Podcast appearances and mentions of Joanna Macy

In this episode, we're exploring the first of Francis Weller's Five Gates of Grief: "Everything we love, we will lose." This isn't just another depressing truth about life—it's a surprisingly liberating gateway to deeper love, presence, and joy. We'll share some stories and practical wisdom about how savoring practices can help us hold both love and loss simultaneously. Most importantly, we'll highlight why grief is a skill, not just a feeling, and you'll learn a simple five-minute micro-ritual for tending to loss before it accumulates. This conversation weaves together Buddhist teachings on impermanence, neuroscience research on grief and savoring, and the vital reminder that grief is absolutely a team sport.  p.s. Find your Simple Joy practice for this episode right here at our blog. About: The Joy Lab Podcast blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, ease anxiety, and uplift mood. Join Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek for practical, mindfulness-based tools and positive psychology strategies to build resilience and create lasting joy.   If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! And... if you want to spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free, then please join our mission by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).   Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials:  Instagram TikTok Linkedin Watch on YouTube    Sources and Notes for this full grief series: Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller "Grief is not a feeling, grief is a skill." — Francis Weller "Ritual is a maintenance practice that offers us the means of tending wounds and sorrows, for offering gratitude, allowing our psyches regular periods of release and renewal." — Francis Weller "Half of any person is wrong and weak and off the beaten path. Half the other half is dancing and laughing and swimming in the invisible joy." — Rumi "We are all the walking wounded in a world that is a war zone. Everything we love will be taken from us. Everything. Last of all life itself. Yet this reality does not diminish love. It shows us that loving is the most important business." -Christina Pinkola Estés' Website  Skye Cielita Flor & Miraz Indira, The Joyful Lament: On Pain for the World. 2023 Access here Learn more about Joanna Macy's work from the Commons Library.  Beckes & Sbarra, Social baseline theory: State of the science and new directions. Access here Beckes, et al. (2011). Social Baseline Theory: The Role of Social Proximity in Emotion and Economy of Action. Access here Bunea et al. (2017). Early-life adversity and cortisol response to social stress: a meta-analysis. Access here. Eisma, et al. (2019). No pain, no gain: cross-lagged analyses of posttraumatic growth and anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress and prolonged grief symptoms after loss. Access here  Lehrner, et al. (2014). Maternal PTSD associates with greater glucocorticoid sensitivity in offspring of Holocaust survivors. Access here Kamis, et al. (2024). Childhood maltreatment associated with adolescent peer networks: Withdrawal, avoidance, and fragmentation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107125  Sheehy, et al. (2019). An examination of the relationship between shame, guilt and self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Access here  Strathearn, et al. (2020). Long-term Cognitive, Psychological, and Health Outcomes Associated With Child Abuse and Neglect. Access here  Yehuda et al. (1998). Vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder in adult offspring of Holocaust survivors.  Access here. Yehuda, et al. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. Access here   Full transcript available here   Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

In this introduction to our 10-part grief series, we'll explain why a podcast about joy is diving deep into grief—and why you can't truly have joy without grief. During this series, we'll mainly lean on Francis Weller's "gates of grief." And importantly, as we move through these gates, the goal is not to help you "get over it" or rush through some prescribed grief stages so you can dismiss "bad" feelings. Instead, we'll explore more about the healing power of grief, how you can see and accept loss with less resistance, and we'll share some practices and realistic ways you can build skills to navigate grief in more nourishing ways.  p.s. Find your Simple Joy practice for this episode right here at our blog. About: The Joy Lab Podcast blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, ease anxiety, and uplift mood. Join Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek for practical, mindfulness-based tools and positive psychology strategies to build resilience and create lasting joy. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! And... if you want to spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free, then please join our mission by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).   Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials:  Instagram TikTok Linkedin Watch on YouTube   Sources and Notes for this full grief series: Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller Skye Cielita Flor & Miraz Indira, The Joyful Lament: On Pain for the World. 2023 Access here Learn more about Joanna Macy's work from the Commons Library.  Beckes & Sbarra, Social baseline theory: State of the science and new directions. Access here Beckes, et al. (2011). Social Baseline Theory: The Role of Social Proximity in Emotion and Economy of Action. Access here Bunea et al. (2017). Early-life adversity and cortisol response to social stress: a meta-analysis. Access here. Eisma, et al. (2019). No pain, no gain: cross-lagged analyses of posttraumatic growth and anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress and prolonged grief symptoms after loss. Access here  Lehrner, et al. (2014). Maternal PTSD associates with greater glucocorticoid sensitivity in offspring of Holocaust survivors. Access here   Kamis, et al. (2024). Childhood maltreatment associated with adolescent peer networks: Withdrawal, avoidance, and fragmentation.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107125  Sheehy, et al. (2019). An examination of the relationship between shame, guilt and self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Access here  Strathearn, et al. (2020). Long-term Cognitive, Psychological, and Health Outcomes Associated With Child Abuse and Neglect. Access here  Yehuda et al. (1998). Vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder in adult offspring of Holocaust survivors.  Access here. Yehuda, et al. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. Access here    Full transcript here   Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Opening with a reading of Mountain Cloud's Land Acknowledgment, this talk is framed by a tribute to Joanna Macy through poetry that helped to inspire her deep and abiding support

