A Wild Love for the World: Joanna Macy and the Work of Our Time

Spiritual teachers, deep ecologists, and diverse writers and activists celebrate the life and global impact of pioneering Buddhist philosopher and environmental advocate Joanna Macy. A leading figure in Buddhist-informed social and ecological activism since the 1980s, Joanna Macy’s life work is rooted in a profound study of the parallels between Buddhist and scientific worldviews. Her innovative efforts at the intersection of systems theory, Buddhist practice, and social and environmental justice have produced important developments in areas ranging from anti-nuclear activism and climate change to grief work and indigenous rights. In this unprecedented collection, some 40 prominent artists, writers, activists, scientists, and religious leaders offer reflections on Macy’s contributions to their personal development and to the growth of their fields. Interspersed with these essays are ten stories from Macy herself, narrating pivotal moments that changed the course of her life. Taken together, these offerings illuminate Macy’s fierce, hopeful vision of an alternative way forward for ourselves, our society, and our future. STEPHANIE KAZA is Professor Emerita of Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont. A leading voice in Buddhism and ecology, her most recent book is Green Buddhism: Practice and Compassionate Action in Uncertain Times. To learn more, visit www.stephaniekaza.com. JOANNA MACY, PhD, teacher and author, is a scholar of Buddhism, systems thinking, and deep ecology. As the root teacher of the Work That Reconnects, Macy has created a groundbreaking framework for personal and social change that brings a new way of seeing the world as our larger body. Her many books include World as Lover, World as Self; Widening Circles, A Memoir; Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy; and Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide to the Work That Reconnects. Macy received a BA from Wellesley College in 1950 and a PhD in Religion from Syracuse University in 1978. She continues to write and teach in Berkeley, California. Her most recent book is A Wild Love for the World: Joanna Macy and the Work of Our Times (ed. Stephanie Kaza). To learn more, visit www.joannamacy.net.