Heartbreak, Hope, & The Wisdom of Joanna Macy (w/ Jess Serrante)

Wider Roots

“Uncertainty inherently means that possibility exists. Possibility for all sorts of things. For the darkest fantasies and fears that I have and for the most beautiful. And my life is a vote in the direction of a possibility, and I'm going to give myself to the one I want.”

Check out the episode page for the transcript and the full list of the resources mentioned in this episode: https://widerroots.com/7

In this conversation with Jess Serrante, we dive into the teachings of Joanna Macy and explore how they can support us in our work for social change. I was particularly moved by our discussion on the role of heartbreak in activism and coaching. We asked, what if more healing modalities and spiritual paths helped us get in touch with our pain for the world as a catalyst for discovering our unique contribution? Jess shares powerful insights from her new podcast, "We Are The Great Turning," (including previews of unreleased episodes!)

We also grapple with the question of hope in the face of overwhelming challenges like climate change. When despair creeps in, what can we draw upon that's more stable than the fluctuations of hope? Throughout our conversation, we touch on the importance of grounding our activism in our love for the world, and how Joanna's teachings can help us do that.

Jess Serrante is a dear friend of mine and a longtime climate activist who has worked with groups like Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network, and Sunrise Movement. She’s a coach, facilitator, and now a podcaster!

Subscribe to We Are The Great Turning on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Key moments

• 03:02 - The dream Joanna & Jess had for this project
• 15:39 - Heartbreak and honoring our pain for the world
• 23:59 - Clip from Joanna Macy: What if my pain for the world overwhelms me?
• 28:58 - Clip from Joanna Macy: Our pain is sacred
• 35:34 - Heartbreak guiding us to our calling
• 44:25 - Examining Hope (and other places to find our motivation)
• 53:36 - Clip from Joanna Macy: Whistling in the dark to cheer ourselves up
• 1:02:51 - Jess' sources of nourishment
• 1:04:46 - Closing

Resources & Links

• We Are The Great Turning Podcast website
• Active Hope by Joanna Macy (book)
• The Work That Reconnects
• Video of Joanna Macy: “The knife edge of uncertainty”
• Parable of The Sower by Octavia Butler (book)
• Rebecca Solnit quote: “Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency"

Connect with Jess

• Coaching website: JessSerrante.com
• Instagram: @jess_serrante

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