Lessons from the Bodhi Tree

The Bodhi tree has a long history of religious, spiritual, and cultural significance. Over the last few years the tree has, in many ways, become a symbol of our work and the community we have cultivated.

Otherwise known as the sacred fig, the Bodhi tree has held great significance to communities around the world for millennia. It is a symbol of enlightenment, awakening, and transformation and is best known as the site of Siddhartha Gautama's (commonly known as the Buddha) enlightenment. As and educational organization, this is particularly meaningful to us.

The tree also serves as a symbol of perseverance and steadfastness. The Bodhi tree under which Siddhartha reached enlightenment was destroyed several times and was replanted after every destruction. At IGC we know that our work to create a more just and sustainable world requires perseverance and resilience in the face of powerful, monied opposition. The fight for environmental justice is a generational one, one that started long before us and will continue for generations to come.

Bodhi Trees can live hundreds to thousands of years surviving through many generations of human life. The oldest Bodhi Tree is believed to be over 2,250 years old. The fight for climate justice is a story of survival, of communities coming together and fighting for a livable world today and for generations to come. 

The Bodhi tree is also known for its distinctive heart-shaped leaves and long elegant apex. Taken together, each distinctive leaf symbolizes the interdependence of all living beings. Honoring this interconnectedness, while fully appreciating the beauty and uniqueness of each individual, is reflective of how we approach our work.

It is also crucial that we recognize the complex interconnected causes and disproportionate consequences of environmental destruction and their embedded injustices. Because of this, we fully appreciate that the only way to address the climate crisis is through collective intersectional action. 

The Bodhi tree also symbolizes the rich religious and cultural diversity of our organization and the strength that is possible because of it. Like each differently-shaped leaf, beautiful in its uniqueness, those who make up IGC come together to create one formidable collective.