Joanna Macy

A Buddhist philosopher of ecology, Joanna Macy says we are at a pivotal moment in history with the possibility to unravel or create a life-sustaining human society. Now entering her 90s, Macy has lived adventurously by any definition. She worked with the CIA in Cold War Europe and the Peace Corps in post-colonial India and was an early environmental activist. She brings a poetic and spiritual sensibility to her work that’s reflected in her translations of the early-20th-century poet Rainer Maria Rilke. We take that poetry as a lens on her wisdom on the great dramas of our time: ecological, political, personal. Joanna Macy is an activist, author, and a scholar of Buddhism, systems thinking, and deep ecology. Her 13 books include translations of Rilke’s “Book of Hours: Love Poems to God,” “A Year with Rilke,” and “In Praise of Mortality.” She is the root teacher of the Work That Reconnects, a framework and workshop for personal and social change. Her new translation of Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet,” together with Anita Barrows, is upcoming in 2020.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.___Sign up for The Pause to receive our seasonal Saturday morning newsletter and advance invitations and news on all things On Being.And: if you can, please take a minute to rate On Being in this podcast app — you'll be bending the arc of algorithms towards this adventure of conversation and living.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joanna Macy, an author and eco-philosopher, reflects on her childhood experiences on a farm, her anti-nuclear activism, and her ongoing work with deep ecology. She discusses the importance of love, courage, and connection during the climate crisis. Macy also explores the transformative power of despair and shares the impact of a book and a poem on her spiritual path.

Joanna Macy, Ph.D, author & teacher, is a scholar of Buddhism, systems thinking, and deep ecology. A respected voice in movements for peace, justice, and ecology, she interweaves her scholarship with learnings from six decades of activism. Her wide-ranging work addresses psychological and spiritual issues of the nuclear age, the cultivation of ecological awareness, and the fruitful resonance between Buddhist thought and postmodern science. The many dimensions of this work are explored in her thirteen books, which include three volumes of poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke with translation and commentary.She addresses the question of “What Could Possibly Go Right?” with thoughts including:Choosing “to be starkly present in this moment and now” is a radical act“Don't be afraid of your sorrow or grief or rage. Treasure them. They come from your caring.”These emotions “will nurture in you a fierce clarity for what can be done”“There's so much joy and courage… in finding a purpose”Support the showComplete Show Notes

We’ve noticed that many people have been seeking out this poem by Rilke on our website this week. It feels like a meditation and a salve for this fraught, uncertain moment in the world. So, we’re sharing it here as well. Rainer Maria Rilke was a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist. His poem, “Let This Darkness Be a Bell Tower,” is read here by Joanna Macy. It was translated by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows, and originally read in the On Being episode “A Wild Love for the World.” Watch a film version of this poem on our YouTube channel.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.