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight's Host Miko Lee speaks with authors who have used their personal lives to tell their stories. They both talk and write about trauma, joy and resilience but in two very different ways. First up she chats with Chanel Miller. Many folx might know of Chanel's best selling first book Know My Name which expands on the powerful victim impact letter she wrote to Brock Turner who brutally sexually assaulted her on the Stanford Campus. We talk about her latest work – two delightful books for young people. Then Miko talks with Kazu Haga who weaves his spiritual practice and trauma healing with a deep lineage of nonviolent social change.  In his books, Fierce Vulnerability and Healing Resistance he shares with us his personal journey and offers some insightful visions for our current tumultuous world.  Links to the Author's work: Kazu Haga  Fierce Vulnerability Kinship Lab,  Chanel Miller Chanel Miller The Moon Without Stars Purchase Chanel's books at East Wind Books and Kazu's books at Parallax Press  SHOW TRANSCRIPT APEX Opening: Apex Express. Asian Pacific Expression. Community and cultural coverage. Music and calendar. New visions and voices. Coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express. Miko Lee: Good evening. Welcome to apex express. This is your host, Miko Lee. Join us as you hop along the apex express. Tonight I speak with authors who have used their personal lives to tell their stories. They both talk and write about trauma, joy, and resilience, but in two very different and distinct ways. First up, I chat with Chanel Miller. Many folks might know of Chanel's bestselling first book Know My Name, which expands on the powerful victim impact letter she wrote to Brock Turner, who brutally sexually assaulted her on the Stanford campus. But tonight we talk about her latest work, two delightful books for young people. And then I talk with Kazu Haga, who weaves his spiritual practice and trauma healing with a deep lineage of nonviolent social change. In his books Fierce vulnerability and Healing Resistance, he shares with us his personal journey and offers some insightful visions for our current tumultuous world. First off, listen to my conversation with Chanel Miller. Welcome, author Chanel Miller to Apex Express. Chanel Miller: Thank you so much for having me. It's a delight to be here with you. Miko Lee: I'm really excited to talk to you, and I wanna start with my first question, which I ask all of my guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Chanel Miller: Oh, I have so many people. Today, you're my people who continue to help guide me forward. I grew up in the Bay Area and I feel like honestly all of my books are attempts at saying thank you to the people who raised me, the English teachers in my public schools. For helping me stay aligned with myself and never letting me drift too far. And so even though I tell very different stories for different demographics, I think if you look at the root of everything that I write, it's gratitude because they are the people who protected my voice in the first place. Miko Lee: Thank you so much. So we're talking about your third book. Your first book was amazing. Know my name, which is really powerful memoir about surviving sexual assault at Stanford, and this incredible public reclamation of your voice. And then you move from that very personal, internal, very adult work to your second book, which was so lovely and sweet. Magnolia Woo unfolds it all, which was an illustrated book set New York about a little girl and her friend who reunite people with their lost socks. From this all the way to this young person's book and your latest book, the Moon Without Stars, your second, YA novel is based in middle school. So talk to me a little bit about this journey from personal memoir to elementary school to middle school books. Chanel Miller: Yeah, so like you said, the first book was so internal and gutting to write. I knew I needed. Something that would help me breathe a little easier and get in touch with playfulness again. I wrote Magnolia Woo Unfolds it all. It's perfect for kids ages seven to 12. My goal was just to enjoy the process of writing and story making. And it was confusing because I thought if I'm not, you know, during the memoir, I would be like crying while I was writing and it was just taking everything out of me. And I was like, if I'm not actively upset. Is the writing even good? Like, like, you know, does it count? And it turns out, yes, you can still create successful stories and have a good time. So I did that book for myself really. And the kid in me who always wanted to, who was always, writing stories unprompted. Like you said, it was a book about a sock detective and pursuing socks makes no sense. It's almost impossible to return a missing sock in New York City. But I loved the idea of these. This little girl in pursuit of something, even if she doesn't know what the outcome will be. Right. It's just trying even if you're not promised a reward, I love this. And for me it's like I keep attempting to love my reality, right? Attempting to go out into the world with an exploratory lens rather than a fearful one. And so that was very healing for me. After I finished that book, I spent the next year writing this new book, the Moon Without Stars. It's for slightly older kids, like you said in middle school. So my protagonist Luna, is 12 years old and she's biracial like me, goes to middle school in Northern California like I did in Palo Alto. I was just reflecting on my. Upbringing, I would say, and really sitting back and letting memories come to the surface. Trying to see how much, was just unexplored. And then sitting down to, to figure out what it all meant that I remembered all of these things. Miko Lee: So how much of Luna is inspired by Chanel? Chanel Miller: A fair amount, I'd say. And it's not always an intentional, I think fiction deals a lot with the subconscious and you end up writing about yourself on accent luna in the book. She is the campus book doctor, is what I call it. Because when kids are going through something, they'll come to her and she'll prescribe them a book that'll help them for whatever phase of life they're going through. And I know for me from a very young age, I loved reading, writing, and drawing. It's all that I ever wanted to do and I was so mad in school that we had six different subjects and you know, the Bay Area was very tech. Centered, STEM centered. And so I felt all this pressure even through high school to take AP Science classes. In retrospect, I thought, why was I trying so hard to be good at it? Everything. This is impossible. And so for Luna, I own her gifts early. And understand that they were gifts at all. The fact that she loves to read and then she shares her gifts and she takes pride in the things that she's passionate about. She's not ashamed that she's not so hot about math. Miko Lee: So the hating math part is a little Chanel inspired also. Chanel Miller: The hating math part is fully me. I'm sorry to say. Miko Lee: No worries. I think that stereotype about Asians and math is so highly overrated. I'm wondering if there was a Scott for you, a bestie that was also an outcast, if there was someone like that for you when you were growing up. Chanel Miller: Yeah, so in the book, Luna is best friends with Scott. They've been friends since childhood, and as Luna starts to get more attention, their relationship is threatened and it begins to dissolve. I was really interested in how, Luna obviously loves Scott as a friend and she would never. Mean to hurt him, right? It's not inflicting intentional emotional pain, but Scott gets very hurt. I think about how sometimes when we're growing up, we get drawn to certain crowds or paid a kind of attention and we have this longing to be desired to fit in. we sometimes make choices that we're not very proud of, but this is a part of it, right? And so I wanted Luna to reckon with maybe some of the emotional harm she's causing and not run away from it. But also think about like, why am I making these choices and what is important to me? We're all kind of constantly reevaluating our value systems, trying to keep our relationships alive, like this is, starts at a very young age and I wanted her to learn some of the self gifts that maybe I didn't give myself when I was that age. Miko Lee: So in a way, she's a little bit of a remedy for your young self or a gift to your young self. Do you think? Chanel Miller: Oh, that's a nice way of putting it. Yeah, I would definitely say so. I think all writing is, is remedy in some form, at least for me, but I like the, it being a gift to little Chanel. Miko Lee: It's been compared to the classic. Are you there god, it's me, Margaret? What is it like for you to hear that? Chanel Miller: It's an honor, obviously. I think what's most stunning is a lot of the themes that were contested in that book. You know, talking about bodily changes, menstruation like. A lot of that is still kind of hush hush, and I'm surprised by the things that haven't changed , or how our society hasn't completely evolved. I really wanted middle school so hard physically, emotionally, and. It can feel so humiliating that you're trying to solve a lot of your issues in private, and I wanted to take the shame out of it as quickly as possible and just say, this is a universal experience. Everyone goes through these things. It's totally okay to talk about it, even if books get banned. Find a way, find your people. Find a way to have these conversations. Miko Lee: For me, it's so much better than, are you there? God, it's me, Margaret, because it's set in a contemporary. There's a young biracial Asian American girl who's a outcast and really it's about belonging and getting your first period and all the things you have to go through in middle school. That seems really. Relatable for a young woman in our society. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. I read it really quick one night, easily read 'cause it's so lovely. I'm wondering about your process because you illustrated, your last book and then also the cover of this book. And on the cover it's sweet because it has all these cute little zines that she writes about are encapsulated on the cover of the book, which you only realize after you read it. I'm wondering for you as an artist, what comes first in the story, the image or the words? Chanel Miller: That's a great question. Yeah. I like to illustrate my books. Sometimes I'll think of a, something I do wanna draw and then think, how can I build a story around that, or like a visually rich scene. Then I come up with writing to allow myself to draw the thing. Other times I will just write, but I, I will say that when I'm writing, I never have a plot. I'm not an outliner. I am very much an explorer. I'm okay with not knowing for long periods of time where the book is gonna go, what it's about , and how it's gonna end. I don't know any of these things. And luckily I have a very gracious, agent and editor and my editor. I had two editors, Jill and Juan, and they let me just submit chunks of writing for six months. Scenes that didn't go together, that were completely out of order , to show them I'm attempting to build this world and this school full of kids, but I don't know how it's all gonna play out yet. And then after six months, we had enough material to, to begin to identify like who the primary characters were gonna be, what the essential conflict was gonna be. I'm saying this because I want people to know that you don't have to know much before you sit down to write. And the knowing comes with the practice of doing every day, and then slowly things start to reveal themselves. Miko Lee: Oh, I appreciate that. So you don't have a linear timeframe. You kind of just let things come to you. Sometimes they're in images, sometimes they're in words. Chanel Miller: Yes. And then your job is to capture them and be curious about them and then make more until you have enough. Then you can edit, but you edit too early, you're gonna , kill the spirit of the thing. Miko Lee: When do you know you have enough? Chanel Miller: When you fulfill the word count in your contract? No, no, I think it's, it's like you can. Sort of start to feel things click into place or a voice is emerging that's very strong. Even Scott know, Luna's best friend, I didn't have him at the very beginning, I don't think originally. Originally, I think Luna had a sister. It was gonna be a sister book, and then it became a friend. You're just open to it evolving, and then suddenly you're like, oh, I can, I can see this relationship. Can see them existing within the structure. It feels more real to you and at that point you can just go in and start revising Miko Lee: Did you create images for know my name? Chanel Miller: I actually tried to, at the very end, I made a bunch of drawings and I said, can we put these at the start of each chapter? And my editor, who's incredible, she said, you know, when I look at your drawings, they have a different voice than your writing voice. And I was like, that is true. Like, that's a great critique. So instead I went to New York, they were like about to send the book to print and I was like, okay, but I need like one drawing. They said, okay, if you can do it at lunch, like have it done by the end of lunch, we'll put it in the acknowledgement. So I dedicated the book to my family and. I sat at the desk and just did this little, these four little creatures that represented my immediate family and cut it outta my notebook. They scanned it in and sent it off to print with a book. So I did get, I did get it. Miko Lee: And how is the illustrator's voice different from the author's voice? Chanel Miller: The illustrator's voice can be very loose, whimsical, playful, whereas the writing, you know, was so measured and heavy and intentional, and so. I liked that edit, and I also, my editor was confident that I would have more opportunities in the future to write and draw, whereas I felt so vulnerable. It's my first book, it's my only chance to say or do anything, but that's not true. Now I understand like I have time to make all kinds of things. You don't have to shove it all into one project. Miko Lee: And are these, more youth-focused books? Do you feel like that's more a combination of your illustrator and your author voice? Chanel Miller: Totally. The medium like allows you to do both. It kind of asks for images also. Who knows, maybe, I still wanna write, contemporary fiction for adults and maybe I'll adults like visuals too. Absolutely. Miko Lee: Absolutely. Yeah. I'm wondering what you want young readers to walk away with after reading the, your latest book. Chanel Miller: Things smooth out in really unexpected ways. And that you can never truly mess up. Like I messed up so many times growing up or would get a really bad grade. I really would think like, this is the end. Like my future just disappeared. I just can't recover from this, and I always would, and I'm here now, like there, there are so many times I guess, that I thought my life was totally and completely over and, it was never the case. Sure, life could be sour for a bit, or you could be really stressed out, but it's not the end. Different things will change. People will be introduced to help you. Like you just keep showing up in whatever way you can. You won't be stuck in that place. It's been a nice thing to learn, as you get older. I just remember when I felt young, it felt so impossible sometimes, and I promise it's not, Miko Lee: I imagine that with Know my name. Many people came up with you, survivors came up and shared their stories with you, and I'm wondering if that was the same with your second book, if people came up and just told stories about, being a kid detective or what their, if it brought things up for them in a totally different realm. Chanel Miller: Oh yeah, absolutely. In the book, Magnolia's parents are Chinese and, , they're working at a laundromat and a customer comes in and there's, microaggressions happen and, I think with microaggressions you can always. Justify them in your head and say, it's not as bad as explicit violence or something, where it's not a truly a crime. And so you kind of push them to the side, push them to the side, but over time, like they do really stick with you and they're so hurtful and they accumulate and they're not okay to begin with. And I wanted my little character, Magnolia to. Just feel that anger that I often suppress and be like, it's not okay for people to talk to you like that. Like we are allowed to say something about it. It's dehumanizing and it's unacceptable. I wanted to give her the opportunity to confront that emotion and really express what, how it made her feel. Miko Lee: You're just starting your book tour right now. Is that right? For the Moon Without Stars. Chanel Miller: My book comes out January 13th. I'll go on a two week book tour. I'll have two stops in the Bay area. One at, book passage in Cord Madera. One in Los Altos at a church. It's sponsored by Linden Tree Books. We're just doing the event offsite, so if you're in the bay and wanna come say hello, please do that. Miko Lee: Yay. Excited to hear about that. I'm curious, I'm really curious what kind of stories people will tell you about their kind of middle school bully experience or their standing up to bullies and wanting to be in the popular crowd and what's that like? It's such a common middle school experience. Chanel Miller: I'm just really happy that people like have the opportunity to remember, 'cause it's not what we talk about every day. I just love that things are coming up for people and you're like, wow, I never would've thought about that or. I, I, that's why writing is so fun. You get to remember. Miko Lee: It's definitely not what we talk about every day, but definitely that middle school time really, helps shape who we are as adults. That's a really tough time because there's so many hormones going crazy in your body. So many changes that I think a lot of people have big feelings about middle school. Tell us what's next for you. Chanel Miller: I still love writing middle grade like this age is so sweet. It's so rich, emotionally rich. I would like to do something that's, you know, this one was more contemporary realism and I would love to do something that, not pure fantasy, but like breaks the rules of reality a little bit. Just really see where my imagination can go. A little magical realism perhaps. Yeah, absolutely. Miko Lee: I would just encourage you, I really love the Scott and Luna characters and seeing them patch their relationship up in high school as friends and how they can grow. Oh, I think would be a really sweet story also, and how they could explore maybe through magical realism. Some of the, book Doctors Zine World would be fun. Yeah. Yeah. I like those characters, is what I'm saying. I think there's more to come outta those characters and their friendship. Chanel Miller: Oh, that's really sweet. You don't wanna say goodbye to them yet. Miko Lee: Yeah, that's right. Well, it has been a delight chatting with you. Thank you so much for sharing your stories and your work and it's very powerful. Appreciate chatting with you. Chanel Miller: I really appreciate the platform you provide and how you're making room for these genuine conversations. So thank you so much. Jalena Keane-Lee: Next up, listen to blues scholars ode to Yuri Kochiyama. That was Blue Scholars, Ode to Yuri Kochiyama. Miko Lee: Yuri Koyama said, we are all part of one another, and that relates so well to my conversation with author, organizer and teacher Kazu Haga. Welcome, Kazu Haga to Apex Express. I'm so glad to have you with us. Kazu Haga: Yeah, thanks so much for having me. Miko Lee: I'm gonna start with a question that I ask all of my guests because I'm a curious person, and my question is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Kazu Haga: Oh, wow. Well, when you ask the second question, the immediate response is that I am Japanese. There's a lot of important legacies that come with that. Of course there's so much of my Japanese ancestry that I'm proud of and want to continue to deepen in and understand better. But I'm also aware that, you know, being Japanese, I come from colonizer people, right? And I'm so aware of the. Harm that my ancestors caused to so many people, whether dating back all the way to indigenous. I knew people in Japan, or a lot of the violence that my ancestors committed during the war to Zan Korean communities and Chinese communities and Filipino communities. I feel like in addition to all the beauty and the amazing things that I love about Japanese culture, that's a legacy that I carry with me and a lot of my work has to do with trying to understand what it means to carry that legacy and what it means to try to heal from that legacy and how I take that approach into my own personal life as well as into my activist work. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for recognizing that history and sharing a little bit about your path. I can see so much of how that turns up in your work. So I've had the pleasure of reading your two latest two books. I'm sure there'll be many more to come, I hope. Can you speak a little bit about what inspired you to create healing resistance? Kazu Haga: Yeah, so healing resistance is my interpretation of a set of teachings called kingian non-violence, and it's a philosophy that was based on the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King. And I have the great privilege to have been mentored by a lot of elders who work very closely with Dr. King and were some of the most instrumental leaders in the civil Rights movement. I started my kind of activist career back in 1999 or something like that when I was 18, 19 years old. And for the longest time, the word non-violence didn't have a lot of meaning to me. But when I was 28 years old, I think I took this two-day workshop on this philosophy called King Non-Violence, and that two-day workshop just completely changed my life forever. I thought after 10 years of doing nothing but social justice movement building work, that I had some idea of what the word non-violence meant and some idea of who Dr. King was. But that two day workshop taught me that I knew nothing about what the word non-violence meant. Since I took that workshop, I feel like I've been on this never ending journey to better understand what it means to practice non-violence and incorporate that as a value into my life. And so healing resistance is, yeah, just my spin on the teachings of Dr. King told through the stories of my life experiences. Miko Lee: I really appreciated how you wove together your personal journey with your, understanding of movement building and how you incorporated that in. I'm wondering, I think it was in this book, but I read both of your books close to back to back, so I might be mixing them up, but I wonder if you could talk a little bit about the salt protestors that happened in India and the two years of training that it took them to be able to stand up and for our listeners, just like really back up and explain what that protest was about, and then the kind of training that it took to get there. Kazu Haga: It was actually more than two years. So, you know, everyone, or a lot of people know about the Salt March. It's the thing that I think a lot of people look to as the thing that really sparked the Indian Independence Movement, similar to the Montgomery Bus boycott in the US Civil Rights Movement. It's when a group of people marched across India all the way to the ocean. Engaged in an act of civil disobedience was, which was to go into the water and make their own salt. Salt is something that had been heavily controlled and taxed by the British Empire, and so the people who lived even on the coast of the ocean were not allowed to make their own salt. And so it was an act of civil disobedience to break a British colonial law saying that we are reclaiming this ancestral cottage industry for ourselves. And one of the reasons why it was so powerful and drew so many millions of people out into the street was because when Gandhi envisioned it. He didn't just put out an open call and said, anyone who wants to join the March can join. Ultimately, that's where they landed. But when the March started, he selected, I think it was about 76 of his followers, and he chose these 76 people and said, you all are gonna start the Salt March. And he chose those 76 people because they had lived in Astrom. And did spiritual practice and engaged in creative nonviolent direct action together for 16 years before they embarked on the salt march. So it was 16 years of kinda like dedicated residential spiritual training , and nonviolent direct action training that allowed these people to become the type of leaders that could draw out millions and millions of people into the street. And so it's one of the things that I really learned about the legacy of nonviolence is the importance of training and understanding that preparing ourselves spiritually to lead a movement that can transform nations is a lifetime of work. And to not underestimate the importance of that training and that rigor. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for correcting me. Not two but 16 years and a really a lifetime to, that's right. To develop the skills. I wonder if you've been following the Buddhist monks that are walking across the US right now. Kazu Haga: Yeah. And the dog, right? Miko Lee: Yeah. Whose dog and that dog. And I wonder what your thoughts are on that. Kazu Haga: I've really come to this place where I understand injustice and state violence, not as a political issue, but as a manifestation of our collective trauma. Like all the forms of state violence and injustice that we see, they happen because collectively as nation states and as communities and as a species, we have unresolved trauma that we haven't been able to heal from. And I think if we can see injustice less as a political issue and more as a manifestation of collective trauma, then perhaps we can build movements that have the sensitivity to understand that we can't just shut down injustice that when you're responding to a trauma response, what you need to do is to try to open things up. Things like spiritual practice and spiritual worldviews, like what, however that word spiritual lands on people. I think that there's a broad understanding of spirituality that doesn't have to include any sort of religious stigma. But when we ground ourselves in spiritual practice, when we ground ourselves in this larger reality that we belong to something so much larger than ourselves as individuals, then a lot more is possible and we're able to open things up and we're able to slow things down in response to the urgency of this moment, which I think is so necessary. When I look at these Buddhist monks spending however months it's gonna take for them to reach Washington dc the patience. The rigor and the slowness. How every step is a prayer for them. And so all of those steps, all of that effort is I think adding to something that has the possibility to open something up in a way that a one day protest cannot. So I'm really inspired by that work. Miko Lee: And it's amazing to see how many people are turning out to walk with them or to watch them. And then on the same hand, or the other hand, is seeing some folks that are protesting against them saying, that this is not the right religion, which is just. Kind of shocking to me. Grew up in a seminary environment. My dad was a professor of social ethics and we were really taught that Jesus is a son of God and Kuan is a daughter of God. And Muhammad, all these different people are sons and daughters of God and we're all under the same sky. So it seems strange that to me, that so many folks are using religion as a tool for. Pain and suffering and injustice and using it as a justification. Kazu Haga: Yeah. It's sad to hear people say that this is the wrong religion to try to create change in the world because I think it's that worldview that is at the heart of what is destroying this planet. Right. It's, it's not this way. It has to be that way and this binary right. Wrong way of thinking. Miko Lee: Yeah. Kazu Haga: But yeah. The first spiritual book I ever read when I was 16 years old was a book by Thích Nhất Hanh called Living Buddha, living Christ. Yes. And in that book he was saying that the teachings of the Buddha and the teachings of Jesus Christ, if you really look at the essence of it, is the same thing. Miko Lee: That's right. Yeah. This brings us to your book, fierce Vulnerability, healing from Trauma Emerging Through Collapse. And we are living in that time right now. We're living in a time of utter collapse where every day it seems like there's a new calamity. We are seeing our government try to take over Venezuela right now and put police forces into Minnesota. It's just crazy what's going on. I wonder if you can just talk a little bit about this book. Clearly it's the Times that has influenced your title and [00:34:00] in influenced you to write this book can be, share a little bit more about what you're aiming to do. Kazu Haga: Yeah, and you know, it's also Greenland and Cuba and Colombia and Panama, and it's also the climate crisis and it's also all of these other authoritarian regimes that are rising to power around the co, around the world. And it's also pandemics and the next pandemics. And we are living in a time of the poly crisis. A time that our recent ancestor, Joanna Macy calls the great turning or the great unraveling so we can get to the great turning where all of these systems are in a state of collapse and the things that we have come to, to be able to rely on are all unraveling. And I think if we are not grounded in. Again, I use this word spirituality very broadly speaking, but if we are not grounded in a sense that we are connected to something so much larger than ourselves as individuals, I think it's so easy to just collapse and get into this trauma response state in response to all of the crises that we are facing, and so fierce vulnerability. It's at the intersection of spiritual practice, trauma healing, and nonviolent action, and understanding that in response to all of these crises that we are facing, we need powerful forms of action. To harness the power necessary to create the transformations that we need to see. And at the same time, can we see even forms of nonviolent resistance as a form of, as a modality of collective trauma healing? And what are the practices that we need to be doing internally within our own movements to stay grounded enough to remember that we are interdependent with all people and with all life. What does it take for us to be so deeply grounded that even as we face a possible mass extinction event that we can remember to breathe and that we can remember that we are trying to create beauty, not just to destroy what we don't like, but we are trying to affirm life. What does that look like? And so if fierce vulnerability is an experiment, like we don't have all the answers, but if I could just put in a plug, we're about to launch this three month. Experiment called the Fierce Vulnerability Kinship Lab, where we'll be gathering across the world. Participants will be placed in small teams, that are regionally based, so you can meet with people in person, hopefully, and to really try to run a bunch of experiments of what is it gonna take to respond to state violence, to respond to these crises in a way that continues to affirm life and reminds us that we belong to each other. Miko Lee: That sounds amazingly powerful. Can you share how people can get involved in these labs? Kazu Haga: People can check it out on my website, kazu haga.com, and it'll link to the actual website, which is convene.community. It's K-I-N-V-E-N-E. It's a combination of the idea of kinship and community. It's gonna be a really cool program. We just announced it publicly and France Weller and Ma Muse and Kairo Jewel Lingo, and it's gonna be a lot of great teach. And we're trying to just give people, I know so many people are yearning for a way to respond to state violence in a way that feels deeply aligned with their most sacred beliefs and their value systems around interdependence, and peacemaking and reconciliation, but also recognizes that we need to harness power that we need to. Step out of the comfort of our meditation cushions and yoga centers and actually hit the streets. But to do so in a way that brings about healing. It's our way of creating some communities where we can experiment with that in supportive ways. Miko Lee: What is giving you hope these days? Kazu Haga: My daughter and the community that I live in. Like when I look up at the world, things are in a state of collapse. Like when I watch the news, there's a lot of things that are happening that can take away my hope. But I think if we stop looking up all the time and just start looking around, if I start looking around in, not at the vertical plane, but at the horizontal plane, what I see are so many. Amazing communities that are being birthed, land-based communities, mutual aid networks, communities, where people are living together in relationship and trying to recreate village like structures. There are so many incredible, like healing collaboratives. And even the ways that we have brought song culture and spirit back into social movement spaces more and more in the last 10, 15 years, there are so many things that are happening that are giving birth to new life sustaining systems. We're so used to thinking that because the crisis is so big, the response that we need is equally big. When we're looking for like big things, we're not seeing movements with millions of millions of people into the in, in the streets. We're not seeing a new nonprofit organizations with billions of dollars that have the capacity to transform the world because I think we keep looking for big in response to big. But I think if we look at a lot of wisdom traditions, particularly Eastern Traditions, Daoism and things like that, they'll tell us that. Perhaps the best way to respond to the bigness of the crises of our times is to stay small. And so if we look for small signs of new life, new systems, new ways of being in relationship to each other and to the earth, I think we see signs of that all over the place. You know, small spiritual communities that are starting up. And so I see so much of that in my life, and I'm really blessed to be surrounded by a lot of that. Miko Lee: I really appreciate how you walk the walk and talk, the talk in terms of teaching and living in a collective space and even how you live your life in terms of speaking engagements and things. Can you share a little bit about the gift economy that you practice and what's that about? Share with our audience what that even means. Kazu Haga: Yeah. I love this question. Thank you. So the gift economy to me is our attempts at building economic structures that learn from how natural ecosystems share and distribute its resources, right? It's an alternative model to the market system of economics where everything is transac. If you look out into nature, nothing is transactional. Right? All of the gifts that a mycelial network gives to the forest, that it's a part of the ecology that it's a part of. It's given freely, but it's also given freely because it knows that it is part of a deeply interdependent ecosystem where it will also receive everything it needs to be nourished. And so there's a lot that I can say about that. I actually working on, my next book will be on the Gift Economy. But one of the main manifestations of that is all of the work that I do, I try to offer as a gift. So I don't charge anything for the work that I do. The workshops that I organize, you know, the Convene three month program that I told you about, it's a three month long program with world renowned leaders and we are asking people to pay a $25 registration fee that'll support the platform that, that we're building, the program on. And. There's no kind of set fee for the teachers, myself, Francis Weller, mam, all these people. And people have an opportunity to give back to the ecosystem if they feel called and if they're able to try to sustain, to help sustain our work. But we really want to be able to offer this as a gift. And I think in the market economy, a three month virtual training with well-known teachers for $25 is unheard of. Of course $25 doesn't sustain me. It doesn't sustain all of the teachers that are gonna be part of this, but I have so much faith that if we give our work freely and have faith that we are doing the work that we're meant to be doing, that the universe will come together to sustain us. And so I am sustained with the generosity of a lot of [00:42:00] people, a lot of donors, a lot of people who come to my workshop and feel called to give, not out of a sense of obligation, but because they want to support me in my work. Miko Lee: Thank you for sharing and I was so impressed on your website where you break down your family's whole annual budget and everything that you spent funds on. Everybody talks about transparency, but nobody really does it. But you're actually doing it. And for reals, just showing something that's an antidote to the capitalist system to be able to say, okay, this is us. This is our family, this is how we travel, this is what we do, and. I found it really charming and impressive in our, it's hard to rebel against a system where everything has been built up so that we're supposed to act a certain way. So appreciate you. Absolutely. Yeah. Showing some alternatives and I didn't know that's gonna be your next book. So exciting. Kazu Haga: Yeah, I just started it. I'm really grateful that I have a partner that is okay with sharing all of our family's finances transparently. That helps because it is a big thing, you know? Yeah. But one of the things that I really learned. But the gift economy is that if there isn't information, if there isn't transparency about what the system's needs are, then it becomes dependent on every individual to figure out. How much they want to give to that system. And I think the gift economy is trying to break outta that the model of individualism and understand that we are interdependent and we live in this rich ecosystem of interdependence. And so if people's needs aren't transparent, then it's hard for people to figure out how they want to engage in that relationship. Miko Lee: Can you share a little bit more the example of Buddhist monks and how they have the basket and. Share that story a bit for our audience. Kazu Haga: Yeah. So historically, in a lot of, particularly south and southeastern, Asian countries, Buddhist monks, they go around, they walk their community every morning, begging, quote unquote for alms. They ask for donations, and the people in that village in that town will offer them bread or rice or whatever it is. That's kind of the food that, that monks and monastics eat. And so if a Buddhist monk is walking around with a bowl and you see that their bowl is already full, you have a sense, oh, this monastic might not need any more food, but the next monastic that comes along might. And so it's this transparent way of saying, oh, this person's needs are met, so let me hold on to the one piece of bread that I have that I can donate today and see if the next person will need it. And so in that way. If I share my finance transparently, you know, if my financial needs for the month or for the quarter are met, then maybe people who attend my workshops will feel like, oh, I don't have a lot of money to give. Maybe I don't need to give to support Kazu Haga, but maybe I can support, the facilitator for the next workshop that I attend. And so, in that way, I'm hoping that me being transparent about where my finances are will help people gauge how they want to be in relationship with me. Miko Lee: Thank you. I appreciate it. You talk a lot about in your work about ancestral technology or the wisdom, our ancestral wisdoms and how powerful that is. It made me think about the day after the election when Trump was elected. I happened to be in this gathering of progressive artists in the Bay Area and everybody was. Incredibly depressed. There was even, should we cancel that day or not? But we pulled together, it was at the Parkway Theater in Oakland and there was an aone leader and she talked about the eighth fire and how we are in the time of the eighth fire and you write about the fires in your book, and I'm wondering if you can talk about the seven fires and the prophecy belt. Kazu Haga: Yeah. So through a strange course of events, I had the incredible privilege early on in my life when I was in my early teens, 11, 12, 13, 14 years old, to spend every summer going to the Algonquin Reservation, Anishnabe Nation, way up in Northern Quebec, and spend my evenings sleeping in the basement of Chief William Commander, who was the holder of the seven Fire Prophecies Wampum Belt. This is a prophecy that told the story of the seventh fire that we are in the time of the seventh fire. And this is a moment in the history of our species where we can remember what it means to be human and to go backwards and to reclaim our spiritual path. If we are able to do that, then we can rebuild a new world, the eighth fire and build a world of lasting peace. But if we are unable to do that and continue down this material journey, that will lead to a world of destruction. And this is, prophecies like this one and similar indigenous prophecies that speak the same exact things are the things that were. Just surrounded, that I was surrounded by when I was younger, and I'm so grateful that even though I didn't really believe this kind of stuff when I was younger, it was like the, you know, crazy hippie newey stuff that my mom was into. I'm so grateful to have been surrounded by these teachings and hearing these teachings directly from the elders whose lives purpose. It was to share these teachings with us because when I look out at the world now, it really feels like we are in a choice point as a species. Like we can continue to walk down one journey, one path, and I could very easily see how it would lead to a world of destruction. But we have an opportunity to remember who we are and how we're meant to live in relationship with each other and to the earth. And I have a lot of faith that if we're able to do that, we can build such a beautiful future for our children. And so I think this is the moment that we're in. Miko Lee: Yeah. Thank you so much. Can you share a little bit about your mom? It seems like she was a rule breaker and she introduced you to so many things and you're appreciating it later as an adult, but at the time you're like, what is this? Kazu Haga: Yeah. You know, she was. She grew up in Japan. We were all born in Japan, but she spent a year overseas in the United States as ex as an exchange student in high school. And she always tells me when she went back to Japan, she was listening to the Beatles, and she shaved her legs and she was this like rebellious person in Japan. But yeah, my mom is never been a political activist in the same way that, that I've become. But she's always been deeply, deeply grounded in spiritual practice. Miko Lee: Mm-hmm. Kazu Haga: And for various reasons have always had deep relationships with indigenous elders in North America and Turtle Island. And so I'm always grateful. I feel like she sowed a lot of seeds that when I was young, I made fun of meditation and I was not into spiritual practice at all. 45 years into my life, I find myself doing all the same things that, that she was doing when I was young, and really seeing that as the foundation of the work that I do in the world today. Miko Lee: And have you, have you talked with her about this? Kazu Haga: Oh yeah. I live with her, so we regularly Oh, I Miko Lee: didn't realize Kazu Haga: that.Yeah, yeah, yeah. So she's read the book and Yeah. We have a lot of opportunities to, to yeah, just talk and, and reminisce and, and wonder at. How life has a tendency to always come back full circle. Miko Lee: Mm. The paths we lead and how they intertwine in some ways. Definitely. Mm, I love that. I let you know before we went on air is that I'm also interviewing the author Chanel Miller in this episode. You shared with me that you are familiar with her work. Can you talk about that? Kazu Haga: Yeah, so, you know, I talk quite a bit in both of my books about how one of the great privileges that I have is to do restorative justice and trauma healing work with incarcerated people, mostly through the prisons in California. And one of the programs that I've had the privilege to be a part of is with the Ahimsa Collective, where we work with a lot of men who have an experience with sexual violence specifically, both as survivors of sexual harm and as perpetrators oftentimes. And in that program we actually used the letter that she wrote and published as an example of the power of what it could mean to be a survivor speaking their truth. And we used to read this letter in the groups with incarcerated people. And I remember the first time I ever read it, I was the one that was reading it out loud. I broke down into tears reading that, that letter, and it was so powerful. And it's one of those written statements that I think has helped a lot of people, incarcerated people, and survivors, oftentimes, they're both the same people, really heal from the scars that they've experienced in life. So yeah, I have a really deep connection to specifically that statement and her work. Miko Lee: Yeah, it's really powerful. I'm wondering, given that how you use art as a tool to heal for yourself. Kazu Haga: You know, I always wished I was a better poet or a better painter or something like that, but I do really feel like there are certain deep truths that cannot be expressed in just regular linear language. It can only be spoken in song or in dance or in poetry. There's something mystical. There's something that, that is beyond the intellect capacity to understand that I think can be powerfully and beautifully expressed through art. I think art and spiritual practice and prayer and things like that are very like closely aligned. And so in that way I, I try to touch the sacred, I try to touch spirit. I try to touch mystery in the things that I can't quite articulate. Just through conversation and giving in a lecture or a PowerPoint presentation, to, yeah, to touch into something more, more important. Miko Lee: And is your spiritual practice built into your every day? Kazu Haga: To the extent possible. One of the traditions that I have really learned a lot from and love is the Plum Village tradition founded by Thich Nhat Hanh. And they're so good at really reminding us that when we wash our dishes, that can be a spiritual practice, right? I'm the father of a young child. And so it's hard to actually sit down and meditate and to find time for that. And so, how can I use. My moments with my daughter when I'm reading her a book as a spiritual practice, how can I, use the time that I'm picking up the toys that's thrown all around the house as spiritual practice. So in that way, I really try to incorporate that sort of awareness and that reminder that I belong to something larger and everything that we do. Miko Lee: After hearing Ty speak one time, I tried to practice the chewing your food 45 times. I could not do it. Like, how does he do Kazu Haga: that? Some food is easier than others. If you eat oatmeal, it's a little harder, but Miko Lee: like that is some kind of practice I cannot do. Kazu Haga: But, you know, I have, a meditation teacher that years ago taught me every time you get inside your car. The moment that you turn the keys and turn on the ignition in your car, just take that moment and see if you can notice the texture of the keys and see if you can really feel your muscles turning to turn the key. And it's in these little moments that if we bring that intention to it, we can really turn what is like a, you know, a mindless moment into something with deep, deep awareness. Hmm. Miko Lee: Thank you for that. That's an interesting one. I have not heard that one before. Kazu Haga: Nowadays I just like push a button so it's even more mind less. Miko Lee: That's right. There's just a button Now. Keys, there's not even the time anymore to do that. That's right. What is it that you'd love folks to walk away with from being familiar with your work? You, there's so many aspects. You have different books that are out, you lead workshops, you're speaking, you are everyday walking through the world, sharing different things. What is one thing you'd love people to understand? Kazu Haga: Between both of my books and all the work that I do, so much of the essence is to try to help us remember. We belong to each other. I think the fear of isolation, the fear that we do not belong, is one of the most common fears that every human being has. Right? At some point in our lives, we felt like we don't belong. And while that is such a real fear, it's also a delusion. Like in an interdependent world, there is nothing outside of belonging, right? And so we already belong. We are already whole, we are already part of the vastness of the cosmos. There is so much power in remembering that we are part of the infinite universe, and I think the delusion that we do not belong to each other is like is the seed that creates the us versus them worldview, and it's that us versus them worldview that is at the heart of what is destroying our planet. In our efforts to create social change, how can we do so in a way that reminds us that even the people that are causing harm is a deeply critical interwoven web of relationships. That we are all in this web of relationship, that there's nobody outside of that, and how can we go about trying to create change in a way that reminds us of that? Miko Lee: Thank you. And my last question is, I'm wondering if there's something that you're learning from your child these days. Kazu Haga: Yeah, the, just the, the pure presence, right? That each moment is so deeply, deeply real, and each moment is to be honored. Like I am amazed at, we were eating asparagus the other day, and she was eating a whole bowl of asparagus, and she desperately needed me to get her the one piece of asparagus that she wanted. She was so frustrated that I couldn't find the one asparagus that she wanted, and so she was crying and screaming and throwing asparagus across the room, and then the moment I was able to find the one asparagus that she wanted, everything is fine. Everything is beautiful. She's smiling, she's laughing, and so just to. Not that we should be like throwing things around if we're not getting exactly what we want, but how can we honor our emotions every moment in a way that in that moment there is nothing outside of that moment. That sort of presence, is something that I really try to embody and try to learn from her. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for sharing with me. I really appreciate reading your books and being in community with you and, we'll put links to your website so that people Awesome. Thank you. Can find out more. And also, I really appreciate that you're having your books published by a small Buddhist press as and encouraging people to buy from that. Kazu Haga: Yeah. Shout out to ax. Miko Lee: Yes, we will absolutely put those links in our show notes. And thank you so much for joining us on Apex Today. Kazu Haga: Thank you so much for having me. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for joining me on this evening conversation with two different authors, Chanel Miller and Kazu Haga, and my little pitch is just to keep reading. Reading is such a critical and important way we learn about the world. I was just reading this thing that said the average Americans read 12 to 13 books a year. And when I checked in with friends and family, they said that could not be true. That they think they know many people who don't read any books. And I am just encouraging you all to pick up a book, especially by an Asian American Pacific Islander author, hear our perspectives, hear our stories. This is how we expand and understand our knowledge around the world. Grow closer to the people in both our lives and people around the world. So yea to reading, yea to Chanel Miller and Kazu Haga. And check out a local bookstore near you. If you wanna find out more information, please check out our website, kpfa.org, black slash programs, apex Express, where I will link both of these authors and how you can purchase their books at your local independent bookstore. Thank you very much. Goodnight. Please check out our website, kpfa.org. To find out more about our show tonight. We think all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Nina Phillips, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam Tonight's show was produced by me, your host, Miko Lee. Thank you so much for joining us. The post APEX Express – 1.15.26 – Chat with Authors appeared first on KPFA.

