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" Overcoming Fear, Denial, Myopia, and Paralysis "
Mark D. Hathaway
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AL
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| Record Number
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1086069
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| Doc. No
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LA129698
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| Call No
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10.1163/15685357-02002100
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| Language of Document
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English
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| Main Entry
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Mark D. Hathaway
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| Title & Author
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Overcoming Fear, Denial, Myopia, and Paralysis [Article]\ Mark D. Hathaway
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| Publication Statement
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Leiden: Brill
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| Title of Periodical
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Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology
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| Date
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2017
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| Volume/ Issue Number
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21/2
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| Page No
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175–193
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| Abstract
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Drawing on insights from neuroscience, psychology, Buddhism, and the Beatitudes of Jesus, this paper explores the role emotions play in influencing human responses to the ecological crisis. While political, technological, and economic factors contributing to this crisis are often analyzed, emotional factors tend to be neglected or underestimated. Humans may be suffering from a condition analogous to the “myopia for the future” described by Antonio Damasio which impedes both our perception of the crisis and our response to it. Traditional Buddhist psychology’s analysis of the “three poisons” provides helpful insights into why humans may fail to respond to distressing information. At the same time, emotions have the potential to empower humanity to overcome the interwoven dynamics of denial, despair, and addiction and to facilitate a collective response to the ecological crisis. Joanna Macy has developed an integrated set of interactive, spiritual practices to enable persons to reconnect emotionally to the entire Earth community, overcome both despair and myopia for the future, and take meaningful action to heal the world. The Aramaic version of Matthew’s Beatitudes as interpreted by Neil Douglas-Klotz also models a spiritual process for overcoming despair by working with and through emotions to empower restorative action. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, psychology, Buddhism, and the Beatitudes of Jesus, this paper explores the role emotions play in influencing human responses to the ecological crisis. While political, technological, and economic factors contributing to this crisis are often analyzed, emotional factors tend to be neglected or underestimated. Humans may be suffering from a condition analogous to the “myopia for the future” described by Antonio Damasio which impedes both our perception of the crisis and our response to it. Traditional Buddhist psychology’s analysis of the “three poisons” provides helpful insights into why humans may fail to respond to distressing information. At the same time, emotions have the potential to empower humanity to overcome the interwoven dynamics of denial, despair, and addiction and to facilitate a collective response to the ecological crisis. Joanna Macy has developed an integrated set of interactive, spiritual practices to enable persons to reconnect emotionally to the entire Earth community, overcome both despair and myopia for the future, and take meaningful action to heal the world. The Aramaic version of Matthew’s Beatitudes as interpreted by Neil Douglas-Klotz also models a spiritual process for overcoming despair by working with and through emotions to empower restorative action.
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| Descriptor
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Beatitudes
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biophilia
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Buddhism
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climate change
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ecopsychology
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Somatic marker hypothesis
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Work that Reconnects
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| Location & Call number
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10.1163/15685357-02002100
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