#Book Recommendation Lists #Connecting to Community #Health and Wellness #Self Care
Alidia Vane
A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges facing our world today. Learning about our planet’s environmental problems and the dire potential consequences can lead to feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness, and despair. To tackle this “climate anxiety,” Sarah Jaquette Ray’s book provides an “existential toolkit” for overcoming eco-guilt, burnout, and other mental health impacts. The book shares insights from a variety of fields, including psychology, mindfulness, and wisdom from activists in various social movements. These strategies provide practical ways to cultivate individual and collective resilience as we fight for climate justice.
I Want a Better Catastrophe
As a lifelong activist, Andrew Boyd is deeply familiar with the emotional challenges of living during the climate crisis. His personal crisis of hope started him on the journey that ultimately led to the publishing of I Want a Better Catastrophe. In this book, Boyd interviews 8 leading climate activists, searching for answers to questions like: “Is it really the end of the world?” and “If so, now what?” From these conversations, he finds answers that will surprise, inspire, and even make you laugh. If you’re struggling to comprehend a path forward, check out this guide to how we can all contribute to achieving “a better catastrophe.”
Link: [ https://bettercatastrophe.com/ ]
Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy
Active Hope combines two elements at the heart of the One Year for Earth program: self-care and environmentalism. The authors acknowledge the difficulty of living during the climate crisis and the significant changes which humanity must undergo if we are to construct a truly “life-sustaining society.” To that end, Active Hope provides practical advice for strengthening oneself to contribute to this critical transition. The authors also maintain a support group, which you can learn more about the One Year for Earth article linked below, or access directly from the authors’ website.
Link: [ https://www.activehope.info/ ]
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
Breath is the result of James Nestor’s personal, scientific, and cultural exploration of breathing practices. The book explores the evolution of breathing, and particularly the differences between mouth breathing and nasal breathing. In this exploration, Nestor studies ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo and their practical benefits for us today. Learn more about breathwork practices at the article linked below or read Nestor’s book yourself for a deeper dive.
Definition: [ https://1y4e.org/breathwork/ ]
Pema Chödrön
Pema Chödrön is an American ordained nun in the Tibetan-Buddhist tradition. She is also a teacher and the author of several dozen books and audiobooks. Her writings address a variety of topics, but a recurring theme is the principle of “shenpa” or “attachment.” Chödrön describes shenpa as a feeling of being “hooked into” or “addicted to” negative or self-destructive behavior. This can cause one to pursue a cycle of continuously escalating the behavior.
One of Chödrön’s books which feels particularly relevant to our contemporary times is When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. In this collection of her talks, Chödrön gives practical advice for living through difficult times, handling painful emotions, working through chaotic situations, and creating effective social action. This and her other writings give the reader the tools and strategies they need to break the cycle of “attachment” to their negative and harmful behaviors.