DEBORAH EDEN TULL, founder of Mindful Living Revolution, teaches the integration of compassionate awareness into every aspect of our lives, bridging personal and collective awakening in an age of global change. She is an engaged Buddhist teacher, spiritual activist, author, eco-dharma educator, and facilitator of The Work That Reconnects, a field created by Buddhist scholar and eco-philosopher Joanna Macy for transforming our love and pain for our world into compassionate action. Eden teaches dharma intertwined with post-patriarchal thought and practices, resting upon a lived knowledge of our unity with the more than human world. She has practiced meditation for 30 years and  trained for seven and a half years as a Buddhist monk at the Zen Monastery Peace Center, a silent Zen monastery in the Sierra foothills. She has been teaching for over 20 years. Eden's teaching emphasizes relational presence, acknowledging the personal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, transpersonal, societal, ecological, mystical, and global impacts of embodied dharma. She has worked with a wide range of audiences, from dharma students and spiritual teachers to those practicing or teaching secular mindfulness, to concerned citizens, activists, leaders, and change agents, to parents, schools, inner city youth, nonprofits, corporations, and people who are incarcerated. Eden taught for many years with UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center, and has been collaborating with Nina Simons, co-founder of Bioneers since 2012, on the topics of Regenerative Leadership, Women's Leadership, and Sacred Activism. She is also a member of the national Eco-Dharma Advisory Committee of Buddhist teachers and leaders in the eco-dharma movement. Eden has a special gift for facilitating mindful inquiry and fierce compassion, and bridging personal, ancestral, and collective healing. Weaving dharma with her embodiment of animism, deep ecology, shadow work, somatic awareness, ancestral healing, and conscious movement/dance, she helps people release limiting beliefs and collective biases that have been passed down over generations. She draws upon her own experience of navigating loss, illness, and trauma, guiding people to embrace the mystery and celebrate the value and alchemy of light and darkness as teachers of love. Having lived in or taught about sustainable communities and organic gardening/permaculture for decades, Eden weaves the essential wisdom of nature into everything she teaches. She currently resides in the mountains of western North Carolina, originally Cherokee land, with her husband Mark. She offers retreats, workshops, and consultations nationally and internationally, integrating presence and partnership with nature. Eden feels that the most important aspect of being a teacher is continually being a student. She continually immerses herself in trainings and retreats, recognizing direct experience as our truest guide. She works closely with mentor Pam Weiss, author of A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism, to deepen her embodiment of Soto Zen Buddhism in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi.

