Buddhist Action Month
June 2023
What will you do for BAM 2023?
Perhaps you’ll take stock of the compassionate action that we are already doing. Perhaps you’ll ask how can we refine or supercharge those actions. Perhaps you’ll try something new.
We can use Buddhist Action Month to examine how it is to be a human in this world. How do we cause harm? Or collude with causing harm? How do we take compassion action? Or support the compassionate action of others?
We have lots of resources collected over previous years’ Buddhist Action Months to inspire you. Or see the ideas on this page selected by Juliet Hackney for BAM last year.
We don’t have a BAM coordinator this year (let us know if you want to get involved) but we still encourage and invite you to take personal action, and to lead your communities in taking collective compassion action.
BAM is about compassion action for others, and about compassion action for ourselves.
What does genuine self compassion look like? keeping active, learning new things, giving to others and mindful awareness. Please find attached the leaflet “Five Ways to Good Mental Wellbeing and Buddhism” which can be freely shared.
BAM is about action: June might be a chance to kickstart a mid-year resolution! Let us know what you’re doing…it could be small or large, increasing your personal practice and encouraging others could be the start of a new wave of positive change rippling out into the world.
Take simple actions for ourselves and the planet
Nature walks with friends. Being outside in nature is calming and invigorating, appreciating nature helps to recognise how precious it is and helps us care for it.
If you don’t know where to go, have a look online. Here are some ideas: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/visit/choose-your-adventure/find-walk-near-you
https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/
Tree planting.
As we come out of the third wave of the pandemic, easing of restrictions might allow us to join in group activities again. Here are a selection of websites where you can volunteer for tree planting. June might not be the right time of year for putting trees in the ground, but planning to get involved can happen any time.
https://treecouncil.org.uk/take-action/seasonal-campaigns/national-tree-weekhttps://www.treesforcities.org/
https://www.cityoftrees.org.uk/
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/
https://www.wearepossible.org/
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/plant-a-tree
Looking out for others is looking out for yourself.
You may be inspired to volunteer to connect with others and provide a valuable service, which also improves your sense of well-being. Here are some ideas:
https://www.befriending.co.uk/about/
https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/
https://volunteering-wales.net/volunteers/about
https://www.volunteerscotland.net/
https://www.england.nhs.uk/get-involved/get-involved/volunteering/
Buddhist chaplaincy is a way of supporting others with a spiritual care dimension https://www.buddhisthealthcare.org.uk/
Whatever you get up to please share it with others by email or social media.
