[EcoDharma] ACTIVE HOPE Chapter Twelve

[Naiko]

Hi Friends,
We continue exploring how to nurture hope and action in Chapter 12, Maintaining Energy and Motivation. This chapter asks us to consider our own enjoyment, enthusiasm, and how to make our participation in the Great Turning rewarding.

The authors present six strategies that enhance the attractiveness of participation:
Drawing out “change talk” from ourselves and others: using Motivational Interviewing to express what change we want, why we want it, and what actions we’ll take.

Recognizing and monitoring enthusiasm as a valuable, renewable resource (see open sentences below).
Broaden our definition of activism beyond campaigning and protest.
Follow the inner compass of our deep gladness.
Redefine what it means to have a good life.
See success with new eyes and savor it.

Some exploration:

Open sentences to explore enthusiasm:
Things that drain, demoralize or exhaust me include…
What nourishes and energizes me is…
The times I am most enthusiastic are when…

Reflecting on success: taking your definition of success, as that which contributes to the well-being of our world, how often do you feel you are succeeding?

Savoring success every day:
A recent step I’ve taken that I feel good about is…

Did you try the Great Ball of Merit meditation?

How do you feel about the authors’ exploration of making activism enjoyable, and engaging? Do you more often feel the weight of the severity of the problems facing us? Do you think our practice helps us find the Middle Way, a way to maintain enthusiasm?

As always, it is a pleasure reading this book with you.

Gassho,
Naiko

[paulashby]

I find in this chapter the pep talk to stay in the game even when it seems we are
behind by four touchdowns or four goals if you are in a soccer loving region. It is easy
to give up if the daily news hammers another flood-fire- recorded history global warming
trend day after day. I use the football analogy because I noticed players quiting but still
on the field if we hit the place where they felt we could not win. The exercises in this chapter
remind us to count our strengths and celebrate even a small success. The great ball of merit
meditation was an imagine you are a god kind of experience. The key phrase-" no act of goodness
is ever lost." So its a do what you can even when the air is unsafe to breathe from massive forest
blazes in Canada or California or where your lungs are at present.
Give the authors credit for doing their best to leave us with the title of the book- Active Hope.

Gassho, Paul Ashby

[Doshin]

Thanks for the summary Naiko and Paul appreciate your perspective. I have nothing to add other than point out that one’s passion can nurture hope and sustain one through tough times. Knowing you are on the right path that has great benefit for others and those to come can fuel the fire. One caveat, make sure what you are passionate about is right because there are a lot of passionate people out there that “I” think are on the wrong path. How to tell the difference? I would hope using critical thinking skills and acknowledging you might be wrong seems more Than many do. But even then you might be wrong, I know because I have not always been right (don’t tell anyone )

Doshin

[Kokuu]

Thank you all for your comments. The analogy to a half-time team talk when you are four goals down feels aposite to me. Keeping motivated is something I struggle with.


Things that drain, demoralise or exhaust me include not knowing what to do, feeling powerless at yet another government decision or IPCC report.

What nourishes and energises me is having a clear plan of action, talking to people who feel similarly, seeing the successes of climate and environmental activism, even if they are small.

The times I'm most enthusiastic are when I have been part of a One Earth Sangha meeting or read something inspiring.


Just reading this chapter and sharing here has inspired me to write a letter to the UK leader of the opposition and his ministers for climate and the environment. They are not in power now but could be soon and we need them to commit to Net Zero and Green strategies for the future. It is a small thing, but small things are all I have right now.

Thank you all for your presence and practice.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday

[Doshin]

You all inspire me. Thank you for that gift.

What good perspectives from good people.

Thank you.

Doshin
St

[Tairin]

Argh. I accidentally deleted my post. Putting it back……

Thank vou Naiko

I think Paul's comment about this chapter being like a pep talk is accurate. I get several daily feeds on the climate, environmental crisis. I am trying to educate myself but burn out is a risk. There seems to be so many issues and I can't keep up. This chapter was good for reminding me to stop and focus on what I am doing rather than what I am not doing or should be doing.

Reflecting on success: taking your definition of success, as that which contributes to the wellbeing of our world, how often do you feel you are succeeding?
On a personal level if I was to score myself, i'd give myself a bare pass. I (we if I include my wife) do a number of things that are within our abilities. It doesn't feel like enough in the larger scheme of things but as I said above, maybe I need to pause and celebrate, even for a moment, what we do do.

How do you feel about the authors' exploration of making activism enjoyable, and engaging? Do you more often feel the weight of the severity of the problems facing us? Do you think our practice helps us find the Middle Way, a way to maintain enthusiasm?
Again, maybe this is what I've been missing. I've been feeling a little burned out on the environment/climate recently. Certainly over the past month here in Ontario we've dealt with several unusual events that have kept it in the forefront (unusually mild winter, forest fires, very poor air quality, unusually dry Spring, now it can't see, to stop raining). I've been on one extreme end. I need to find my way back to the middle ground.

This talk by Jundo seems very apropos https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...ess-Compassion


Tairin
Sat today and lah