Synopses & Reviews
The challenges we face can be difficult even to think about. Climate change, the depletion of oil, economic upheaval, and mass extinction together create a planetary emergency of overwhelming proportions.
Active Hope shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face this crisis so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power. Drawing on decades of teaching an empowerment approach known as the Work That Reconnects, the authors guide us through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, spirituality, and holistic science. This process equips us with tools to face the mess were in and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.
Review
Books about social and ecological change too often leave out a vital component: how do we change ourselves so that we are strong enough to fully contribute to this great shift?
Active Hope fills this gap beautifully, guiding readers on a journey of gratitude, grief, interconnection, and, ultimately, transformation.”
Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine
To the future beings of the twenty-second century, Active Hope might turn out to be the most important book written in the twenty-first.”
Bill Plotkin, author of Soulcraft and Nature and the Human Soul
More than any book Ive read, Active Hope shows us the true dimensions of this crisis, and the way our heart and actions can be part of the great turning toward healing. Please read this book and share it with others for your own awakening, for our children, and for our future.”
Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance
Active Hope is a brilliant guide to sanity and love.”
Roshi Joan Halifax, abbot of the Upaya Zen Center
If you have despaired for our world, and if you love life, Active Hope will be for you an extraordinary blessing.”
John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution
Active Hope is not just a book but a gateway to transformation.”
Jim Douglass, author of JFK and the Unspeakable
Synopsis
Active Hope is about finding, and offering, our best response to the crisis of sustainability unfolding in our world. It starts by accepting that the challenges we face can be difficult even to look at: climate change, the depletion of oil, economic reversals and the die-back of our natural world act together to create a planetary emergency of overwhelming proportions.
The book offers an approach that strengthens our capacity to face disturbing information and respond with unexpected resilience and creative power. Drawing on decades of experience running workshops in an empowerment approach widely known as The Work That Reconnects, the authors guide the reader through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, holistic science and spiritual perspectives. This process equips readers with tools to help them face the mess were in and find and play their role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.
At the heart of this book is the idea that Active Hope is a gift that is not only given but also received. The journey of finding, and offering, our gift of contribution helps us to discover new strengths, open to a wider network of allies and experience a deepening of our aliveness. When our responses are guided by the intention to act for healing of our world, the mess were in not only becomes easier to face, our lives also become more meaningful and satisfying.
Synopsis
Most books addressing global issues focus on either our dire problems or grand-scale solutions. Authors Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone focus instead on equipping readers with a transformational mindset. We face the facts of a planet and economies in crisis, and we acknowledge that individuals cant necessarily create their desired outcomes, but rather than allowing these two realities to shut us down, we choose active hope. This hope is something we
do rather than something we have. Rather than acting only when we deduce we may succeed, we focus on our intention and let that be our guide.” On this path we discover new strengths, open to a network of allies, and experience a deepening of aliveness. Because we are actively giving and receiving hope, we can face global crises without despair and play a personal role in the collective Great Turning” toward a life-sustaining society.
About the Author
Ecophilosopher
Joanna Macy, PhD, is a scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology. A respected voice in movements for peace, justice, and the environment, she interweaves her scholarship with five decades of activism. Physician and coach
Dr. Chris Johnstone is a specialist in the psychology of resilience, happiness, and positive change.