Joanna Macy (b. 1929) is an eco-philosopher/activist and a scholar of Buddhism who for the past fifty years has been involved in developing General Systems Theory and ideas which have become known as ‘Deep Ecology’. She is also a lover of the Austrian poet  Rainer Maria Rilke and has published her own translation of his work, Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God.[1] This short  (20 minute) video was made about eight years ago as part of a larger project which resulted in a full length film Capitalism, Climate Change and Community (click here [/] to see more on this). The producers, Old Dog Documentaries, have recently released this interview with her because they feel that it is so pertinent to our current situation, and I would agree. It is one of the clearest statements about the spiritual aspect of the climate crisis that I have seen.

Macy begins her exposition by quoting the contemporary Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh who, when asked about what our response should be, replied: “What we most need to do is to hear within ourselves the sound of the earth crying.” She goes on to propose that it is only by acknowledging our grief for ‘the unravelling of eco-systems’ throughout the world, that we can begin to tackle the huge problems that climate change poses. For her, the crisis is a double-edged sword; on the one hand, “it is a reflection of the mistakes we have made, but it is also an opportunity for our awakening.” This awakening, she believes, involves a fundamental change in our sense of identity in ways that concord with the teachings of all the spiritual traditions of the world.

There is much wisdom and food for thought – which I will not attempt to summarise – as she moves on to talk about gratefulness, hope and hopelessness and finally, to readings of some of Rilke’s most moving verses. I particularly liked what she has to say about hope:

Hope and hopelessness are just feelings; they arise and pass. The greatest gift we can give our world is our full presence and our choice, moment by moment, to be present and to stay open… When you are in the middle of big adventure, you don’t have time to decide whether you are hopeful or hopeless. [Imagine saying] to Frodo and Sam: “Excuse me, how hopeful do you feel today?” [They would say;] “We just have a job to do. Don’t waste my time.” That question can bring you out of the present time and throw you into all sorts of imaginings and conjectures, when all our energy should be right here in the moment… (at 13.09 min)

Our thanks to Old Dog Documentaries for giving us permission to share this video with our readers.