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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 15pt" align="center"><font color="#17365d" size="7" face="Cambria">Mindful Earth Day 2010</font></p></div>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"When we change our daily lives –-the way we think, speak, and act-– we change the world.<span> </span>It is important for us to live in such a way that in every moment we are deeply there with our true presence, always alive and nourishing the insight of interbeing."</span></b></div>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh –<i>The World We Have</i></span></p>
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<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“Unless Someone Like You Cares An Awful Lot, Nothing Is Going To Get Better. It’s Not.”</span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span> </span><span> </span></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span></span>Dr. Seuss –<i>The Lorax</i></span></div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dear Thay, Dear Sangha,</span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Today, <b>April 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2010</b>, marks the <b>40<sup>th</sup> Anniversary of the first global <u>Earth Day</u></b>, when million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment and demand environmental accountability from leaders in Washington, D.C. <span> </span>The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.<span> </span></span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Every month Sanghas in the tradition of <b>Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh</b> across the globe gather to recite the <b>Five Mindfulness Trainings</b>. The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent our vision for a global spirituality and ethic and are the guidelines we use to live our daily lives in mindfulness. When practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we realize the interconnectedness of it all.</span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On this <b><u>Earth Day</u></b>, I would like to invite all friends and members of our <b>Community of Mindful Living</b> to honor our Earth Mother by taking a moment to become deeply conscious of our interconnectedness with all that is, cultivate the insight of interbeing and compassion, look deeply at the footprint that our patterns of behavior and consumption are leaving on this planet, and take action to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals in our world.<span> </span>Let us use the energy of mindfulness to live a sustainable life and help create a diverse, clean, and healthy environment for generations to come. <span> </span>Let us practice looking deeply to see that we can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that we already have more than enough conditions to be happy.<span> </span>Let us find ways to practice Right Livelihood so that we can help reduce the suffering of living beings on this Earth and ameliorate the process of climate change.<span> </span>Let us commit (or recommit) to practice mindful eating, drinking, and consuming in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in our bodies and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of our families, societies and the Earth.</span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Please join me in honoring the Earth Mother with the attached guided meditation based by Thay's <i>Offering to the Land Ancestors,</i> a deep mindfulness practice offered at Thay's Monasteries across the globe. Also, b</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">elow are some ideas from the <b>Broward Lotus Sangha Deep Ecology Initiative</b> that may be of assistance as our mindfulness practice increases our reverence for life and our desire to take action grows. Our initiative gives those of us concerned about the environment practical ways to create a better world. <b>For links to implement these ideas, please visit <a href="http://www.browardlotussangha.org/links/" target="_blank">http://www.browardlotussangha.org/links/</a>.</b> </span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Commit (or recommit) to practice the <i>Five Mindfulness Trainings</i> <a href="http://www.browardlotussangha.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/the-five-mindfulness-trainings.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.browardlotussangha.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/the-five-mindfulness-trainings.pdf</a></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Help your children Celebrate Earth Day by reading Dr. Seuss' <i>The Lorax</i> and visit our website to join <i>The Lorax Project</i> and help the Lorax protect the forests and endangered species on our planet, <span> </span>play environmentally-friendly games, learn about the environment and help Mother Earth</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Calculate the environmental impact your lifestyle generates </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Educate yourself about the environmental Impact of a Non-Vegetarian Diet and learn ways to support a Vegetarian or Vegan Lifestyle</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Explore new ways to increase recycling, reuse and reduce our waste</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Plant trees to offset the amount carbon emissions our vehicles and lifestyles generate</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Help promote the conservation, preservation, and restoration of Florida’s native plants and get inspired with ideas on how to garden with South Florida's native plants, providing food and cover to birds, butterflies, and other wildlife</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Learn about Florida-friendly landscaping and certify your home, school, public or business landscape with <i>NatureScape Broward</i></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Learn how to create a <i>National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat </i>suitable for all beings in your own backyard</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Explore and enjoy the outdoors, conserve energy and take action to protect Mother Earth’s special places and its wildlife </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Join our Sangha members and other plant-and-animal-loving friends in our CML for fun and educational field trips, and mindful walks, hikes, camping and canoe rides: <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Broward-Lotus-Sangha/calendar/" target="_blank">http://www.meetup.com/Broward-Lotus-Sangha/calendar/</a></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Follow Thay’s lead and enjoy as many car-free days as you can with your family, friends and fellow Sangha members. Help us celebrate World Car Free Day every September 22<sup>nd</sup></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Join the <b>Broward Lotus Sangha</b> in signing <i>The Earth Charter</i> to promote sustainable ways of living, ecological integrity, respect for diversity, and a culture of peace, economic justice, and universal human rights</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Sign the <i>Earth Peace Treaty,</i> one Thich Nhat Hanh’s Ecological Initiatives</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Sign <i>The Earth Day 2010 Climate Declaration</i> to let your Representatives know that clean energy and a sustainable future are important to us</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Join <i>A Billion Acts of Green</i> and <i>Earth Day Network</i> at <a href="http://www.earthday.net/" target="_blank"><font color="#993399">www.EarthDay.net</font></a></span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">May all beings be well, happy, peaceful, and free from strife. </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">May we continue to develop our understanding and compassion in order to leave peacefully with people, animals, plants, minerals, and our Earth.</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></span></p>
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<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In the Dharma,</span></div>
<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Martha</span></div>
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<div>Dr. Martha Martinez</div>
<div>President<br>Broward Lotus Sangha<br>P.O. Box 245124 <br>Pembroke Pines, FL 33024 <br><br>COME MEDITATE WITH US!<br><a href="http://www.browardlotussangha.org/" target="_blank">www.BrowardLotusSangha.org</a><br><a href="http://www.meetup.com/Broward-Lotus-Sangha/calendar/" target="_blank">http://www.meetup.com/Broward-Lotus-Sangha/calendar/</a><br>
In the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh <br><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
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