This is the fourth of five guidelines I wrote to wake myself to ethical choices supporting Climate Justice. Look at posts from earlier in the week to read about the first three Trainings.

Skillful Communication
Aware of pain caused by blocked, false, and unskillful communication, I will be present to the living earth and tune into messages from my ancestors, future generations, and the wisdom permeating the animate and inanimate universe. I will speak with skillful and loving words on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. Without anger, exaggeration, or sarcasm, I will lend my voice in protest against green washing–false claims things are ecologically healthy–and other forms of violence against the earth. Knowing freedom of speech does not amount to a freedom to spend, I will speak out against the excessive influence of wealth as it favors private gain over planetary interest and causes personal and political distortions of democracy.

Speaking is often our first action in the world. It is important to cultivate a heightened awareness so that words tumbling from within and penetrating others have power to heal, not harm. Positive change is born of words. But our speech can just as easily perpetuate fear, greed, and anger. In skillful communication, we aspire to ease and prevent suffering so we take responsibility for what we say and work to inspire confidence and hope.

We must also listen with great care. Skillful communication requires that we become mindful of messages often unrecognized or blocked in society–the voices of the non-human world, the dead that entrusted the world to us, and the unborn that will inherit it–because all beings are speaking in this present moment.

How we speak matters. For example, early in my spiritual practice, when I touched the truth of words as an intimate expression of inter-being, I became aware of the roughness of sarcasm. Sarcasm is often shrouded by humor, but it is an untruthful expression of anger, doubt, or fear. To my mind, skillful communication is challenging enough without loading it with inaccuracies or purposeful ill-will.

When we are mindful in our communication, there is a greater likelihood we will say things that need saying, words that are true and right. The world is full of false statements and self-serving distortions. Speaking truth to power takes courage, compassion, insight, and practice. This Climate Justice Mindfulness Training, like the other four, is worthy of a lifetime of study and practice.