Guest: Joanna Macy, Ph.D. & Anita Barrows Program 3348
Host: Michael Toms Interview Date: 3/16/2010 Program Length: 1 Hour
Media:
MP3 Download
Price: $1.99
Program Description: At a time when our planet is spinning toward the greatest crisis our species has known, why would one of its most beloved advocates devote herself to poetry? It's true. Joanna Macy, along with Anita Barrows, has immersed herself in the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, translating many of his most treasured writings. She explains it this way: "The world is asking us to come into the very grounds of our vitality and sanity. There is so much destruction and loss around us now, from economic meltdown to climate chaos to the brutalities of war. And in such a time, what do we need more than moral imagination?" Moral imagination, indeed, is what you'll find in this exploration of the enlightened words of Rilke. From the nature of your true identity and the interplay between death and life, to why both God and your neighbor need you to serve them a glass of water, you'll be grounded, centered, uplifted, and inspired. Certainly your moral imagination will be expanded to bring you into presence with the rest of your day, ready for the hard work that lies ahead. (Hosted by Michael Toms)
Joanna Macy, Ph.D., is an eco-philosopher and a respected voice in the peace, justice, and ecology movements. She is the author of eight books, including World as Lover, World as Friend: Courage for Global Justice and Ecological Renewal (Parallax Press 2007). Anita Barrows is an award winning poet and psychologist, and recipient of the Quarterly Review of Literature's Contemporary Poetry Award. Together they have translated three books of Rilke's poems, including A Year with Rilke: Daily Readings from the Best of Rainer Maria Rilke (HarperOne 2010). To learn more about the work of Joanna Macy go to www.JoannaMacy.net
Topics explored in this dialogue:
Why we need poetry now more than ever
Why is Rilke important and relevant today
What the world of Nature can teach us
What kind of solitude will help you become more fully present with yourself and the world
How you can gain a new understanding of who God really is
