Two Friends, at 35 and 95, Confront Loss and Find Hope
Aug 27, 2024
53:51
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Jess Serrante, a dedicated climate activist, teams up with Joanna Macy, a renowned figure in the movement, who offers insightful wisdom on resilience and aging. Their conversation delves into the challenges of emotional pain amidst global crises, emphasizing transformative grief and finding hope. They explore the importance of community, the complex emotions tied to activism, and the necessity of shifting perspectives. Expect touching stories that foster understanding and connection, illustrating how relationships can navigate the tumultuous waters of activism.
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Quick takeaways
Joanna Macy emphasizes that our emotional responses to the world's crises reflect our deep love for it, shaping our activism.
The 'spiral' framework showcases the stages of emotional processing, guiding individuals from grief to meaningful action in activism.
Deep dives
The Emotional Journey of Activism
The podcast discusses the emotional intricacies tied to facing global crises, such as climate change, by framing the experience as an emotional journey akin to the five stages of grief. Joanna Macy, a central figure in the conversation, highlights that the depth of our heartbreak over the state of the world directly correlates with the love we hold for it. This understanding allows individuals to navigate feelings of grief, anger, and despair while recognizing these emotions as a reflection of their commitment and love for the planet. Through this lens, engaging with the world becomes a transformative process that embraces both sorrow and love as essential parts of activism.
The Spiral of Emotional Healing
A key concept introduced is the 'spiral,' which represents stages of emotional processing that can aid individuals in coping with the distressing realities of the world. The stages begin with gratitude, followed by honoring our pain, which encourages open expression of emotions like anger and fear. After this, a shift to 'seeing with new eyes' occurs, prompting individuals to find purpose and connection amid their suffering. Finally, these experiences lead to the 'going forth' stage, where one translates insights into constructive actions that support the journey toward a sustainable future.
Three Stories of Reality
Joanna Macy presents three narratives that encapsulate the current state of the world: 'business as usual,' which signifies adherence to existing harmful systems; 'the great unraveling,' depicting the breakdown of those systems; and finally, 'the Great Turning,' representing hope and action towards a just and sustainable future. This framework allows individuals to acknowledge that multiple realities coexist, empowering them to choose where to focus their energy. By understanding these narratives, activists can embrace the complexity of their emotional responses while also seeking opportunities to participate in positive change. This perspective shifts the narrative from a sense of helplessness to that of agency and meaningful action.
Rethinking Activism through Connection
Joanna stresses that effective activism should not be framed solely as a battle against adversities but should instead focus on building relationships and fostering connection. Highlighting the importance of acts of love and service, she suggests that activism should encompass holding actions that protect against immediate threats, transforming foundational structures, and fostering a conscious shift in society. This approach redefines what it means to engage in activism by emphasizing relational practices over confrontational tactics. Ultimately, the teachings encourage activists to embrace a holistic way of being, where acknowledging complexities and fostering community serves as a powerful tool in driving meaningful change.
Climate activists Jess Serrante and Joanna Macy are 60 years apart. They’re also close friends who’ve been sharing stories and commiserating about the state of the world for the past 10 years. When Jess experienced a crisis and started questioning whether her activism was really effective, Joanna provided a framework that changed everything.
In this episode, Anna talks to Jess about what she’s learned from Joanna about aging, activism, and managing the emotional ups and downs of caring about the world.
You can listen to Jess and Joanna’s podcast, We Are the Great Turning, here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Artist Autumn Leiker is mentioned in the episode, and you can learn more about her work here.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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