Lost Species Day

Sunday, November 30th

2 PM – 4 PM

with Megan Hollingsworth, MS

& Marc Bekoff, PhD

With special attention to genocide and anthropomorphic species extinction, our practice on Remembrance Day for Lost Species (also known as Lost Species Day), November 30th, will include silent meditation, Metta practice (guided loving kindness meditation), 108 bell rings, and open sharing. Our 2025 practice is dedicated to Dr. Jane Goodall (1934-2025) for her devotion to deep peace and the many “hopeful gifts” she offered. In preparation, please read Megan Hollingsworth’s tribute to Dr. Jane and bring an item to place on the altar in remembrance: She Held Multitudes—A Moment with Dr. Jane Goodall.

108 bell rings represent the 108 human vexations. Each strike of the bell clears one of these to bring forth joy that remains when we are fully present. Practicing 108 bell rings on November 30th, the last day of the month, aligns with the original practice as it is thought to have begun at Zen temples in China before transferring to Japan.

Megan Hollingsworth, MS is a writer with an interdisciplinary education in applied health science and environmental studies, and is currently a student in the East West Psychology PhD Program at California Institute of Integral Studies. Influenced by her Quaker upbringing and Engaged Buddhism, Meg initiated the creative spiritual practice Extinction Witness in 2012 to express and support grief associated with anthropogenic species extinction and genocide. She began participating in international Lost Species Day activities in 2014 and has served on the leadership team. Her writing has been published in online journals and print anthologies, and she is the author of Frog Song. She enjoys playing haiku on purpose. Learn more at meganhollingsworth.com and lostspeciesday.org.

Marc Bekoff, PhD is a professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Dr. Marc Bekoff has written over thirty books, including The Ten Trusts: What We Must Do to Care for the Animals We Love co-authored with Dr. Jane Goodall. Their young children’s book will be published in early 2027. Marc’s many career awards for his research on animal behavior, animal emotions (cognitive ethology), compassionate conservation, and animal protection include the Exemplar Award from the Animal Behavior Society. He is a former Guggenheim Fellow, and is co-chair of Jane Goodall Institute’s ethics committee. Marc has also worked closely with inmates at the Boulder County Jail, and is an avid cyclist. He won the Master’s Tour du Var, aka the age-graded Tour de France, in 1986. Learn more at marcbekoff.com.