This is an excerpt from the Introduction of the revised edition to an excellent, empowering, wise, and deeply needed book. I highly recommend this updated version of Active Hope. It is a book that I am giving to each of our adult children and which I hope will be widely read everywhere. Deepest bow, as always, to Joanna Macy and also to Chris Johnson. May we all come to increasingly embody Active Hope in how we live our lives, playing our part — whatever that may be — in working towards a more just, sustainable, equitable, caring and peaceful world. 🙏 Molly
The word hope has two different meanings. The first, which we've touched on already, involves hopefulness, where our preferred outcome seems reasonably likely to happen. but if we require this kind of hope before we commit ourselves to an action, our response gets blocked in areas where we don't rate our changes well. This is what happened for Jane she felt so hopeless she didn't see this point of even trying to change things.
The second meaning is about desire. When Jane was asked what she'd like to have happen in our world, without hesitation she described the future she hoped for, the kind of world she longed for so much it hurt. It is this kind of hope that starts our journey — knowing what we hope for and what we'd like, or love, to have happen. It is what we do with this hope that really makes the difference. Passive hope is about waiting for external agencies to bring about what we desire. Active Hope is about becoming active participants in the process of moving toward our hopes and, where we can, realizing them.
Active Hope is a practice. Like tai chi or gardening, it is something we do rather than have. It is a process we can apply to any situation, and it involves three key steps. First, we start from where we are by taking in a clear view of reality, acknowledging what we see and how we feel. Second, we identify what we hope for in terms of the direction we'd like things to move in or the values we'd like to see expressed. And third, we take steps to move ourselves or our situation in that direction.
Since Active Hope doesn't require our optimism, we can apply it even in areas where we feel hopeless. The guiding impetus is intention; we choose what we aim to bring about, act for, or express. Rather than weighing our chances and proceeding only when we feel hopeful, we focus on our intention and let it be our guide.
...Our focus is on how we can best play our part, whatever that may be, in the healing of our world...
When we become aware of an emergency and rise to the occasion, something powerful gets switched on inside us. We activate our sense of purpose and discover strengths we didn't even know we had. Being able to make a difference is powerfully energizing; it makes our existence feel more worthwhile. When we practice Action Hope, it is not about being dutiful or worthy so much as it is about stepping into a state of aliveness that transforms our lives and our world.
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| I will never miss an opportunity to see Joanna Macy 💗 |
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