Joanna Macy Quotes
Joanna Macy is a world–renowned teacher, speaker, and writer in the fields of deep ecology, systems thinking, and buddhist activism. Her work emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life, and has inspired many people to take action in support of social and environmental justice. In this blog post, we‘ll explore some of the most memorable Joanna Macy quotes.
Joanna Macy is an American environmentalist, systems thinker, and writer. She is best known for her work on the concept of “The Great Turning,” which is a shift from an industrial growth society to a life–sustaining civilization. Macy has written several books on the topic, including Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Ourselves with the Living Earth.
Joanna Macy is an American Buddhist teacher, systems thinker, and deep ecologist. She is a prolific writer and has authored or co–authored several books, including “Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We‘re in without Going Crazy.” In her work, Macy emphasizes the importance of facing the ecological crisis with courage and compassion. These Joanna Macy quotes will inspire you to do just that.
Joanna Macy Quotes
“To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe — to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it — is a wonder beyond words.”
― Joanna Macy
”The most radical thing any of us can do at this time is to be fully present to what is happening in the world.”-Joanna Macy
”The biggest gift you can give is to be absolutely present, and when you’re worrying about whether you’re hopeful, or hopeless, or pessimistic, or optimistic, who cares? The main thing is that you’re showing up, that you’re here and that you’re finding ever more capacity to love this world because it will not be healed without that. That was what is going to unleash our intelligence and our ingenuity and our solidarity for the healing of our world.”-Joanna Macy
Joanna Macy Active Hope Quotes
“The refusal to feel takes a heavy toll. Not only is there an impoverishment of our emotional and sensory life, flowers are dimmer and less fragrant, our loves less ecstaticâ but this psychic numbing also impedes our capacity to process and respond to information. The energy expended in pushing down despair is diverted from more creative uses, depleting the resilience and imagination needed for fresh visions and strategies. ”
― Joanna Macy
”Out of this darkness a new world can arise, not to be constructed by our minds so much as to emerge from our dreams. Even though we cannot see clearly how it’s going to turn out, we are still called to let the future into our imagination. We will never be able to build what we have not first cherished in our hearts.” -Joanna Macy
“The biggest gift you can give is to be absolutely present, and when you’re worrying about whether you’re hopeful or hopeless or pessimistic or optimistic, who cares? The main thing is that you’re showing up, that you’re here and that you’re finding ever more capacity to love this world because it will not be healed without that. That was what is going to unleash our intelligence and our ingenuity and our solidarity for the healing of our world.”
― Joanna Macy
Quotes From Joanna Gaines
”If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear. People who can open to the web of life that called us into being” –Joanna Macy
“In the face of impermanence and death, it takes courage to love the things of this world and to believe that praising them is our noblest calling.”
― Joanna Macy
Quotes by Joanna Macy
”We are capable of suffering with our world, and that is the true meaning of compassion. It enables us to recognize our profound interconnectedness with all beings. Don’t ever apologize for crying for the trees burning in the Amazon or over the waters polluted from mines in the Rockies. Don’t apologize for the sorrow, grief, and rage you feel. It is a measure of your humanity and your maturity. It is a measure of your open heart, and as your heart breaks open there will be room for the world to heal. That is what is happening as we see people honestly confronting the sorrows of our time.”-Joanna Macy
“There’s a song that wants to sing itself through us. We just got to be available. Maybe the song that is to be sung through us is the most beautiful requiem for an irreplaceable planet or maybe it’s a song of joyous rebirth as we create a new culture that doesn’t destroy its world. But in any case, there’s absolutely no excuse for our making our passionate love for our world dependent on what we think of its degree of health, whether we think it’s going to go on forever. Those are just thoughts anyway. But this moment you’re alive, so you can just dial up the magic of that at any time.”
― Joanna Macy
”This is a dark time, filled with suffering and uncertainty. Like living cells in a larger body, it is natural that we feel the trauma of our world. So don’t be afraid of the anguish you feel, or the anger or fear, because these responses arise from the depth of your caring and the truth of your interconnectedness with all beings.” -Joanna Macy
“It is no longer appropriate to think only in terms of even my nation or my country, let alone my village. If we are to overcome the problems we face, we need what I have called a sense of universal responsibility rooted in love and kindness for our human brothers and sisters. In our present state of affairs, the very survival of humankind depends on people developing concern for the whole of humanity, not just their own community or nation. The reality of our situation impels us to act and think more clearly. Narrow-mindedness and self-centered thinking may have served us well in the past, but today will only lead to disaster. We can overcome such attitudes through the combination of education and training.”
― Joanna Macy, Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide to the Work that Reconnects
Is Joanna Macy Still Alive?
As of 2021, Joanna Macy is still alive and well. She is an American environmental activist, writer, and teacher who has been working on behalf of the planet for over five decades. Macy is best known for her work on systems theory and deep ecology, and she has authored several books on these subjects. In recent years, Macy has been focusing her efforts on climate change, and she is currently one of the leading voices in the movement to address this global crisis.
How Old Is Joanna Macy?
Joanna Macy is an American environmentalist, systems thinker, and Buddhist teacher. Macy has worked on behalf of ecological sustainability, spiritual activism, and social justice for over five decades. She is the author of several books, including World as Lover, World as Self. Macy is in her early 80s.
Joanna Macy is a powerful voice for change. Joanna Macy Quotes inspire hope and remind us of the possibilities for a better future. Macy’s words remind us that we are not alone in our struggle and that together we can make a difference.
