Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims,
Throughout history saints and mystics remind us that we are called to be a loving presence in a world that often feels it is being pulled apart. They also remind us we are called to do this work in relationship. This month I’m excited to welcome seasoned facilitator Lydia Violet Harutoonian accompanied by community song leader Te Martin to lead us in a 4-part series The Work that Reconnects (WTR). WTR is Joanna Macy’s experiential group work that has helped thousands find clarity of vision and emotional sanctuary while living through this precious and precarious moment on our planet.
Lydia offers this reflection on the work and process they are leading on Tuesdays from October 21st-November 11th.
Since Joanna Macy’s passing, I’ve found myself talking to her more than ever. I’m a bit mystical by nature, but this feels a bit different than speaking to her through the veil. It’s as if her voice has become a part of me over our 16 years together. She’s a pillar in my psyche. Sometimes I hear her laugh, warm and mischievous, and I can hear her saying, “We are so lucky to be here at this time, what a gift.”
Joanna had that rare ability to make you feel seen in your despair and then effortlessly uncover your enduring love of this world. And The Work That Reconnects, the group work she developed over many decades, has always felt like a hearty balance of what I need in order to learn how to be here for the adventure of these times. It’s like part therapy, part warrior training, part cosmic pep talk. It’s a way of staying awake in the world without losing your mind (or at least, not losing it alone).
What I love most about Joanna’s work is how unapologetically human it is. She never tried to tidy up the mess of emotions that come with facing what’s happening to the Earth. Instead, she treated our grief, our outrage, and our confusion as sacred data. Our pain for the world, she said, is evidence of our interconnection—it’s the proof that we belong to each other. I remember the first time I heard that, it hit me like someone had cracked open a window in a stuffy room. Suddenly, my sorrow wasn’t a sign that something was wrong with me—it was a sign that something was right.
And still, there are days when the news feels like a full-time assault on the nervous system. Joanna’s framework—the Three Dimensions of the Great Turning—has been my map when I lose the plot. There’s Holding Actions, where people show up to slow down harm and defend life and justice (the ones leading boycotts and blocking arms shipments). There are New and Remembered Life-Affirming Systems, where we experiment with ways of supporting life that don’t require destroying the planet. And then there’s Shifts In Consciousness, the subtle but radical work of changing how we see ourselves and what we think is possible. I love this model because it’s generous, everyone’s got a part in creating ecosystems of repair on this planet.
Since her passing, I’ve been thinking about what it means to keep this work alive. The truth is, Joanna never wanted us just to memorize her teachings; she wanted us to practice them. The Work That Reconnects isn’t a program—it’s a living process that continues to unfold as long as people are willing to face reality together with open hearts. Every time a group gathers to share their fears, gratitude, and wild hopes for the future, the work continues.
And yes, I miss her. Her sparkle, her fearless honesty, her ferocious courage, she was truly a compass in my life. But I also feel her here—in the cracks of our conversations, in the moments when someone dares to say, “This is hard,” and someone else nods with understanding.
So perhaps the real legacy of Joanna Macy isn’t just her words, but the way they continue to work on us. The Work That Reconnects doesn’t end—it composts, renews, and sprouts in unexpected places. It’s still doing its work, reminding us that even in chaos there’s beauty, and the stubborn will to care for this world anyway.
Join Lydia and Te for The Work That Reconnects on Tuesdays October 21st – November 11th.
With great and growing love,
Christine
Christine Valters Paintner, OblSB, PhD, REACE
