live into the world we are working to build: a world that centers compassion, generosity, and connection rather than hate, greed, and separation.

This past May, we broached many difficult conversations, from animal liberation to analysis of socioeconomic structures to the ethics of AI. While we didn’t always leave the conversation in total agreement about how to relate to AI or how our diet should look, we did leave with a deeper understanding of the issue and of each other – what we care about, why we care about it, and how we can still support each other even if our views aren’t the same. When we can fully welcome each one’s wholeness in the room like this, it can then empower each of us to see more clearly – and act more readily – in the ways we’re called to contribute and be open to feedback and accountability when we might stray from our path. 

Conclusion

As someone who has practiced meditation as long as I’ve organized for climate justice, I see our Ecodharma Residency program as much needed medicine at this time in our world. 

The Ecodharma that is growing at Mountain Cloud offers the nourishment and support needed to sustain us for the long-term while also deepening our capacity to cultivate, shape, and provide alternative models of relating that move us closer to liberation. 

As the program continues to evolve, may we continue to co-create Ecodharma practice that responds to what’s needed in our community (human and nonhuman, at Mountain Cloud and beyond) and serves our purpose to liberate all beings.

How beautiful it is and what an honor to help water the seeds of Ecodharma alongside each of you. I look forward to continuing to be in this Ecodharma practice, together.

With love and gratitude,

Abby