Pablo Servigne, aest uteur, penseur systémique et biologiste de formation. Il est l'un des premiers à avoir popularisé en France le concept de « collapsologie » avec ses livres devenus cultes, Comment tout peut s'effondrer ou encore Une autre fin du monde est possible. Mais aujourd'hui, Pablo prend ses distances avec cette étiquette. Dans Le réseau des tempêtes, son dernier livre, il trace un sillon nouveau, plus intime, plus incarné, où l'écologie ne peut plus faire l'économie du sensible, de l'émotion, de la relation et de la spiritualité.Cela faisait des années que je voulais inviter Pablo dans Vlan!. Nous avons attendu le bon moment. Et je crois que c'était maintenant. Parce que son message a profondément évolué, et qu'il entre en résonance totale avec mes propres réflexions sur la complexité, sur la joie, sur la nécessité de ralentir, et sur cette capacité à penser contre soi-même.Dans cet épisode, nous parlons de la violence – structurelle, politique, sociale, psychologique – et de comment elle s'insinue dans nos quotidiens. J'ai questionné Pablo sur sa conviction que la violence, à terme, ne résout rien et qu'elle ne fait que repousser les problèmes aux générations suivantes. Ce qu'il propose, c'est une bascule vers l'entraide, vers le lien, vers une autre manière d'habiter le monde – non pas dans l'utopie, mais dans une forme de lucidité joyeuse.Nous avons parlé de la course du temps, de la pression invisible qui nous pousse à toujours aller plus vite, alors même que notre besoin profond est de ralentir. De l'emprise des plateformes numériques sur notre attention. De la désocialisation croissante des jeunes générations. De l'anxiété rampante qui s'installe faute de communautés authentiques.Mais au-delà des constats, ce que propose Pablo, c'est une autre voie. Une voie du cœur et du corps. Une voie de l'enracinement. Une voie qui fait la paix avec nos émotions, nos ombres, nos vulnérabilités. Une voie qui croit encore à la puissance transformatrice du collectif, de la parole vraie, des récits réparateurs.Cet échange m'a profondément nourri. Il donne envie d'agir depuis un endroit plus juste, plus aligné. Citations marquantes« On ne peut pas traverser un effondrement sans passer par le cœur. »« La science ne suffit plus, il faut réintégrer le sensible et le sacré. »« Le vrai courage aujourd'hui, c'est de faire face à l'impermanence. »« Nous avons besoin de récits qui nous rassemblent dans l'incertitude. »« Accepter de ne pas savoir, c'est déjà commencer à guérir. »Idées centrales discutées1. De la collapsologie à l'écologie du lienPablo revient sur son parcours et sur la limite de la collapsologie comme prisme uniquement scientifique. Il évoque un besoin d'aller vers des dimensions plus sensibles et spirituelles.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela montre la nécessité d'un regard holistique sur les crises.~05:002. Le deuil comme passage obligéIl insiste sur l'importance de faire le deuil de l'ancien monde pour mieux accueillir le nouveau.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela permet de transformer la douleur en force de régénération.~12:303. Reconnexion au vivant et aux émotionsIl parle de la place des émotions, du corps, et du rituel dans la transition.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela redonne une place centrale à l'humain dans sa globalité.~19:004. Les limites du discours rationnel dans la crise écologiqueIl critique la foi aveugle dans la raison et la technique pour résoudre les problèmes écologiques.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela pousse à revaloriser l'intuition, l'art et les savoirs ancestraux.~27:005. La joie comme moteur d'actionMalgré la gravité du sujet, Pablo défend une posture de joie active face à l'effondrement.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela ouvre à une écologie de la joie et non de la peur.~38:00Questions posées dans l'interviewPourquoi as-tu arrêté de te revendiquer collapsologue ?Quel a été ton chemin personnel depuis la sortie de Comment tout peut s'effondrer ?Comment faire le deuil d'un monde en train de disparaître ?Quelle place donner aux émotions dans la transition écologique ?Comment réconcilier science, spiritualité et écologie ?De quoi avons-nous le plus peur face à l'effondrement ?Quel est le rôle des récits dans cette transformation collective ?Quelle importance donnes-tu aux rituels et à la communauté ?Est-ce qu'on peut encore espérer dans un monde en crise ?Comment cultiver la joie dans l'incertitude ?Références citées dans l'épisodeLivresComment tout peut s'effondrer – Pablo Servigne et Raphaël Stevens (~01:00)Une autre fin du monde est possible – Pablo Servigne et Gauthier Chapelle (~08:00)Concepts / auteursVandana Shiva – évoquée pour sa vision de l'écologie spirituelle (~20:00)Joanna Macy – travail qui relie (~23:00)Charles Eisenstein – économie sacrée (~30:00)Timestamps clés[00:00] Introduction – Qui est Pablo Servigne ?Un retour sur son parcours, ses engagements, et la naissance de la collapsologie.[05:00] La fin de la collapsologie ?Pourquoi Pablo ne s'identifie plus à ce courant.[12:30] Le processus de deuil collectifComprendre les émotions profondes liées à la crise écologique.[19:00] L'importance du corps, des émotions et des rituelsUn passage par le sensible pour faire face à l'effondrement.[27:00] Critique de la rationalité pureLes limites du discours scientifique dans les transformations sociétales.[38:00] Vers une écologie de la joieComment la joie devient un levier d'action puissant. Suggestion d'autres épisodes à écouter : #240 Marcher séparément mais lutter ensemble? Avec Rejane Senac (https://audmns.com/JCJVxeL) L'individualisme nous tue-t-il a petit feu? partie 1 avec Hugo Paul (https://audmns.com/ntXDwdf) [MOMENT] Transformer la violence de la société actuelle par le soin avec Marie Robert (https://audmns.com/EUxsYiz)Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Pablo Servigne, aest uteur, penseur systémique et biologiste de formation. Il est l'un des premiers à avoir popularisé en France le concept de « collapsologie » avec ses livres devenus cultes, Comment tout peut s'effondrer ou encore Une autre fin du monde est possible. Mais aujourd'hui, Pablo prend ses distances avec cette étiquette. Dans Le réseau des tempêtes, son dernier livre, il trace un sillon nouveau, plus intime, plus incarné, où l'écologie ne peut plus faire l'économie du sensible, de l'émotion, de la relation et de la spiritualité.Cela faisait des années que je voulais inviter Pablo dans Vlan!. Nous avons attendu le bon moment. Et je crois que c'était maintenant. Parce que son message a profondément évolué, et qu'il entre en résonance totale avec mes propres réflexions sur la complexité, sur la joie, sur la nécessité de ralentir, et sur cette capacité à penser contre soi-même.Dans cet épisode, nous parlons de la violence – structurelle, politique, sociale, psychologique – et de comment elle s'insinue dans nos quotidiens. J'ai questionné Pablo sur sa conviction que la violence, à terme, ne résout rien et qu'elle ne fait que repousser les problèmes aux générations suivantes. Ce qu'il propose, c'est une bascule vers l'entraide, vers le lien, vers une autre manière d'habiter le monde – non pas dans l'utopie, mais dans une forme de lucidité joyeuse.Nous avons parlé de la course du temps, de la pression invisible qui nous pousse à toujours aller plus vite, alors même que notre besoin profond est de ralentir. De l'emprise des plateformes numériques sur notre attention. De la désocialisation croissante des jeunes générations. De l'anxiété rampante qui s'installe faute de communautés authentiques.Mais au-delà des constats, ce que propose Pablo, c'est une autre voie. Une voie du cœur et du corps. Une voie de l'enracinement. Une voie qui fait la paix avec nos émotions, nos ombres, nos vulnérabilités. Une voie qui croit encore à la puissance transformatrice du collectif, de la parole vraie, des récits réparateurs.Cet échange m'a profondément nourri. Il donne envie d'agir depuis un endroit plus juste, plus aligné. Citations marquantes« On ne peut pas traverser un effondrement sans passer par le cœur. »« La science ne suffit plus, il faut réintégrer le sensible et le sacré. »« Le vrai courage aujourd'hui, c'est de faire face à l'impermanence. »« Nous avons besoin de récits qui nous rassemblent dans l'incertitude. »« Accepter de ne pas savoir, c'est déjà commencer à guérir. »Idées centrales discutées1. De la collapsologie à l'écologie du lienPablo revient sur son parcours et sur la limite de la collapsologie comme prisme uniquement scientifique. Il évoque un besoin d'aller vers des dimensions plus sensibles et spirituelles.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela montre la nécessité d'un regard holistique sur les crises.~05:002. Le deuil comme passage obligéIl insiste sur l'importance de faire le deuil de l'ancien monde pour mieux accueillir le nouveau.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela permet de transformer la douleur en force de régénération.~12:303. Reconnexion au vivant et aux émotionsIl parle de la place des émotions, du corps, et du rituel dans la transition.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela redonne une place centrale à l'humain dans sa globalité.~19:004. Les limites du discours rationnel dans la crise écologiqueIl critique la foi aveugle dans la raison et la technique pour résoudre les problèmes écologiques.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela pousse à revaloriser l'intuition, l'art et les savoirs ancestraux.~27:005. La joie comme moteur d'actionMalgré la gravité du sujet, Pablo défend une posture de joie active face à l'effondrement.Pourquoi c'est important : Cela ouvre à une écologie de la joie et non de la peur.~38:00Questions posées dans l'interviewPourquoi as-tu arrêté de te revendiquer collapsologue ?Quel a été ton chemin personnel depuis la sortie de Comment tout peut s'effondrer ?Comment faire le deuil d'un monde en train de disparaître ?Quelle place donner aux émotions dans la transition écologique ?Comment réconcilier science, spiritualité et écologie ?De quoi avons-nous le plus peur face à l'effondrement ?Quel est le rôle des récits dans cette transformation collective ?Quelle importance donnes-tu aux rituels et à la communauté ?Est-ce qu'on peut encore espérer dans un monde en crise ?Comment cultiver la joie dans l'incertitude ?Références citées dans l'épisodeLivresComment tout peut s'effondrer – Pablo Servigne et Raphaël Stevens (~01:00)Une autre fin du monde est possible – Pablo Servigne et Gauthier Chapelle (~08:00)Concepts / auteursVandana Shiva – évoquée pour sa vision de l'écologie spirituelle (~20:00)Joanna Macy – travail qui relie (~23:00)Charles Eisenstein – économie sacrée (~30:00)Timestamps clés[00:00] Introduction – Qui est Pablo Servigne ?Un retour sur son parcours, ses engagements, et la naissance de la collapsologie.[05:00] La fin de la collapsologie ?Pourquoi Pablo ne s'identifie plus à ce courant.[12:30] Le processus de deuil collectifComprendre les émotions profondes liées à la crise écologique.[19:00] L'importance du corps, des émotions et des rituelsUn passage par le sensible pour faire face à l'effondrement.[27:00] Critique de la rationalité pureLes limites du discours scientifique dans les transformations sociétales.[38:00] Vers une écologie de la joieComment la joie devient un levier d'action puissant.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

DEBORAH EDEN TULL, founder of Mindful Living Revolution, teaches the integration of compassionate awareness into every aspect of our lives, bridging personal and collective awakening in an age of global change. She is an engaged Buddhist teacher, spiritual activist, author, eco-dharma educator, and facilitator of The Work That Reconnects, a field created by Buddhist scholar and eco-philosopher Joanna Macy for transforming our love and pain for our world into compassionate action. Eden teaches dharma intertwined with post-patriarchal thought and practices, resting upon a lived knowledge of our unity with the more than human world. She has practiced meditation for 30 years and  trained for seven and a half years as a Buddhist monk at the Zen Monastery Peace Center, a silent Zen monastery in the Sierra foothills. She has been teaching for over 20 years. Eden's teaching emphasizes relational presence, acknowledging the personal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, transpersonal, societal, ecological, mystical, and global impacts of embodied dharma. She has worked with a wide range of audiences, from dharma students and spiritual teachers to those practicing or teaching secular mindfulness, to concerned citizens, activists, leaders, and change agents, to parents, schools, inner city youth, nonprofits, corporations, and people who are incarcerated. Eden taught for many years with UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center, and has been collaborating with Nina Simons, co-founder of Bioneers since 2012, on the topics of Regenerative Leadership, Women's Leadership, and Sacred Activism. She is also a member of the national Eco-Dharma Advisory Committee of Buddhist teachers and leaders in the eco-dharma movement. Eden has a special gift for facilitating mindful inquiry and fierce compassion, and bridging personal, ancestral, and collective healing. Weaving dharma with her embodiment of animism, deep ecology, shadow work, somatic awareness, ancestral healing, and conscious movement/dance, she helps people release limiting beliefs and collective biases that have been passed down over generations. She draws upon her own experience of navigating loss, illness, and trauma, guiding people to embrace the mystery and celebrate the value and alchemy of light and darkness as teachers of love. Having lived in or taught about sustainable communities and organic gardening/permaculture for decades, Eden weaves the essential wisdom of nature into everything she teaches. She currently resides in the mountains of western North Carolina, originally Cherokee land, with her husband Mark. She offers retreats, workshops, and consultations nationally and internationally, integrating presence and partnership with nature. Eden feels that the most important aspect of being a teacher is continually being a student. She continually immerses herself in trainings and retreats, recognizing direct experience as our truest guide. She works closely with mentor Pam Weiss, author of A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism, to deepen her embodiment of Soto Zen Buddhism in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi.

