4 Comments

1. 

   Mary Jo Beebe 8 years ago

   Reply

   Polly, I haven’t read anything about Joanna Macy for some time. I see you have included this article–“Joanna Macy: On how to prepare internally for WHATEVER comes next”–in your April Bits and Clips. I’d like to know what you think about Joanna’s thoughts and ideas.

   • Author

     Polly Castor 8 years ago

     Reply

     What do you know of her?

2. 

   Mary Jo Beebe 8 years ago

   Reply

   A few years ago I joined Carol Hohle’s ecospirituality program. She assigned readings of leading environmental thinkers. Those participating read the articles and then gathered by phone to comment and discuss. One of the environmentalists we read was Joanna Macy. I had never heard of her. At the time my understanding was that she felt if humankind would move forward to change thinking and habits, the earth would have a chance to survive. I think this article indicates a dark, foreboding–that the earth is doomed. From what I can gather of her thought, she advances the idea that she can at least help others die with grace. Maybe that’s a little far out and I misunderstand her. As a Christian Scientist I’m awakening big time to the need for enlightened prayer on this subject.

   As a result of Hohle’s program, I became more environmentally aware, watched the documentary, Food, Inc., and determined that at the very least, I must follow my heart and be a vegetarian. That was five years ago.

   • Author

     Polly Castor 8 years ago

     Reply

     I first encountered Joanna Macy in 1983 with her book Dharma and Development before she would be considered an environmentalist. I have greatly admired her since. I just pulled that old book off my shelves and was interested that even then her first sentence was, “Humanity faces a crisis of global dimensions.” Well that is even clearer now, to be sure. Her assessment of the problems are accurate as far as that goes.

     What I liked in this article was more the sense that it is time for us to be collectively heroic– to step up and “measure up.” That the privatization of religion is insufficient, and needs to become more collective and inclusive. It is not just about finding one’s own equanimity. What is individual salvation, without collective salvation? Why do we pray for our own sense of our own little experiences, instead of coming together for the whole, collective one? I believe that if we could do that, unforeseen (miraculous seeming) solutions could arise.

     We have to be careful what we accept, and as Christian Scientists we know better than most; Buddhists have a slightly different take on acceptance. But pretending there are not these issues to be counteracted is lethal. We cannot afford that, but many are guilty of it. Error and evil need to be actively denied,repudiated, and abolished. I believe good can and will triumph, but we are not to be idle spectators in that.

     To whom much is given, much is required. I honor your attempts to do this. Mary Baker Eddy says, “There is always some tumult, but there is a rallying to truth’s standard.”(SH 225:11-13) So I see this as not hopelessness, but a call to action beyond ourselves!