Via Three Teachings: Dealing with Despair

 

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November 14, 2024 Possibility Is Always There   When despair creeps up on us, or hits like a truck, it can feel overwhelming. That’s because despair means a lack of hope. Even in our darkest grief, if we can find hope, we can find comfort; without hope, breaking free and moving forward may feel impossible. Attuning to the body and practicing mindfulness or another form of meditation can help stir hope we might not believe is there. So too can poetry, art, spending time with loved ones, or doing anything that creates space, shifts perspectives, and cultivates calm. Orientation is crucial, journalist and former Tricycle executive editor Emma Varvaloucas reminded us in a recent podcast episode. Possibility is always there—even in the midst of pain and confusion. We must remain open to all of it. As poet Jane Hirshfield told Tricycle’s editor-in-chief James Shaheen in a podcast episode last year, paraphrasing a thousand-year-old poem in the collection The Ink Dark Moon, “If you live in a house which is impermeable to the cold winds and storms and difficulties of this world, you will also wall yourself off from the moonlight.” This week’s Three Teachings features three podcast interviews on dealing with despair.  Forward today's teachings to a friend » An Antidote to Despair With Emma Varvaloucas Journalist Emma Varvaloucas discusses how we can break out of cycles of pessimism and despair by paying attention to what’s going right. Listen now » From Despair to Possibility With Rebecca Solnit  Writer and activist Rebecca Solnit discusses the power of hope in times of catastrophe, the dangers of hyperindividualism, and why she believes beauty is an essential piece of activist work. Listen now » “Don’t Despair This Falling World” With Jane Hirshfield  Poet Jane Hirshfield discusses how poetry can communicate deep truths we might have trouble understanding in a more conventional presentation. She also discusses the balance of abiding in uncertainty and trust, and how to sit with uncomfortable emotions and truths. Listen now »