Thomas Steininger in conversation with Terry Patten

There is so much that needs to be done in response to this global crisis–from everyday practicalities to potential system changes to confronting our own death or that of a loved one. But what is the foundation from which we are responding? How do we stay open to all that is happening and not shut down? We need strong spiritual foundation to remain responsive and to hold perspective. For Terry Patten, this is a time to practice gratitude. Terry is an internationally known integral thinker, social activist, and author of A New Republic of the Heart. He sees the twin processes of gratitude and grieving as an essential part of what can keep us grounded and present at this critical time. As he says, “We can evolve our practice of grieving; it doesn’t have to collapse our hearts; it can expand them.”Perhaps the one certainty of this period of time is unpredicatable and unprecedented change. Two months ago it would have been unimaginable to think that most of the world would be in some form of quarantine or isolation. Practicing to be with radical uncertainty, to be grateful to life as it is, gives us an anchor through this turbulence. Terry provides us with an example and different ways we can connect to our hearts and the preciousness of human relationship in order to meet the further challenges of this time.