Earlier this year, the remarkable eco-philosopher Joanna Macy passed away at age ninety-six. Among her many gifts, she was a seminal translator of the great twentieth-century poet Rainer Maria Rilke. In our final episode of the year, we return to a selection of translations of Rilke from The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, by Joanna and award-winning poet Anita Barrows, that speak to the beauty and mystery present in worlds both seen and unseen, the unknowability of the Divine, and the union of nature and the transcendent. We share them this holiday period in the hope they nourish heart and spirit, inviting reflection on all that is given and all that fades away. Cover artwork by Claire Collette. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Aloka Earth Room) Short Reflection & Guided Meditation including 'Invocation of Beings of the Three Times' based on Joanna Macy's text | Earthworm Practice for the Anthropocene III | Online Wednesday-Morning

(Aloka Earth Room) Short Reflection & Guided Meditation including 'Invocation of Beings of the Three Times' based on Joanna Macy's text | Earthworm Practice for the Anthropocene III | Online Wednesday-Morning

"Living systems theory has been so helpful to me. I think there is a drive within living systems to complexify, to wake up—there is an evolutionary movement. I speak out of the love and excitement generated by my little work, which many people are doing with me. It does require being able to experience pain. It does require tears and outrage. It does require positive disintegration. Our whole culture needs positive disintegration. It has to die to itself. So my Christian upbringing is relevant there: Good Friday and Easter, the necessity for death and rebirth. We are going to die as a culture, and it's better for us to do it consciously, so we don't inflict it on everyone else." - Joanna Macy The main source: https://www.activehope.info/Read the interview with Joanna Macy. Read the first few chapters of the book ACTIVE HOPE. Read Faron Sage's Article.Read more from Joanna Macy.SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!)DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund AND THE Sudan Relief FundGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBESUBSCRIBE FOR BONUS CONTENT ON PATREON.The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we talk about what Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone's book Active Hope. Specifically the three stages of dealing with the current crisis. “Business as Usual” - Those who refuse to change. The people that believe that the current system is the best or only way. “The Great Unravelling” - Those who are inundated with despair about the fact that people are still in "business as usual" mode. The people that believe that the world is in serious decline + feel hopeless + helpless. “The Great Turning” - Those who are working “to transition from a doomed economy of industrial growth to a life-sustaining society committed to the recovery of our world.”Where are you? I waffle between 1, 2, and 3 seemingly all the time, but I spend most of my time in 2. Read the first few chapters of the book ACTIVE HOPE. Read Faron Sage's Article.Read more from Joanna Macy.SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!)DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund AND THE Sudan Relief FundGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBESUBSCRIBE FOR BONUS CONTENT ON PATREON.The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lev Natan explores the idea that the personal and professional are inseparable, especially in a time of global turbulence and deep transformation. Drawing on visionary thinkers like Barbara Marx Hubbard, Thomas Berry, and Joanna Macy, he reflects on why authentic emotion, spiritual insight, and inner purpose must be brought into our work if we hope to meet the challenges of the polycrisis with resilience and creativity. Speaking from the trail along the Housatonic River, Lev invites listeners to reclaim their full humanity in service of meaningful leadership and a regenerative future.______Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.www.avf.earth

Jennifer Berezan reflects on the necessity for courage, compassion, and the power of community in uncertain times. Even to simply stop and sit with what is requires bravery—especially amid aging, societal unrest, and personal struggles. She emphasizes meeting the moment with “loving awareness,” as Jack Kornfield taught, and encourages us to find refuge in practice, even when the world feels heavy.In her signature style, Jennifer weaves music and story into the dharma, sharing mantras and songs that uplift and reconnect. She honors her late teacher Joanna Macy, an eco-philosopher and Buddhist scholar, recounting their journey to witness environmental devastation in Alberta and Macy's profound teaching: “The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe,” which embodies the bodhisattva Tara and her mantra as a call to compassionate action. Jennifer closes with a poem by Andrea Gibson and a song by Carrie Newcomer, reminding us that joy, beauty, and connection are radical acts of healing.______________Jennifer Berezan is a unique blend of singer/songwriter, producer, and activist. Over the course of ten albums, she has developed and explored recurring themes with a rare wisdom. Her lifelong involvement in environmental, women's, and other justice movements as well as an interest in Buddhism and earth-based spirituality are at the heart of her writing. Find her at https://jenniferberezan.com/ ______________ To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can: Donate Learn how to participate live Find our schedule of upcoming speakers Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

What if burnout isn't just about exhaustion—but something much deeper? In this powerful episode, Julie and Ginger speak with Sheri Kreher, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Trauma, Illness, and Grief (TIG) Coordinator for 24 school districts in New York. Sheri brings two decades of mental health experience and a deep understanding of the emotional toll today's educators are carrying.Together, we explore the growing wave of vicarious trauma, moral injury, and systemic despair among school staff—and why the solution lies beyond individual self-care. Sheri introduces the idea of Active Hope—a framework that acknowledges the pain, honors the grief, and offers a path forward rooted in connection, validation, and systems change.If you've ever found yourself thinking, “What's wrong with me that I can't do this job anymore?”—this episode will help you reframe that question and begin to heal.________________________________________In This Episode, We Explore:• Why burnout in education is often a symptom of deeper, systemic wounds• The role of moral injury and betrayal in driving educator hopelessness• How vicarious trauma shows up—and why it's not a sign of weakness• What it means to practice Active Hope in school systems that feel broken• How administrators can be a protective factor for staff• Why naming, witnessing, and validating pain is essential to healing• What it takes to build school climates of cohesion, care, and courage"What looks like burnout is often unprocessed grief and betrayal. Educators don't just need more resilience—they need to be seen, heard, and believed." — Sheri Kreher________________________________________ Resources:• Active Hope (by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone)• Active Hope Book Link: https://a.co/d/6dZ6xbi

I was sensing that we could use one of our Wisdom for Staying Centered & Sustained in Intense Times conversations just about now .. there are explorations where we take a step 'between the worlds', open up our intuitive illuminator wise being eyes, remember we have the power of the creatrix within us to create reality for ourselves, those we influence and this world, and tune into the wisdom to give us insight and practices forward. Our centerpoint for this exploration is : Reactor Emoter - Rooted Responder - Revolutionary Evolutionary, which one are you? How can you work with these 3 energies to move through these times... stay balanced, feel empowered, play your part and care for your wellbeing?    In this episode, I'll share some wisdom perspectives and practices that you can chew on, contemplate and integrate into your reality.  Some of what we'll work with in this episode are: What if Humanity is actually evolving?  How is the Macro showing up in my Micro?  Do we need to have something to fight in order to evolve? Deep Time & where are we in it?  What are we giving our energy and power to, really?   Practices of rhythm, ritual and moving the energy   I will also lead you through a few somatic processes to really feel how you can bring this wisdom into your life now .... so we can support you to stay centered, sustained and connected my friend!  Between now and the next episode, take these perspectives into life, open your wise eyes, and use what resonates to keep your kayak afloat and you above the water. >>> SHARE this podcast with a friend, and invite them to share what resonated and what you each want to take and bring into your life.  with heart, Christine Resources & Links: Morning Practice Guide Overwhelmed & Over It book: Embrace Your Power to Stay Centered and Sustained in Chaotic Times - Check out Section 2: Liberate Your Life Force for Lifeforce Reading Practice Triangle of Transformation from Christine and Shambala Warrior Prophecy with Joanna Macy - posted on Feminine Wisdom Cafe  What's next? Tune into the Feminine Leadership Archetype Series - Ep 272 and 271  Remember to SHARE this podcast episode with at least one friend or colleague. Ways to Connect: Join us in the Feminine Wisdom Cafe, a private online community Subscribe to Christine's Monthly Wisdom Letters Connect with Christine on LinkedIn Watch on YouTube

Today I'm delighted to welcome back Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland who previously joined me to share her amazing wisdom and some of her soulful poetry from her incredible book Daring To Hope at the Cliff's Edge in Episode 35. Elizabeth is currently on a UK and Europe tour with her composer husband Beverly Glenn-Copeland, if you have the opportunity to see them live then I highly recommend it. They also have a beautiful new album Laughter in Summer which is available for Pre-order: https://beverlyglenncopeland.comToday we honour the incredible legacy of one of Elizabeth's cherished mentors Joanna Macy environmental activist, author and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory and deep ecology who transitioned from this world in July 2025. Elizabeth guides us with poetry and gentle compassion to explore some of the principles of The Work That Reconnects, which Joanna created as the ground-breaking framework for personal and social change that helps people take the despair and apathy we feel and transform it into constructive, collaborative action. From gratitude and honouring the pain we witness in ourselves and the world around us, to finding a new story and vision to hold as we move forward and write the future for the earth and humanity that we want to bring into being. Remember Hope is a verb, it is meant to be active not passive, it is a practice that we must tend daily to cultivate the change we want to see in our world.Learn more about  ElizabethElizabeth Glenn-Copeland is a writer, theatre maker and arts educator whose career over the last forty years has evolved at the intersection of arts and activism. She has long had a passion for communicating with the animate world that began in childhood high up in the arms of an old weeping willow. Fast forward sixty years -- Elizabeth is offered a writing residency at the Joggins Fossil Institute, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the mighty Bay of Fundy. She jumps at the chance to connect/converse with 300 million-year-old-rock, to go to Stone as supplicant, to fully engage with sea and sand and sky and winged helpers to deepen her connection to the living world. What emerged was a narrative of the odyssey in poetic form, “Daring to Hope at the Cliff's Edge: Pangea's Dream Remembered”.Music journalist, Nick Storring says of the this work:“Lyrical, bewildering, heartening, and unsettling, this work sees an individual voice reckoning with the overwhelming complexity of our present moment.”Elizabeth lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her composer husband, Beverly Glenn-Copeland.Purchase ‘Daring to Hope…': https://chapelstreeteditions.com/book-catagories/poetry/daring-to-hope-at-the-cliffs-edge/Instagram: @beverlyglenncopelandDiscover the work of Joanna Macy: https://www.joannamacy.net/The Work That Reconnects: https://workthatreconnects.org/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Send us a textWhat if the most powerful classroom tool isn't another strategy, but a deeper way of seeing? In this episode, Amy Edelstein explore show purpose, presence, and philosophical clarity can reshape teaching from the inside out—so young people feel safe to grow, wonder, and lead with heart.As Amy reflects on the quiet force of Jane Goodall's life—her translucent presence, her unflinching observation of beauty and brutality, and her devotion to conservation—and translates those lessons into daily actions educators can take: walk lighter, listen longer, hold paradox without flinching. We then meet Peace Pilgrim, who turned values into motion, walking tens of thousands of miles as a living argument for peace. Her witness is a blueprint for schools: align methods with aims, structure learning for cooperation, and make compassion visible when tensions rise. Threaded through the episode is a case for philosophy as a practical compass. When conflict and noise escalate, ethical reflection keeps action aligned with the world we want to build.Be sure to settle yourself before a long guided meditation to help you connect with the deeper currents you want to share with your students. Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode please leave a review! Your review supports our podcast to reach more educators and share the importance of creating more conscious classrooms.The Conscious Classroom was honored by Feedspot in their Top 100 Classroom Podcasts. We are committed to sharing insights that transform outlooks and inspire with what's possible. Subscribe so you don't miss a single episode! Visit Inner Strength Education for more on the great work of the Conscious Classroom. Want to train to teach mindfulness, compassion, and systems thinking to students? Courses are available at The Conscious Classroom.Get your copy of the award-winning, bestseller The Conscious Classroom: The Inner Strength System for Transforming the Teenage Mind.

Today, we are learning from Rukmini Iyer. Rukmini is a leadership and organisational transformation consultant and peacebuilder with over two decades of global experience. She works at the intersection of conscious leadership, peacebuilding, and systems change, weaving in ecocentric and decolonial perspectives. She is the founder of Exult! Solutions, a practice dedicated to meaningful, values-driven change, and serves on the International Board of Creators of Peace. Her facilitation integrates the SDGs and IDGs, the Work That Reconnects, and narrative and somatic practices, supporting communities, organisations, and movements worldwide. A Rotary Peace Fellow and Vital Voices Fellow, she is committed to helping people and systems make decisions that nurture wellbeing, equity, and planetary balance. Let's get started... In this conversation with Rukmini Iyer, I learned: 00:00 Intro 02:20 Explanation of why I want to learn more about colonization and decolonization of the Inner Development Goals. 06:30 Starting with peacebuilding and her experience in this work, she concentrates on dialogue and peace education. 09:30 Gandhi probably drew his inspiration for his non-violent way of living from the Jain philosophy of ahiṃsā. 11:05 Peace-building is a lot about recalling the possibility of non-violence for Rukmini. 11:50 Violence is part of life. It is natural, but is it in the service of life? 16:05 The tendency of humans to take power over others using violence, and at the same time have the free will to choose not to exercise that tendency. 16:30 One of the earliest forms of colonization is agriculture. We decided to settle on a piece of land and to make it grow what I want it to grow. 18:25 All of human history has been about exploring our relationship with power. Power over vs power with. 20:35 Examining land ownership from a different perspective. 22:45 What we call resources, the indigenous people call relatives. 25:05 Rituals that remind us that we are in a relationship with the planet, the cosmos, the plants and animals. 30:15 We need a complement to the SDGs, which speaks to the internal aspects of our psyche. That is why inner development is of great importance to Rukmini. 34:30 Working with frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals is a luxury. 36:25 To repair our relationship with life through inner development. 37:15 The main points of why there is colonization in the IDG framework and organisation - see links to resources below 44:20 The business model that makes her work accessible. 47:40 We have given a lot of power away to money. 48:50 Start sensing into the patterns of colonization. 51:50 An empowering connotation around colonization. 53:10 Creating localized versions of the IDG framework. 54:10 We allow ourselves to be colonized by technology (companies). We colonize our children. 57:35 The work of Joanna Macy - the work that reconnects. 1:04:05 The sense of guilt about colonization from the past does not serve anyone. 1:06:00 To open up the umbrella, bring in those who do not have shade. More about Rukmini Iyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rukminiiyer/ exult-solutions.com medium.com/@rukminiiyer Resources we mention: Inner Development Goals (International) Inner Development Goals NL website Caux Inner Development Goals Forum 2025 | IofC Het boek van wijsheid – Arun Gandhi #boekencast afl 108 Jainism - Wikipedia - Jain monks take five main vows: ahiṃsā (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Zo worden we de generatie van regeneratie – Henrike Gootjes Regeneratie boek - Henrike Gootjes Ronald Rovers Indian Knowledge Systems - Indian Knowledge Systems - Wikipedia Decolonising Inner Development: An Ethic for Re-Patterning Systems and Frameworks - Rukmini Iyer

Inspired by Franciscan spirituality and Joanna Macy's body of teachings known as the Work That Reconnects, Canticle Farm in Oakland, California, brings together more than 40 people living into the question of how we heal ourselves and the planet together. In this conversation, host Serena Bian talks with Anne and Terry Symons-Bucher, founders of Canticle Farm, about the role that trauma healing and conflict transformation plays in building towards beloved community. Through the lived experiences of Terry and Anne, we will dive into the journeys that both have taken to steward communities across cultures in practicing love in the face of difference, conflict, and rupture. Anne served as Joanna Macy's executive assistant for over two decades, and this conversation will also serve to honor Joanna's life and work. Anne and Terry Symons-Bucher are the co-founders of Canticle Farm, located in the Fruitvale District of East Oakland. Inspired by the life of Francis of Assisi, Canticle Farm is a community providing a platform for the Great Turning, one heart, one home, and one block at a time. The Great Turning—the planetary shift from an industrial-growth society to a life-sustaining society—is served by Canticle Farm through local work that fosters forgiveness in the human community and compassion for all beings. Canticle Farm primarily focuses on the poor and marginalized as those who most bear the burden of social and planetary degradation, as well as being those who are first able to perceive the need for the Great Turning. Rooted in spiritual practice, Canticle Farm manifests this commitment by engaging in the Work That Reconnects, integral nonviolence, gift economy, restorative justice practices, urban permaculture, and other disciplines necessary for regenerating community in the 21st Century. Anne and Terry are the parents of five children. Find out more about The New School at Commonweal on our website: tns.commonweal.org. And like/follow our Soundcloud channel for more great podcasts.

