suffering Archives

19 Jun 2022

Lyme, Lyme, Go Away, Please Don’t Come Another Day

by Erik Assadourian | posted in: Gaian Beliefs and Purpose, Gaian Practices and Rituals, Understanding Gaia | 2

My hopefully brief encounter with, and meditation on, Lyme Disease

22 May 2022

The Pain of Separation

by Bart Everson | posted in: Gaian Beliefs and Purpose, Gaian Practices and Rituals, Guest Contributor, Understanding Gaia | 0

This week’s reflection, by Bart Everson, explores the illusion of separation and how this can be a source of suffering.

20 Feb 2022

An Actual Gaian Interpretation of the World

by Erik Assadourian | posted in: Gaian Beliefs and Purpose, Gaian Practices and Rituals, Learning from Other Traditions, The Quickening, Understanding Gaia | 0

Responding to an essay that makes some inaccurate assumptions about Gaianism.

23 Jan 2021

How to Meditate Like a Corpse

by Erik Assadourian | posted in: Gaian Practices and Rituals, Learning from Other Traditions | 1

How a die-in at the state capitol reinforced the value of meditating like a corpse.

4 Jul 2020

The Parable of the Tree in Need

by Erik Assadourian | posted in: Gaian Parables, Understanding Gaia | 1

A story about a girl who helped another, and who in turn was helped as well.

21 Jun 2020

Introducing “Digesting,” a new Gaian variation of Tonglen

by Erik Assadourian | posted in: Gaian Practices and Rituals, Gaian Prayers, Learning from Other Traditions | 4

What do a Children’s Scifi Novel and a Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Have in Common?
Answer: They both suggest a similar way to draw in suffering and send out relief.

8 Sep 2019

The Wrath of Gaia

by Erik Assadourian | posted in: Learning from Other Traditions, The Quickening, Understanding Gaia | 3

How does Gaia’s Wrath compare to God’s? Less predictable? More knowable? And how shall we respond?

The Gaian Creed

“We believe that the Earth, Gaia, is a living being. That Gaia is at the same time composed of the vast diversity of life and is alive in Her own right. We understand that we depend completely and utterly on Gaia and are part of Gaia. We recognize that current human actions are fundamentally altering Gaia and that if pushed too far, Gaia will shift from Her current state to one inhospitable to humans and millions of other species. Therefore, we commit to living radically sustainable lives—even to an extent that it may alienate us from our kin, our communities, our cultures. We commit to sharing our philosophy and bringing others to understand and embrace their relationship with Gaia and help heal Gaia—and in the process, themselves, their families, and their communities.”