Bringing Awareness into Action
December 1, 2015 Kosmos Community News


Engaged Ecology: Seven Practices to Restore Our Harmony with Nature

By Rhonda Fabian
KOSMOS JOURNAL FALL | WINTER 2015

It has rained steadily through the night, a gentle hushing sound in the thick tree canopy. In the morning light, crickets thrill and every leaf trembles and gleams. Soft mist gently rises as the creek gushes along its deep habitual groove in Rose Valley, a place as beautiful as it sounds: my home.

Amid such grace, one might forget the planet is in chaos. Wars rage… and the trees grow slowly. And yet, if one pays attention, the very poignancy of the Earth’s beauty is the reminder of her woundedness.


People’s Climate Prayer | Earth Holders in Action

Created in the US in 2015, Earth Holders is an affinity group within the Plum Village International Community of Engaged Buddhists, founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

In accordance with the UN climate negotiations November 30 through December 11, Earthholder.org has created a format for committed ‘earth practice’ as a global community. These commitments will be taken up by Buddhist and mindfulness communities around the world for this two week period. All who wish to do so are invited to participate.

“Earth Holders encourages you to take a moment during our two weeks of Climate Prayer, from November 28th – December 11th, to reflect on your lifestyle and make a personal commitment to reduce your environmental impact. When contemplation and action come together in the moments of our daily life, we enrich our daily life with love, meaning and connection.”


Igniting Civic Engagement | Call for Participants in a Kosmos Pilot Study

Kosmos is launching a research initiative to test a new model for building civic engagement.

Can you help? We are recruiting people like you to participate in our pilot study. No special skills are required, just a desire to make a difference in your community, and a few hours of your time each month for three months.


The Rise of Community Energy

Via Transition Network, 21 Stories of Transition

Around the world, the idea that communities install, own, and enjoy some of the benefits of renewable energy is growing fast. In Germany over 50% of renewable energy being installed is in community ownership. In the UK alone, over 5,000 community groups have set up community energy schemes since 2008. Many of these have been Transition groups.


Letter from Ban Ki-Moon | Lima to Paris and What’s At Stake

“The Convention, and the agreement that will be reached in Paris at COP21, are agreements between countries. But it will require all of society, including local and national governments, the private sector and civil society, to take the actions needed to reduce emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.”


Embracing Our Common Future | An Interfaith Call to Action on Climate Change

Declaration on Climate Change of the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions:

What is needed now is total commitment and effective action by every one of us.

Effective action today needs to be focused on two imperatives:

To keep Earth livable by reducing and then ending emissions of greenhouse gases, moving to the post-carbon global economy based on clean, safe, and renewable energy

To do this while achieving fair access to energy for all, fulfilling basic needs and ending poverty for all people in all countries.


Reader’s Essay | Aligning the Personal, Political, and Planetary to Create a Transformative Future

READER’S ESSAY by Jennifer Browdy
KOSMOS JOURNAL FALL | WINTER 2015

“The destabilization of our planet is a reflection of the imbalance of our species, too long skewed towards masculine values of competition and domination. We have forgotten what we most need to remember: that we are just another species on this planet, and if we destroy her, we destroy ourselves. I believe there is still time to remember and get back into alignment. But we have to act now.”