Can birdsong heal your hearing? Can a rainforest recruit humans to protect it? What is deep ecology, anyway?Of all the approaches to “saving the world”, this one has my heart. Join me in conversation with elder John Seed as we get to the marrow of the environmental crisis, from the illusion of separation between human beings and nature, to the rituals, ceremonies and stories that can heal it.About John SeedJust last year at age 79 John was arrested for strapping himself to logging machinery in the Bulga State Forest, and has been awarded the Order of Australia medal for his services to the environment. John launched the Rainforest Information Center, has initiated global rainforest action networks and campaigns, developed The Council of All Beings with Joanna Macy, co-authored Thinking Like A Mountain with Joanna Macy Pat Fleming and Arne Ness, and spent decades facilitating experiential deep ecology workshops.IN THIS CONVOJohn's story of being called into service by NatureCollaborating with Joanna MacyThe root of the planetary crisisCommunity therapies to heal civilisational woundsBusiness As Usual, The Great Unravelling, The Great TurningThe Work That ReconnectsActivism as ceremonyThe antidote to cultural amnesiaWhy John loves podcasts!How not to judge gross human behaviourHonouring our pain for the worldFeelings as ancient intelligenceCan anyone run a grief circle?The council of all beingsThe cosmic walk

In honor of the recent passing of the eco-philosopher, Buddhist scholar, and dear friend Joanna Macy, we return to our interview with her from 2018. In this conversation, she traces the ways a life-long heart connection with the living world cultivated a resounding ecological awareness within her work and spirituality; and explores how we might return to an “ecological self” as a way to be of service amid the climate catastrophe. Joanna was also a seminal translator of Rainer Maria Rilke's poetry, finding his contemplations on the entwinement of grief, beauty, and spiritual life deeply resonant. You can hear Joanna recite, alongside Anita Burrows, a selection of their translations in our audio story Be Earth Now.  Read the interview transcript. Photo by Adam Loften. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a narrated version of my 'hunkering down' essay on a a calm presence.This essay is inspired by interviews with and writings by David Suzuki, Seth Klein, Joanna Macy and Thich Nhat Hanh. The episode also features excerpts from conscient podcast episodes é55 – un petit instant with France Trépanier, e177 - unknownness as a playground for artists with Asma Khan, e231 – what can we contribute?  with Kelly Wilhelm, e239 roundtable – imagining in public e2 - artist perspectives on social impact with Jesse Hirsh and e235 – art from the soil with Lallan.My conclusion is that:‘I don't think humans will survive much longer as a species on earth and I worry about the suffering of current and future human and more-than-human communities.'And‘My own balance point between hope and despair lies in my belief that we are all living energy and that life in the cosmos will unfold as it should and the best course of action for someone like me is to be as calm a presence as I can while looking up at the stars in wonder and doing everything I can to reduce suffering and prepare for the future.'The narration was recorded on August 11, 2025 while drifting in a kayak on the Preston River in Duhamel, Québec. This is an uninterrupted recording except for 10 seconds of silence in between sections. Quoted texts have been slightly processed for clarity. See the Transcript tab for a complete transcription. As always, feel free to respond in the public comments section of any of my social media or privately to me : claude@conscient.ca.Thanks for listening. Below is there I list 15 resources that I narrate (also available in the written essay and in the episodie transcript): Climate Emergency Unit, led by Seth Klein, presses for the implementation of wartime-scale policies in Canada to confront the climate crisis. They produce the excellent Break In Case of Emergency podcast and campaigns such as the Youth Climate Corps. A good place to start is my conversation with their director of campaigns, Anjali Appadurai, e23 – what does a just transition look like? and my two conversations with Seith Klein : e26 – rallying through art and e77 seth klein – identifying a shared vision and a set of actionsCollapse 2050 by Sarah Connor (which is a pseudonym) explores the unspoken truth about humanity's frightening future. I've found her postings are grounded in fact and terrifying to read. I recommend it for those who want to deepen their understanding about how we got here and why we need to hunker down. In this vein, I also recommend Jessica Wildfire's The Sentinel-Intelligence which is more focused on survival tactics. I recommend her From Collapse Awareness to Collapse Acceptance posting. Both are from the US and have that point of view.Dark Optimism is a not-for-profit public interest research and activism structure featuring the writing of Shaun Chamberlin. I recommend subscribing to his newsletter and consider taking the Surviving the Future : The Deeper Dive course, which I took during the winter of 2025. For more on this see e218 roundtable - surviving the future where you can directly from participants including myself. This 3 month course is intended for those ‘seeking insights and allies to help themselves and their localities through profound change'. It's hard work but transformative and liberating. A similar deep dive course is Facing Human Wrongs, which I mention below.David Suzuki Foundation has a wealth of resources and regenerative projects. For example, I was deeply moved by the Rewilding exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Nature where thirteen Canadian artists bring the concept of rewilding to life, highlighting the vital role that nature plays in our communities through their compelling works of art. Two conscient podcast guests are part of the exhibit : sarah peebles in e230 – how can we reciprocate? and Kendra Fanconi in e36 – towards carbon positive work and e87 – on the artist brigade, ben okri, eco-restoration, eco-grief & reauthoring the world. I also recommend watching a conversation on Instagram between Suzuki and his daughter Sarika about hope and raising children.Ecologies in Practice: Environmentally Engaged Arts in Canada is a book co-edited by Amanda White and Elysia French that explores ‘the ways in which cultural production informs perceptions, communications, and knowledge of environmental distress in a Canadian context'. I was pleased to discover this group of research based ecological artists who were mostly new to me. Amanda and Elysia also produce the excellent Ecologies in Practice Podcast.Emergence Magazine is an ‘online publication with an annual print edition connecting the threads between ecology, culture, and spirituality' which are three of my favorite things. An email arrives every Sunday morning in my inbox that invites me to read, listen and do exercises. I recommend subscribing to their podcast and viewing their film series.How to Fall in Love with the Futureby Rob Hopkins, who I discovered this year, is a ‘deep dive into the people and movements throughout history who have used visions of the future to inspire positive change on a large and dramatic scale'. Rob is co-founder of Transition Network and of Transition Town Totnes. I recommend his From What If To What Next podcast series (2020-2024) and his Field Recordings from the Future.Green Dreamerwith Kamea Chayne encourages us to ‘be more imaginative in dreaming up our futures and reorienting ‘growth' towards what matters most to our well-being'. I've listened to hundreds of episodes of this podcast and am consistently engaged and inspired by these spirited conversations. Green Dreamer also produces the alchemize program which I have taken and recommend  (see e161 alchemize circle - a conversation with kamea chayne). The indefatigable Kamea also produces uprooted : ‘metabolizing the mess and immensity of our socio-ecological-cultural crises via expansive interviews, critical essays and heart-centered reflections.'Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures(GTDF) is an arts-research collective led by Vanessa Andreotti (author of Hospicing Modernity with a follow up book, Outgrowing Modernity: Navigating Complexity, Complicity, and Collapse with Accountability and Compassion which is out now). They operate as a workspace for collaborations around different kinds of artistic, pedagogical, cartographic, and relational experiments that aim to identify and de-activate colonial habits of being, and to gesture towards the possibility of decolonial futures. I took the first iteration of their Facing Human Wrongs course in 2022 which is an exploration of the ongoing systemic violence we perpetuate towards one another and the planet we are part. I produced a radio play about some of my learnings  in e111 - what are the traps in your life?Ishmael is a 1992 philosophical novel by Daniel Quinn. The novel examines the hidden cultural biases driving modern civilization and explores themes of ethics, sustainability, and global catastrophe'. I was transfixed by this conversation between a gorilla and human about human supremacy and cultural myths. Ishmael is part of a trilogy that includes a 1996 spiritual sequel, The Story of B, and a 1997 ‘sidequel', My Ishmael, which are both on my reading radar.Life After Doom by Brian D. McLean explores the ‘catastrophic failure of both our religious and political leaders to address the dominant realities of our time: ecological overshoot, economic injustice, and the increasing likelihood of civilizational collapse'. McLean is a pastor who tackles the complexities of religion and spirituality with finesse and equanimity. His book helped me work through some of my current anxiety and grief. I wrote about his book in a sense of communion. I recommend the audio book version read by the author. In this vein about grief I also recommend Jennifer Atkinson's Facing It, a podcast series about love, loss, and the natural world.otherWise is a ‘cosmolocal learning community of wisdom-seekers and re-villagers - small, place-rooted gatherings - deep, slow virtual inquiry - shared rituals - commons-sense'. This initiative comes out of EcoGather, which now exists as a freely accessible digital archive of courses and a community learning network. otherWise is a good place to explore what ‘hunker down' culture might look like through their otherWisdom Circles and otherGardens programs.Reseed is a podcast hosted by Alice Irene Whittaker about ‘repairing our relationship with nature featuring thoughtful conversations about our collective journey from takers to caretakers'. I love their regenerative and grounded stories. Alice Irene is also author of Homing: A Quest to Care for Myself and the Earthwhich you learn more about in e196  - homing, a book review) and e187 - caring for the planet I love.The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens is about ‘navigating uncertainty through understanding and building a resilient future together'. This is my ‘go to' podcast for unfiltered and credible scientific knowledge but also Nate's philosophical and spiritual insights. In particular, I enjoy Hagen's Frankly series of personal opinions that often mirror my own vulnerabilities and musings. Their web site is a great resource, notably The Great Simplification Movie. Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh and collaborators is a ‘vital approach to combating climate change and creating a better world for us and our future generations'. I recommend this book for those interested in engaged buddhism and environmental spiritual practices. An online course is offered by Plum Village. In this vein, also see e29 loy – the bodhisattva path.Note: New content comes my way every day that inspires and motivates me, for example, Kamea Chayne's All eyes on Gaza, all ears everywhere else, too, and all hands in the dirt!! in Uprooted  and Robertson Work's Coming Home to the Present Moment in Compassionate Conversations. *END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODESHey conscient listeners, I've been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). It's my way to give back.In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.Your feedback is always welcome at claude@conscient.ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.Share what you like, etcI am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. Claude SchryerLatest update on July 8, 2025

Thomas and Panu reflected on the profound impact of Joanna Macy on their understanding of environmental emotions and activism. Thomas highlighted Macy's role in transforming environmental engagement from an intellectual pursuit to a visceral, emotional experience. He shared a personal story of meeting Macy and read an excerpt from his new book describing one of her workshops he attended as a graduate student. Panu reflected on his experience of Macy's legacy, noting her influence on modern conceptions of eco-anxiety and empowerment, and her integration of Buddhism, ecology, spirituality and systems thinking. The discussion also highlighted some of the challenges adapting Macy's methods for broader audiences and pitfalls of idealizing Macy's “The Work that Reconnects” and its cultural background and  assumptions. The episode concluded by encouraging listeners to engage with Joanna Macy's transformative teachings for themselves. 

Send us a textHonoring Joanna Macy: Love, Grief, and the Dance of LifeWelcome back, folks! Join Stephan and Adam as they dive into a heartwarming tribute to the incomparable Joanna Macy. They chat about her life, her profound contributions to spiritual ecology, and her legacy of promoting interconnectedness and compassion. Explore grief, love, and how we can be Shambala warriors, embracing powerful, love-driven action in today's world. Shoutout to Dayton for the episode inspiration!If you have an episode recommendation on a book or topic related to awakening and spirituality, and to sign up for our email list, email us directly at:letterstotheskypodcast [ at] gmail.com00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:54 Tribute to Joanna Macy01:26 Joanna Macy's Life and Work03:04 Emotional Connection and Grief04:16 Spiritual Ecology and Interconnectedness14:41 The Shambala Prophecy22:52 Taking Action from Love29:09 Misconceptions About Awakening30:16 The True Meaning of Awakening31:24 Mind-Made Weapons and Their Undoing33:35 The Power of Love Over Hate35:36 Feeling Without Pathologizing47:47 Joanna Macy's Reverence for Life51:49 Final Thoughts and Call to ActionSupport the showCopyright 2025 by Letters to the Sky

Anya Kamenetz was having trouble coping with the state of the world. So she decided to report on those feelings. In this conversation, Anya shares what she learned from talking to scientists, activists, and thinkers about our collective emotions - why we feel the things we do, the limits of those feelings, and how to move through them to take action. From the episode:  Learn more about Anya Kamenetz and her work Read Anya's newsletter The Golden Hour Listen to We Are the Great Turning, a podcast Anya produced with eco-spiritual teacher Joanna Macy about love, courage, and connection in the climate crisis Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon. You'll get access to our free newsletter, ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus interviews, like this extended conversation with Anya Kamenetz.Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

“The most radical thing any of us can do right now is to be fully present to what is.” Joanna Macy In this deeply special episode, we honour the extraordinary life and legacy of Joanna Macy PHD, visionary teacher, spiritual elder, systems thinker, and sacred activist, whose work has profoundly shaped the heart of All That We Are.  Known for The Great Turning, The Work That Reconnects, and Active Hope, Joanna gave us language and permission to meet this moment fully. To face the grief, uncertainty, and unraveling of our world not with numbness, but with courage, community, and fierce devotional love. Joanna left her body on Saturday 19th July 2025, in her ninety-sixth year. Her spirit, teachings, and the deep soulprint of her work continue to move through so many of us and the guests, listeners, and circles that shape this podcast.  This tribute brings Joanna's own tender and galvanising voice as she shares The Five Gifts of Uncertainty and we gather a constellation of stories and reflections from a few of the many who've been deeply touched by her work.  You will hear from Will Scott, Nina Simons, Tibet Sprague, Louis Weinstock, Jewels Wingfield and Phoebe Tickell. As well as Holly Ebony, with her song Born For These Times. Together, we weave a tapestry of respect, love, and courage. An invitation to revisit or begin to explore the teachings that Joanna has to offer. For links and more, visit www.allthatweare.org

In this episode, grace traces her journey over the past six years — from ego death to erotic devotion and shares more about the driving forces behind her work these days.If you're curious about: embodying paradox, touching Life as your full Self, and the path of the alchemical Feminine, this episode is for you.Thank you for listening.  All of your contradictions are welcome, because they are the essential ingredient. They are not to be avoided or bypassed. You are called to be a poetic, embodied paradox. — grace allerdice we explore —How an epic failure and ego death led grace to start home—bodyEmbracing the position of priestessReclaiming your spiritual imaginationEroticism and relational wholenessExisting at the edges and intersectionsMary Magdalene and Freedom as an inside jobSpiritual bypassing versus being okay with uncertaintyFinding the hologram at the center of your Center If you enjoyed the episode, check out —finding your true GiftNOW is Grace : Love the World.

On July 19th, Joanna Macy, beloved teacher and past guest, passed away peacefully at home in Berkeley, California. In honor of her legacy, we are rebroadcasting her episode “World as Self and as Lover,” originally released in 2015 when the show was titled Unlearn and Rewild.In this deeply resonant conversation, Ayana speaks with Joanna on grief, change, and connection – themes that remain ever-relevant. Joanna offers wisdom on emotional courage, allyship, and gratitude, inviting us to see the world as our larger living body. Her words are a balm for those navigating despair, helping us move through paralysis toward collective transformation and action.A renowned scholar and activist, Joanna Macy created Work That Reconnects, a transformative framework for facing ecological and social crises. Her legacy lives on through decades of writing, teaching, and deep spiritual and ecological insight.We invite you to listen again as we honor her enduring guidance and presence.Learn more at https://forthewild.world/listen/joanna-macy-on-the-world-as-lover-and-self-homageCreditsMusic by Anne Mitchell, Roberta Flack, Pharoah Sanders, and Roy HarperThis episode was created by Ayana Young, Erica Ekrem, Julia Jackson, and Victoria Pham.Cover art: Vintage National GeographicSupport the showSupport the show

A tribute-song to two supernovas—Joanna Macy and Andrea Gibson—who in their passing away are spreading life-building gifts. A story-song. A metaphor.Free Story & Media ConsultationComment and Subscribe here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit storypaths.substack.com/subscribe

On this week's episode, I honor Joanna Macy, PH.D, author, teacher, a scholar of Buddhism, systems thinking and deep ecology. Joanna died last week at the age of 96,  and I trust that her respected voice in movements for peace, justice and ecology will live on in my heart and in the world.  Whether you know her rich contribution to our consciousness or she is new to you, I invite you to learn about Joanna Macy. See how she might touch your heart and inspire you to awaken, stretch, and live more fully. Check out the show notes for links to her website, interviews and books. Enjoy the podcast!   Links: Joanna's Website Vimeo Interview NY Times On Being Old Dog Documentaries Enlighten Podcast with Anne Macksoud

