Unbroken Wholeness: Integrating Social Justice, Emotional Healing, and Spiritual Practice Six Pathways to the Beloved Community

by Bell, John

• ISBN13: 9781952692710
• ISBN10: 1952692717
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2024-04-30
• Publisher: Parallax Press

Summary

“A holistic vision breathtaking in scope.”—Frances Moore Lappé

Distilling a lifetime’s insights on the triangle of healing emotional pain, social justice work, and spiritual growth, veteran activist and educator John Bell shares personal stories and reflective practices to help us on our path of personal and collective transformation

Unbroken Wholeness brings an integrated lens of social justice, trauma healing, and spiritual practice to the work we do in the world and the pressing concerns of our times.

Collectively, these writings help us access a view of the world as unbroken, even in the face of obvious suffering and disharmony. With searching questions and easy-to-follow practices, Unbroken Wholeness offers a way for activists to apply mindfulness and insight to bring about healing for seemingly intractable social divisions. “Skillfully handling our emotional pain about the world while cultivating a joyful and kind heart helps us navigate the troubled waters of our life,” says John Bell. Continuing the peace work of his teacher, the Vietnamese social activist and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, John Bell brings forward the importance of cultivating a practical yet visionary, ennobling view of humankind when engaging in the “mud” of daily difficulties that gives rise to the lotus of an enlightened, compassionate heart.

Author Biography

John Bell, a direct student of Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh since 1982, is a teacher in the Plum Village tradition. He has served on the boards of the Earth Holders Community climate justice initiative, the racial justice initiative ARISE, and the North American Dharma Teachers Sangha.  
In his wider life, he has 40 years of experience in the youth field as an educator, counselor, community organizer, leadership trainer, and program director. He is a founding member of three youth leadership organizations: East Harlem’s Youth Action Program (in 1978); Children of War (in 1984); and YouthBuild USA (in 1988).  Until his retirement, John was the vice president for leadership development at YouthBuild USA (www.youthbuild.org), an international nonprofit with 350 programs in 15 countries providing young people with further education, vocational training, and leadership skills. A nationally recognized trainer and consultant in youth leadership development, Bell lives near Boston.