Four years ago, three unconnected people with different faith backgrounds and in different states of Australia were simultaneously thinking about creating a group of interested people to meditate/pray for the planet and its people. Then magically, they connected!
What arose from this connection was ‘Meditations and Prayers for Our Earth and COP.’ We meet online, via Zoom, once a week from the beginning of August to the beginning of each year’s COP conference. During the conference itself the meditations and prayers happen daily.
What arose from this connection was ‘Meditations and Prayers for Our Earth and COP.’ We meet online, via Zoom, once a week from the beginning of August to the beginning of each year’s COP conference. During the conference itself the meditations and prayers happen daily.
Elaine Bowkett, Western Australian branch of Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) is the organising force behind this initiative. This includes gathering and rostering guest speakers, following people up, networking for promotion, and sending out weekly reminders to participants. Bishop Philip Huggins, Board Member of ARRCC, Committee Member of Religions for Peace Australia and a member of the Interfaith Liaison Committee of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, has been the backbone of the project, with Rebecca Attwood from the Environment Group of The Brahma Kumaris, Australia also being a key supporter.
Each weekly session is 30 minutes long. A guest speaker from a faith group is welcomed and introduced. They then share their reflections, a meditation or prayer for our Earth and the COP conference. A gong signals the start and conclusion of 20 to 25 minutes of shared contemplative silence whereupon the host may reflect on the speaker’s words and ask if others would like to share any thoughts. They then thank everyone for their attendance and close the session.
This event has attracted more participation each year with 16 guest speakers from different faiths in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Japan, and 8 to 20 participants attending each session over 16 weeks in 2024. Bishop Philip Huggins, in his closing remarks on our last day, thanked everyone for their commitment in attending the sessions and reminded us that “in the process of this we become friends”. It is a wonderful experience to see our circle of faith-based friends increasing each year and coming together as one to send power and support to our Earth and for meaningful outcomes of the COP conferences.
You can see recordings of all of the sessions here.