We are much more powerful than we often imagine, and in surprising ways. For most of us, our power is not in being remembered long beyond our lifetimes, or in being able to change the world that is far from us. It is rather in that we are each made by one another, and we make one another, by how we live, what we say, how we listen, and how we act. When we start to see that we are literally making a world for others to live in right here and now, in our every way of conducting ourselves it can open great possibilities both for gratitude and wonder, and great responsibilities for us as parents, friends, colleagues and neighbours in our everyday lives. In this conversation we remember Joanna Macy, whose writing we have featured a number of times, who died on July 19. And we talk together about what it is to be ‘good soil' for one another, so that we get to make a world together that we want to live in.This week's conversation is hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace. Episode Overview 00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 02:59 Nature as a Narrative for Human Life 05:59 Reflections on Mortality and Legacy 08:50 The Interconnectedness of Human Experience 11:54 Being Soil for One Another 14:49 Relationships and Community 18:07 Parenting and World Making 21:06 Cultural Narratives that Limit and Bring to Life 23:49 Conclusion Here's our source for this week: In Honor of Joanna Macy, 1929-2025 I write while staying in one of the great forests of British Columbia, a forest in which the inextricability of life from death is gorgeously evident… Magnificent fallen trees turn back into soil as younger trees reach downward to twine around their ancestors' trunks and upward toward the sky. The roots growing around and gripping these decaying logs look like veins and tentacles and fingers clutching and reaching toward an anchor in the soil. Some of the mature cedars and conifers stand on mounds that must be fully decayed trees or rather once were trees and are further along in the process of becoming soil. Often a great tree that's fallen over still has at its base a tall shield that is its roots still clinging to rounded stones and soil, and from this the trunk stretches across the earth. These trees from which trees grow are known as nurse logs… When I was younger, I was taught what an artist or writer was supposed to aspire to was immortality, the kind that Dante and Li Po and Shakespeare have, so that in centuries to come memory of your name and attention to your creations continue. Later in life, I realized that there was an entirely different thing to aspire to, an entirely different kind of creative success: to be so much part of your own time, of the present that is making the future, that rather than remaining what people think about, you become in some way how people think, how they value, what they prioritize. You stop being what's in front of their eyes and become part of what is behind their eyes, how they see the world, how they live, act, what they aspire to, what they hold close, what they resist. You become a nurse log on which new life can grow as you compost into the soil we call culture. And maybe this is the mindset of moist places, of an ecology of vivid decay and regeneration rather than of the arid places, where death dessicates and the mummies, skeletons, ruins, Dead Sea Scrolls, last for centuries or millennia. Rebecca Solnit, writing in memory of Joanna Macy 1929-2025 From ‘Meditations in an Emergency', Rebecca's ongoing public writing for these times Photo by Tomas Martinez on Unsplash ---- Join Us Live in 2025 Turning Towards Life Live Season 1, from September 2025 We also have the launch of our Turning Towards Life live programme which is going to run in six month seasons from September. It's going to be in person on Zoom once a month. We're very excited about it. A chance to expand beyond the bounds of a podcast into forming a community of learning and practice. You can register your interest for Season 1 of Turning Towards Life Live here. ---- About Turning Towards Life Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace.  Find us on FaceBook to watch live and join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Google, Amazon Music and Spotify. Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribe Support Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslifeKeywords nurse logs, creative success, soil culture, interpenetrating lives, mortality meaning, forest metaphor, humility humus, world making, parenting soil, cultural foundation, death regeneration, collective memory, individual legacy, spiritual ecology, creative immortality, ancestral roots, living decay, fertile ground, cultural inheritance, generational impact, everyday power, relationship making, invisible influence, natural cycles, human connection

Saccanama explores the First Noble Truth of dukkha or unsatisfactoriness. Through looking at incidents from the life of the Buddha, he explores not just the individual aspect of dukkha but also the collective or social aspects of dukkha which are often overlooked or downplayed in Buddhist tradition. He also explores the traditional descriptions of dukkha before going on to examine what Joanna Macy calls apathy or our disconnection from the world. Through emphasising the collective and social aspects of dukkha, we have a motive for practice that doesn't buy into the danger of individualism. This talk was given at Nottingham Buddhist Centre as part of the series Challenging Dharma for Challenging Times, 2020. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast: A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967  

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin with a period of settling, developing greater samadhi or concentration, and then move to mindfulness practice, including giving some attention to noticing moderate or a little greater levels of pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tone. When we notice pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tones, is there any tendency toward grasping or pushing away, in habitual or automatic ways? We then explore gratitude as a practice, simply reflecting on ways that we are grateful, first for aspects of our own lives, and then for aspects of the wider world. This is followed by opening with mindfulness to some difficult or painful aspects of our world, whether close to home or farther away, inspired to see and be with what is painful through wisdom and care. We end with a return to mindfulness practice for a short time. (This guided meditation is related to the talk that follows, honoring the life and work of Joanna Macy.)

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talk occurs five days after Joanna's death at age 96, and two days after Donald attended a wake for Joanna at her home, saying good-bye to her. Donald first met Joanna Macy in 1977, while still a student. When he moved to Berkeley, California in 1988, he helped start a neighborhood daily meditation group of ten households, including that of Joanna and her husband Fran. So he got to know Joanna and Fran as friends and neighbors. In 1991, he first trained in her approach, later called "The Work That Reconnects" and offered this work in different venues. Over the years, they have stayed friends and colleagues, and sometimes taught together. In this talk, Donald gives a sense of the trajectory of Joanna's life and work, showing photos of Joanna spanning her life-time and interspersing stories of training with Joanna and using her practices and perspectives in his own teaching. He focuses in the second part of the talk on the four aspects of the "spiral" of her teaching: (1) starting with gratitude, (2) honoring our pain for the world, (3) seeing with new eyes, and (4) going forth into the world. We close with a brief account of Joanna's wake from two days before the talk, and a video recording from the wake of group singing about the "Great Turning." The talk is followed by discussion and closing intentions.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin with a period of settling, developing greater samadhi or concentration, and then move to mindfulness practice, including giving some attention to noticing moderate or a little greater levels of pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tone. When we notice pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tones, is there any tendency toward grasping or pushing away, in habitual or automatic ways? We then explore gratitude as a practice, simply reflecting on ways that we are grateful, first for aspects of our own lives, and then for aspects of the wider world. This is followed by opening with mindfulness to some difficult or painful aspects of our world, whether close to home or farther away, inspired to see and be with what is painful through wisdom and care. We end with a return to mindfulness practice for a short time. (This guided meditation is related to the talk that follows, honoring the life and work of Joanna Macy.)

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) This talk occurs five days after Joanna's death at age 96, and two days after Donald attended a wake for Joanna at her home, saying good-bye to her. Donald first met Joanna Macy in 1977, while still a student. When he moved to Berkeley, California in 1988, he helped start a neighborhood daily meditation group of ten households, including that of Joanna and her husband Fran. So he got to know Joanna and Fran as friends and neighbors. In 1991, he first trained in her approach, later called "The Work That Reconnects" and offered this work in different venues. Over the years, they have stayed friends and colleagues, and sometimes taught together. In this talk, Donald gives a sense of the trajectory of Joanna's life and work, showing photos of Joanna spanning her life-time and interspersing stories of training with Joanna and using her practices and perspectives in his own teaching. He focuses in the second part of the talk on the four aspects of the "spiral" of her teaching: (1) starting with gratitude, (2) honoring our pain for the world, (3) seeing with new eyes, and (4) going forth into the world. We close with a brief account of Joanna's wake from two days before the talk, and a video recording from the wake of group singing about the "Great Turning." The talk is followed by discussion and closing intentions. For the slides shown during the talk, see document 318, below.

This rich, gorgeous conversation will fill your soul. The singular and beloved Joanna Macy died at home at the age of 96 on July 20, 2025. She has left an immense legacy of beauty and wisdom and courage to sustain us. A Buddhist teacher, ecological philosopher, and Rilke translator, she taught and embodied a wild love for the world. What follows is the second and final conversation Krista had with Joanna, together with Joanna's friend, psychologist and fellow Rilke translator Anita Barrows, in 2021. Joanna and Anita had just published a new translation of Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet. At the turn of the last tumultuous century, Rilke was prescient in realizing that the world as he'd known it was passing away. Joanna's adventurous life and vision took shape in the crucibles of the history that then unfolded. Relistening to her now is to experience a way of standing before the great, unfolding dramas of our time — ecological, political, intimate. We stand before the possibilities of what Joanna called “A Great Unraveling” or “A Great Turning” towards life-generating human society. All of this and so much more comes through in the riches of this life-giving conversation. Sign yourself and others up for The Pause to be on our mailing list for all things On Being and to receive Krista's monthly Saturday morning newsletter, including a heads-up on new episodes, special offerings, recommendations, and event invitations.Joanna Macy was the root teacher of The Work That Reconnects. Her books include Active Hope and four volumes of translated works of Rainer Maria Rilke, together with Anita Barrows: Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God;  In Praise of Mortality; and A Year with Rilke. Krista's previous "On Being” episode with her is “A Wild Love for the World.” That's also the title of a lovely book of homage to Joanna that was published in 2020. Anita Barrows's most recent poetry collection is Testimony. She is the Institute Professor of Psychology at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California, and also maintains a private practice. 

Send us a textOn this episode of the Another Way To See It podcast, we reflect on the immensity of the terrain we've covered in season 4. This year we've witnessed a contentious election, lived through the heartbreaking images of genocide, felt the Earth protest in hurricanes, floods, and fires, we resisted AI,  we looked on in disbelief as our neighbors got snatched off the streets, and so so much more. Our hearts broke open and tears fell with each new episode. There was and is so much to process, so much to feel. In season 4 we welcomed 12 guests, each bringing their authenticity and vulnerability to our listeners. We are in deep appreciation to: Sunflower, Kate, Dre, Devon, Joëlle, Christine, Jessica, Jackie, Danielle, Kimberly, Adéllyn, and Noelle, for being role models, inspirations, and guides. This season we lost some dear ones, teachers and friends who are now ancestors. May their work live on through us. Andrea Gibson was an American poet and activist.Website: https://andreagibson.org/ Homesick by Andrea Gibson:https://andreagibson.org/homesick-a-plea-for-our-planet Joanna Macy was an environmental activist, author, and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology.Website: https://www.joannamacy.net/main We extend a heartfelt thanks to all of you who listen, and encourage you to share an episode that touched you in some way with someone you know. We'll be back in a few weeks with new episodes that we hope will feel like support for you in these rapidly changing times. Coaches: Kim Moranhttps://www.kimmorancoaching.com/https://www.instagram.com/kimcalifornia/Tracy Holemeyerhttps://www.uncontrollablyme.com/https://www.instagram.com/uncontrollably_me/ Produced by: Kim MoranMusic: A Rush of Inspiration by Evan Mac Donald Support the show

Dear friends, In memory of Joanna Macy, who passed away on July 19th, we are republishing episode #12 of The Way Out Is In podcast series, with an introduction by Jo Confino. A scholar of Buddhism, systems theory, and deep ecology, Joanna Macy (1929 -2025), PhD, was one of the most respected voices in the movements for peace, justice, and ecology. She interweaved her scholarship with learnings from six decades of activism, had written twelve books, and laught an empowerment approach known as the Work That Reconnects. In episode 12 (November, 2021), presenters Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and lay Buddhist practitioner and journalist Jo Confino were joined by Joanna Macy to discuss the relevance of Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings to the crises we face today as a species; the energy of simplicity; truth-telling and the power of facing the truth; the grounds for transformation; impermanence; interbeing. Joanna recollects what Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings and activism have meant to her, and shares a special meeting with him in the early 1980s, during a UN peace conference, when Thay read one of his essential poems in public for the first time. Joanna's activism, forged during many campaigns, and her practice and study of Theravada Buddhism, shine through in her priceless advice about facing the current social and ecological crisis, grieving for all creation, and finding the power to deal with the heartbreaking present-day reality. She also addresses how grief and joy can coexist in one person, and how to be present for life even in the midst of struggle.Their conversations will take you from the current “great unravelling” and the “gift of death” to Rilke's poetry; the magic of love as solution; active hope; the contemporary relevance of the ancient Prophecy of the Shambhala Warriors; the possibility of a “great turning”. And can you guess her aspirations at 92? Could a swing be just the perfect place to discuss the evanescence of life?Brother Phap Huu shares a lesson in patience from Thay, and adds to the teachings of touching suffering, recognizing and embracing the truth, consumption of consciousness, finding balance, and smiling at life.  Jo reads a special translation of one of Rainer Maria Rilke's Duino Elegies, expands upon some of Joanna's core books and philosophies, and recollects “irreplaceable” advice about overwork. The episode ends with a guided meditation by Joanna Macy. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Lotus in a Sea of Fire (1967)https://plumvillage.org/books/1967-hoa-sen-trong-bien-lua-lotus-in-a-sea-of-fire/ Call Me By My True Nameshttps://plumvillage.org/books/call-me-by-my-true-names/ Celestial Bodhisattvashttps://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/buddhas-and-bodhisattvas-celestial-buddhas-and-bodhisattvas Rainer Maria Rilkehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainer_Maria_Rilke Duino Elegieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duino_Elegies The Tenth Elegyhttps://www.tellthestory.co.uk/translatedpoemduino10.html The Book of Hourshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Hours Satipaṭṭhānahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana World as Lover, World as Selfhttps://www.parallax.org/product/world-as-lover-world-as-self-a-guide-to-living-fully-in-turbulent-times/ ‘The Shambhala Warrior'https://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=236 The Shambhala Warrior Prophecyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14dbM93FALE Bardohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo ‘Entering the Bardo'https://emergencemagazine.org/op_ed/entering-the-bardo/ Maitreyahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya Ho Chi Minhhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh Śūnyatāhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81Svabhava https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svabhava Kṣitigarbhahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%E1%B9%A3itigarbha Parallax Presshttps://www.parallax.org/ Ānāpānasatihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati Satipaṭṭhānahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana Quotes “Do not be afraid of feeling pain for the world. Do not be afraid of the suffering, but take it. That’s what a bodhisattva learns to do, and that makes your heart very big.” “Life is only difficult for those who pick and choose. You just take it. And that helps you feel whole, and maybe flying with the birds helps you be with the deep levels of hell. But this is life and it’s all given to us and it’s given free.” “It doesn’t take a poet; all of us can feel that there are times when a shadow passes over our mood and we taste the tears. Taste the tears. They’re salty. It’s the living Earth. We are part of this.” “All Rilke says is, ‘Give me the time so I can love the things.' As if that’s the great commandment. So I want more time to do what I’m made to do. Why else do we have these hearts with more neurons in them than our brains? Why else are we given eyes that can see the beauty of this world and ears that can hear such beautiful poetry? And lungs that can breathe the air. We have to use these things for tasting and loving our world. And if she’s ailing, now is the time to love her more.” “You are the environment; the environment is not outside of you.” “We are in a space without a map. With the likelihood of economic collapse and climate catastrophe looming, it feels like we are on shifting ground, where old habits and old scenarios no longer apply. In Tibetan Buddhism, such a space or gap between known worlds is called a bardo. It is frightening. It is also a place of potential transformation. As you enter the bardo, there facing you is the Buddha Akshobhya. His element is Water. He is holding a mirror, for his gift is Mirror Wisdom, reflecting everything just as it is. And the teaching of Akshobhya's mirror is this: Do not look away. Do not avert your gaze. Do not turn aside. This teaching clearly calls for radical attention and total acceptance.”“We all have an appointment, and that appointment is with life. And if we can touch that in each moment, our life will become more beautiful when we allow ourselves to arrive at that appointment.” “Even in despair, we have to enjoy life, because we see life as beautiful; [we see] that planet Earth is still a miracle.” “We know we are still alive, and because we are alive, anything is possible. So let us take care of the situation in a more calm and mindful way.” “Even wholesome things can become a distraction if you make them take the place of your sheer presence to life.” “Maybe this really will be the last chapter. But I’m here, and how fortunate I am to be here. And I have imagined that it’s so wonderful to be here.” “Impermanence: the fragrance of our day.”

