Truth-Mandala on deep ecology

The Role of Hope in the Truth Mandala

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In the Truth Mandala process, it’s common for participants to observe that while there is a quadrant for Doubt, Fear, Anger and Sadness, there does not seem to be a place for Hope in the mandala. It’s important to understand that this type of process is precious precisely because it is a place where we give ourselves and others permission to express our more difficult feelings — even the deepest and darkest ones. Bringing words of hope and comfort and a more positive perspective can often prevent others in the circle from expressing their “bad” feelings, because — as in our normal lives — they feel expected to repress any negative feelings and look on the bright side. We are invited to visualise hope as the ground of the mandala: we wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for our hope, but we make space during the process for the other, more difficult emotions that often don’t get voiced.

The Truth Mandala

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Joanna Macy’s Truth Mandala, reproduced from Coming Back to Life (Macy & Brown, 1998). The dominant “Honouring Our Pain for the World” practice in current use — see also The Cairn of Mourning and The Role of Hope in the Truth Mandala as companion pieces, and the Work That Reconnects Network’s own introduction to this stage of the spiral for the wider context. Full source page: rainforestinfo.org.au/deep-eco/truthm.htm.

Purpose & Background

This ritual exercise provides a simple, respectful, whole-group structure for owning and honoring our pain for the world, and for recognizing its authority and the solidarity it can bring. The practice emerged in 1992 amidst a large, tension-filled workshop in Frankfurt, on the day of reunification between East and West Germany; since then it has spread to many lands. To many participants it has been the most significant experience in a workshop, if not in their lives.