"Anyone who has probed the inner life, who has sat in silence long enough to experience the stillness of the mind behind its apparent noise, is faced with a mystery. Apart from all the outer attractions of life in the world, there exists at the center of human consciousness something quite satisfying and beautiful in itself, a beauty without features. The mystery is not so much that these two dimensions exist - an outer world and the mystery of the inner world - but that we are suspended between them, as a space in which both worlds meet... as if the human being is the meeting point, the threshold between two worlds." - Kabir Helmisnski, from The Knowing Heart
Please Keep Praying for Climate Fast NJ! See the Prayer Below!
Prayer for #climatefastnj November 7 -21, 2018
As all life is interconnected, so is all new fossil fuel infrastructure connected to all life.
We pray for our political leaders and leaders in the energy industry to recognize and act on the urgency of climate change and climate change chaos and to particularly recognize the affects of climate change and climate change chaos on people living in poverty.
We pray for the people living in poverty, especially the children, who lack the resources to recover from climate change chaos and from the adverse health effects of fossil fuel pollution.
We pray for the healing for all life from the adverse health effects from the mining, extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
We pray for the healing of the excessive degradation done to Mother Earth through the mining, extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
We pray for our political leaders to recognize and act on the alarming adverse health effects of fossil fuel mining, extracting, refining and burning.
We pray for a just transition to renewable energy and for a just renewable energy economy.
We call on Mother Earth and the spirit of the Divine to cleanse her waters, air and soil from the degradation we have caused from the mining, extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
We pray for the community of life to come together to act in the best interests of all life, not in the interests of greed, markets, profits and the fossil fuel industry.
We pray for a just transition from fossil fuel jobs to abundant fair wage renewable energy fair wage jobs.
We pray for an end to the unjust exploitation of communities caused by the mining of fossil fuels.
We pray for an end to the unjust wars for the control over fossil fuel resources.
We particularly pray, at this time, for all life in New Jersey; for there to be a moratorium placed on all new fossil fuel infrastructure in the State of NJ.
We pray especially for the children of NJ, that they may have clean air, water and soil in their neighborhoods.
We pray for Governor Murphy to use the power of the Governor’s office to enact an Executive Order to place a moratorium on all new fossil fuel infrastructure in New Jersey.
We pray for the people and communities participating in #climatefastnj; that our fast, prayers and actions will lead to real positive change for all life in the State of New Jersey.
We pray for #climatefastnj to help catalyze climate change action and to bring about an end to any new fossil fuel infrastructure being built in New Jersey and beyond.
Climate Fast New Jersey November 7 - 21, 2018
A Call to Action:
Join the New Jersey Fast for No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
November 7-21, 2018
The world, our country and our state are in a very deep hole as far as the civilizational crisis of global climate disruption. As this month’s report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasizes, a primary driver of our rapidly deteriorating climate is the continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
What we are calling for: Governor Murphy will announce that the State of New Jersey is declaring A MORATORIUM on all new fossil fuel infrastructure. Henceforth, the policy of New Jersey will be that no new oil or gas pipelines will be built in the state: no new gas compressor stations will be built and no expansion of existing ones will occur; no new gas-fired power plants will be built; nothing which deepens the climate hole we are already in will be constructed in the state of New Jersey.
On November 7th, beginning right after the November 6th election, a water-only fast opposing any new fossil fuel infrastructure in New Jersey will be undertaken in Trenton and elsewhere around the state. Please join us, either in Trenton or at home, work, or elsewhere. You can sign up here. For some participants, the fast will last for as long as two weeks. It will be conducted primarily outside the offices of Governor Phil Murphy in Trenton.
Those taking part in this action, whether for one day or 14 days, whether in Trenton or elsewhere, will be doing so in support of this call for an immediate moratorium. Governor Murphy needs to announce that the state of New Jersey will give leadership to the nation by declaring a moratorium on all new fossil fuel infrastructure.
Air, water and land pollution must be decreased, not increased. Much of our state is rated an “F” for failing air quality by the American Lung Association. We want New Jersey to not only “talk the talk” but “walk the walk” on rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We want to see a dramatic increase in new jobs in the solar, wind and other renewable industries and in energy efficiency.