(This episode of The Road Home is dedicated to the memory of Joanna Macy—founder of the Eco-Dharma and Deep Ecology Movements—who passed this weekend at the age of 96) On this episode, a follow-up to episode 148, Ethan explores wealth and generosity from a tantric perspective. If you could take the view, for just one moment, that you, your perceptions, and your world were all perfect in being exactly what they were, how would that change your experience of yourself, your resources, and your participation in society? What is generosity (“dana” in the Buddhist languages) from a Tantric perspective? How does tantra change our ability to practice Dana, or "fluid exchange" with our experience? In the second part of a two episode discussion, Ethan looks at an understanding of wealth and generosity in the Vajrayana systems of Buddhist practice, incorporating themes of spacious awareness, teacher Rick Hanson's crucial four-step practice of “Taking in the Good,” and the practices of Ratna Jewel, Golden Key and Enriching Presence from the Tantric and Shambhala traditions. Please support the podcast via Substack and subscribe for free or with small monthly contributions. Paid subscribers will receive occasional extras like guided meditations, extra podcast episodes and more! The Thursday Meditation Group starts up again on July 10th, and a special guided meditation on Open Awarenesswas released this month. Another bonus podcast discussed a mindful take on the Revolutionary Astrology of Summer 2025 with Juliana McCarthy and Ethan Nichtern. You can also subscribe to The Road Home podcast wherever you get your pods (Apple, Spotify,Ethan's Website, etc). Ethan's most recent book, Confidence: Holding Your Seat Through Life's Eight Worldly Winds was just awarded a gold medal in the 2025 Nautilus Book Awards. You can visit Ethan's website to order a signed copy. Please allow two weeks from the time of your order for your copy to arrive. Don't forget to sign up for the August 23 “Windhorse Meditation” Online Retreat at this link and the upcoming 5 day retreat at the lovely Garrison Institute at this link ! Check out all the cool offerings at our podcast sponsor Dharma Moon, including theBody of Meditation Teacher Training program beginning July 10th, 2025. Free video courses co-taught by Ethan and others, such as The Three Marks of Existence, are also available for download.

Join us as we celebrate the wisdom of eco philosopher, author, and Buddhist scholar Joanna Macy as she is now in hospice and in her last days with us. We delve into Joanna's groundbreaking work, "The Great Turning," examining the transformative journey from an industrial growth society to a life-sustaining civilization. With excerpts from a 2002 talk and a 2018 interview, Macy's insights on activism, spirituality, and deep ecology offer a beacon of hope and a call to action for a better world. Tune in to be inspired by Joanna Macy's vision for a sustainable future and her unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and environmentalism. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio More Info: Joanna Macy and the Great Turning Talk in British Columbia 2002 https://youtu.be/ZB6YcL0vy74?si=cJgf_YC_NimYH1Bf Joanna Macy 2018 interview: https://wilderutopia.com/landscape/spiritual/ecojustice-radio-joanna-macy-and-the-great-turning-episode-10/ Joanna Macy is the Founder of the Work That Reconnects, a groundbreaking framework and methodology for personal and social change. She is an international spokesperson for anti-nuclear causes, peace, justice, and environmentalism, most renowned for her book, Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World and the Great Turning initiative, which deals with the transformation from, as she terms it, an industrial growth society to what she considers to be a more sustainable civilization. She has created a theoretical framework for personal and social change, and a workshop methodology for its application. Her work addresses psychological and spiritual issues, Buddhist thought, and contemporary science, and helps people transform despair and apathy into constructive, collaborative action. Learn more at: https://www.joannamacy.net/main The Work That Reconnects sees the world reality told in three stories: Business As Usual, the Great Unraveling, and the Great Turning. The third story, the Great Turning is the epochal transition from an industrial growth society to a life-sustaining civilization. More information: https://workthatreconnects.org/ Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats 2018 Interview by Carry Kim from EcoJustice Radio. Engineer: JP Morris Executive Producer: Mark Morris Interview Music: Javier Kadry Episode 219 Photo credit: Joanna Macy

When facing the realities of our world, the urge to drown in grief or shut down into apathy is becoming more and more common. As we are flooded with information and global predicaments outside of our control, overwhelm can set in, affecting our energy, efficacy, and even our ability to care. But what if facing our grief is actually the pathway to increasing our capacity to stay connected to and work on the things that matter most to us? What tools, practices, or rituals could we use to help us begin to metabolize our grief? In this episode, Nate is joined by John Seed and Skye Cielita Flor to explore the power of rituals and community for processing grief and transforming it into a deeper connection with ourselves, each other, and the natural world. They discuss the primary influences of their work, including ‘The Work That Reconnects,' a framework developed by Joanna Macy and others, as well as the philosophy of Deep Ecology, founded by Arne Naess. Most importantly, John and Skye share their experience with deepening their own emotional capacity and embodiment of ecological values, and how they've helped others do the same.  How has an absence of ritual and the avoidance of grief in our culture distorted our relationship to loss – and therefore our ability to protect what we love? What practices do other cultures use to nurture ecological identity and kinship with the more-than-human world? And finally, why might grief, when honored and integrated, be a vital part of building more resilient and ecologically-grounded systems for the future? (Conversation recorded on May 21st, 2025)   About John Seed: John Seed is an activist, facilitator, musician, and co-author of the seminal book “Thinking Like a Mountain” with Arne Naess, Joanna Macy and Pat Fleming. John Seed is the founder of the Rainforest Information Centre and has dedicated his life to the protection of rainforests and their biodiversity since 1979. Over the past few decades, John has also become a pivotal figure in the Deep Ecology movement.   About Skye Cielita Flor: Skye's early years were spent working in wildlife rehabilitation and as a Wilderness Guide in the South African bush. She then underwent a traditional 3 year apprenticeship in Taoist Healing practices before moving to the Peruvian Amazon where she entered into a full-time 5 year traditional curanderismo apprenticeship with her Shipibo teachers of the Mahua - Lopez lineage.  On return from the jungle, she has been passionate about finding meaningful ways to deepen into and integrate the life altering paradigmatic shifts she experienced with the plants. This is primarily done through her work as a facilitator of Experiential Deep Ecology, as a Grief Ritualist, as a co-facilitator of The Mythic Body year-long course by Josh Schrei, and as a facilitator of immersive group experiences into practices focusing on reclamation of living earth perception, mythic imagination, and ritual rhythms.   Show Notes and More Watch this video episode on YouTube   Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie.   ---   Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future Join our Substack newsletter Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners  

Can we practice a fierce, truthful loving form of gratitude for life itself that calls us until our care for the world in practical, tangible ways? How is this different from shallow or 'pop-culture' versions of gratitude that might have us tune out from our pain and the difficulties around us? How might the deepest kind of gratitude connect us to the source from which all life comes, and the incredible unlikeliness of our being here, and so fuel our own aliveness? And how might attending to small things - the computer screen in front of us, a cup of tea, the cat - be a pathway in? This week's conversation is hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace. Episode Overview 00:00 Introduction to Turning Towards Life Live 03:05 Exploring Gratitude as a Mood 05:44 The Depth of Gratitude and Taking Action 09:04 The Interconnectedness of Life and Gratitude 12:00 The Power of Small Things in Building Gratitude 14:44 The Role of Community in Changing Things 18:00 Gratitude Beyond Circumstances 20:55 The Miracle of Existence 23:58 Finding Wholeness in Small Moments 26:48 Conclusion and Reflection Here's our source for this week: On Gratitude Just to live is holy To be is a blessing -- Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel We have received an inestimable gift. To be alive in this beautiful, self-organising universe - to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it - is a wonder beyond words.   Gratitude quiets the frantic mind and brings us back to source. It reconnects us with basic goodness and our personal power. It helps us to be more fully present to our world. That grounded present provides the psychic space for acknowledging the pain we carry for our world... We begin to know the immensity of our heart-mind, and how it helps us move beyond fear... The truth of our inter-existence, made real to us by our pain for the world, helps us see with new eyes. It brings fresh understandings of who we are and how we are related to each other and the universe. We begin to comprehend our own power to change and heal. We strengthen by growing living connections with past and future generations, and our brother and sister species. Then, ever again, we go forth into the action that calls us... Even when we don't succeed in a given venture, we can be grateful for the chance we took and the lessons we learned. And the spiral begins again. Joanna Macy, from ‘World as Lover, World As Self' Photo by Balazs Busznyak on Unsplash ---- Join Us Live in 2025 Turning Towards Life Live Season 1, from September 2025 We also have the launch of our Turning Towards Life live programme which is going to run in six month seasons from September. It's going to be in person on Zoom once a month. We're very excited about it. A chance to expand beyond the bounds of a podcast into forming a community of learning and practice. You can register your interest for Season 1 of Turning Towards Life Live here. ---- About Turning Towards Life Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace.  Find us on FaceBook to watch live and join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Google, Amazon Music and Spotify. Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribe Support Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslife

Our teacher and inspiration for this session is Joanna Macy. What she embodies is a wild love for the world and a fierce hope that rises irrepressible from that. And she carries and lives an important reminder to us that when we love, we will also know pain, and we will know grief that can feel too awful to bear. When we talk about the muscle of hope being reality-based, that means that it does not call us to be brimming with optimism where that is not warranted. What we're called to do is stay present. And when you're present, there will be grieving to do, but that this — strangely, interestingly, kind of miraculously — increases our capacity to love this world. And it unleashes intelligence and ingenuity to sustain that love across a lifetime, as Joanna Macy has.Journaling prompts for Session 5What is the love on the other side of your pain?What is a loss you have perhaps not quite acknowledged?The despair that you began to write about at the outset of this experience, the despair you may be feeling for the world today — what would it mean to stand reverently before your grief? Can you imagine what it would mean — to sit with what it would mean — to turn it into a mourning that brings you more deeply into the love that lies just on the other side of your pain?We've created a beautiful journal for the whole seven weeks, with full-size printable pages, that you can download for free HERE.A Possible Way to Organize This ExperienceTake each week's brief listening offering, each around 15 minutes long, as a meditation to move through the week ahead. And as none of the great virtues — and certainly not hope — is meant to be carried alone, we encourage you to undertake this experience alongside others, perhaps your life partner or family or colleagues or friends, book group or study group.For example, you could:●  Listen to one Wisdom Practice (roughly 15 minutes) — together or separately — around the same time each week. Listen again and/or read the transcript as often as is useful.●  Carry the ideas, invitations, and journal prompts for the session into your ordinary interactions of the days that follow.●  Commit to some time journaling every day, even if just for a few minutes or a few words.●  Meet with or Zoom/call your companion(s) at the end of the week to share, converse, commune.The Hope Portal and this series are adventures in opening the deep enduring teaching that lives inside the 20 years of On Being. We would be so grateful if you would let us know how it goes for you and how it might be refined, by writing to us at mail@onbeing.org. Sign yourself and others up for The Pause to be first to know about all things On Being and to receive Krista's monthly Saturday morning newsletter, including a heads-up on new episodes, special offerings, recommendations, and event invitations.

06/18/2025, Jisan Tova Green, dharma talk at City Center. Jisan Tova Green shares how Zen practice has influenced her long engagement with peace and justice issues, and draws from the words and actions of three of her mentors, Joanna Macy, Maylie Scott, and Alan Senauke.

Beginning today, and for the next six weeks in the On Being podcast feed and Substack, we're opening a reflection/course experience curated by Krista and drawing upon her conversations with several visionary humans: adrienne maree brown, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ocean Vuong, Joy Harjo, Joanna Macy, and Ross Gay. Together, they extend rich and actionable invitations for a muscular, reality-based hope. They offer ways of seeing and living to lay our hands and our hearts, our imaginations and life force on the generative possibilities of life in this time.  Journaling Prompts for Session 1Preparing inwardly after listening, ask these questions:Right now, today, what is filling you with despair? And what is giving you hope?What is hope? Answer this question through the story of your life.Who have been the “live human signposts” of muscular hope in your life across time?  Hold their faces and the qualities of their presence in your heart and in your mind's eye in the days to come.We've created a beautiful journal for the whole seven weeks, with full-size printable pages, that you can download for free HERE.A Possible Way to Organize This ExperienceTake each week's brief listening offering, each around 15 minutes long, as a meditation to move through the week ahead. And as none of the great virtues — and certainly not hope — is meant to be carried alone, we encourage you to undertake this experience alongside others, perhaps your life partner or family or colleagues or friends, book group or study group.For example, you could:●  Listen to one Wisdom Practice (roughly 15 minutes) — together or separately — around the same time each week. Listen again and/or read the transcript as often as is useful.●  Carry the ideas, invitations, and journal prompts for the session into your ordinary interactions of the days that follow.●  Commit to some time journaling every day, even it's just for a few minutes or a few words.●  Meet with or Zoom/call your companion(s) at the end of the week to share, converse, commune.The Hope Portal and this series are adventures in opening the deep enduring teaching that lives inside the 20 years of On Being. We would be so grateful if you would let us know how it goes for you and how it might be refined, by writing to us at mail@onbeing.org.Sign yourself and others up for The Pause to be first to know about all things On Being and to receive Krista's monthly Saturday morning newsletter, including a heads-up on new episodes, special offerings, recommendations, and event invitations.

In this time of global uncertainty, Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman call us to rise with fierce compassion and become Bodhisattvas of the Great Turning.Join Jack's Free New Course, Stand Up For Compassion: A Free Course and Resource for Navigating Uncertain Times. “You become the imaginal cells in these times. Things fall apart, but in you is the understanding that compassion is big enough to hold all of this, that the heart is big enough to hold all this, that the Dharma is big enough to shine through empires, changes, crisis, and beauty. That's what we have—the Bodhisattva can carry on liberating beings from suffering, however long it takes.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack and Trudy mindfully explore:How you can pick all the flowers, but you can't stop the springNavigating fear politics and the cultural media machineLetting go of fear, blame, shame, and ending systemic divisionUsing this time of “The Great Turning” as an opportunity to create a more loving worldAjahn Chah and living the truth of uncertaintyHow to face the big problems of the world with even bigger loveMeeting the world through the Bodhisattva VowsHow loving people and feeding people connects with enlightenmentThe path and practices of loving awareness and compassionInclining the heart towards kindness and generosityHow caterpillars change to butterflies through Imaginal CellsThe world-changing power of true communityLearning how to respond mindfully to any trigger or circumstanceBecoming a make-weight of hope to tip the scales of humanity to love and balanceThe spiritual wisdom of Passover and EasterLetting go of tension and flowing into relaxationThe Pagan Goddess of DawnCommunity as the antidote for lonelinessCrying, letting the tears come, and seeing what happensHow to interact with people who are highly anxious or avoidantSaying hello to the people around you“Tears feel endless, bottomless, when they don't have a chance to fall. When they get to fall, they fall and fall, but they stop because tears too are impermanent, they cannot fall forever. It's really like this with all the intense emotions we are afraid will flood and drown us in some way.” – Trudy Goodman"What we're experiencing, Joanna Macy calls, The Great Turning. It's the breakdown of the exploitive late-stage capitalist model where we get as much as we can, and the harbinger of the possibility of interdependence. When it breaks down, that turning says, ‘We will use this time to turn this world into something better, to care for one another. The possibility starts with us." – Jack Kornfield This episode was originally recorded for the InsightLA Sunday livestream on April 20, 2025.Photo via WirestockAbout Jack Kornfield:Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack's entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode was recorded on 3/03/25 as a part of Spirit Rock's Monday Night Dharma Talk Series“You are the imaginal cells. You are the ones who are called to hold the vision of a wise society where people respect each other, where we care for the vulnerable, where we understand the universal teaching, ‘Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone is healed.' This is you.'” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode of Heart Wisdom, Jack mindfully explores:Staying centered amidst life's struggles Stopping blame and “right and wrongNavigating Late-Stage Capitalism in the 21st CenturyThe Great Turning as an opportunity to reset our lives as human beingsThe Great Turning as a birth process—messy, painful, dangerous, and beautifulRemembering your fearlessness amidst politics and news media Becoming “imaginal cells” of the butterflyTrusting the constant renewal of life and nature Black Elk, Gary Snyder, and the power of loving the earthMeditation and sitting with heartbreakDissolving guilt, fear, and doomscrollingCarrying your light with nobility, respect, and dignityTrusting the big picture, the vast cosmic viewRemembering who you are and living from itThe possibility of a new underground railroadRecognizing that we are the imaginal cells of the worldLearn the Dynamic Art of Interactive Guided Meditation with Jack Kornfield in this online masterclass beginning April 7!“Here we are, 21st century, late-stage capitalism, which has gotten to the place where there's further extremes of rich and poor for exploitation. We're at the time what Joanna Macy calls the Great Turning—the great opportunity really for us to reset our lives as human beings.” – Jack KornfieldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.