Sign-up Here - to fast, to support, to rally
The Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi once said, “fasting is the sincerest form of prayer.” For some of those who take part, it will be just that: an urgent prayer for our Mother Earth, its people and all of its life forms. For all taking part, we will be doing so in the fervent hope that Governor Murphy will acknowledge that it is unconscionable, not to mention impossible, to have a goal of fighting climate change and achieving 100% renewable energy in the state within 32 years at the same time as expanding new fossil fuel infrastructure which could last for 40 years or more. This is a contradiction that cannot be accepted.
You can learn more about fasting by going to this link.
You can learn more about why we are taking this action at this link and about currently proposed new fossil fuel infrastructure for New Jersey that we are opposing at this link.
And you can help spread the word by going to and sharing this Facebook posting.
For health, safety and a stable climate,
Jane Califf, Bloomfield Citizens Solar Campaign
Ken Dolsky, Organizer, Don’t Gas the Meadowlands Coalition and Coalition Against the Pilgrim Pipeline
Carol E. Gay, President, NJ State Industrial Union Council
Ted Glick, Roseland Against the Compressor Station
Suzanne Golas, csjp, Director, WATERSPIRIT
Matt Smith, Senior Organizer, Food and Water Watch
Paula Rogovin, Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains
Harriett Shugarman, Executive Director, Climate Mama, Climate Reality Project Mentor and Leader
Jerome Wagner, 350NJ-Rockland
350NJ-Rockland
Central Jersey Coalition Against Endless War
Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains
Food and Water Watch
People Over Pipelines
Occupy Bergen County
Central Jersey Enviromental Defenders
Stepping Stones Resources, Inc.
Lower Raritan Watershed Partners
Bergen County Green Party
When I am among the Trees
When I am among the trees,
Especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
They give off such hints of gladness.
I almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
And call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come into the world to do this,
to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine."
from Thirst, Mary Oliver, 2006
Thank You to All Who Came to the Celebration of WATERSPIRIT Music Festival!
We honored Sr. Joan Carey, SSJ for her 14 years of Service to WATERSPIRIT.
Thank you to the musicians Tommy and Abby Anton and Chuck Lambert and all of the volunteers who made the Music Festival a huge success! We would especially like to thank Ally Dwyer for helping us for coordinate the event and taking on the food and beverage, as well as Deborah Siebelist, Diane Burke, Donna, Mary Ann and Steve Jeselson, Rosanne Monroe, and Rob Stenger.
Thank you for your continued support and advocacy
for Water and the Care of Creation!
WATERSPIRIT Participated in a Live Webinar presenting "From the Faith Perspective"
Watch the Webinar that WATERSPIRIT participated in on August 22cnd to present the “Faith Perspective” on why the way we harness our energy is a social justice issue. Learn more about the issues and how you can help.
Former Governor Chris Christie vetoed bills to ban fracking & its waste in the Garden State. New Jersey's incoming Governor Phil Murphy has committed to ban fracking in New Jersey. New Jerseyans want a permanent, statewide fracking & fracking waste ban in New Jersey, and are urging New Jersey state legislators to co-sponsor and pass legislation to ban the treatment, storage and disposal of fracking waste in New Jersey for the Governor to sign this year (A1329).
Join us for the webinar to learn about fracking's presence in New Jersey: through the proliferation of pipelines & power plants, refining and transporting fracking waste. And what you and your neighbors can do to transition New Jersey away from fossil fuels and onto 100% renewable energy. (Audio & program begins at minute 4:45).
Celebration of WATERSPIRIT Music Festival
Pre PURCHASE your Tickets here: https://waterspiritmusicfestival.eventbrite.com
WATERSPIRIT June 2018 Newsletter
Rally for the Rivers Eco-Fest Saturday, June 2, 2018 Victory Park Rumson
Join Clean Ocean Action and the Rumson Environmental Commission for Rally for the Rivers Eco-Fest on June 2nd from 9am - 12:30pm at Victory Park in Rumson, NJ! This FREE family-friendly event is made possible thanks to the Marta Heflin Foundation and will include kid's crafts, live music, yoga, face painting, ribbon dancing, seining and much more!
Kid's can join in the fun by taking the Environmental Passport Challenge to redeem free giveaways from local businesses!
