We’re all going through difficult times. which most of us have never experienced before in our lifetimes. We hear disturbing news in the media and may see even more unsettling content on social platforms. We’ve emerged out of the pandemic to face rising inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, potential power cuts, and continuing geopolitical conflicts. And let’s not forget the climate crisis that’s already impacting many people across the globe. Even if we’re relatively safe and well, the state of the world can make us feel anxious, worried, and stressed.
It’s interesting to reflect on the human story that began over 200,000 years ago as hunter-gatherers deeply connected with nature, followed by the domestication of plants and animals around 10,000 years ago. The scientific revolution emerged in the 16th century, followed by the industrial age in the 18th. It’s from that time that we started to think of ourselves as separate from nature, which was seen as mechanistic. It’s this view that dominated science and economics that provided the justification for exploiting the natural world ever since.
Mentioning all of these challenges is sometimes seen as depressing and not something people want to think about. Although mindfulness can be categorised as positive psychology, it’s not an approach that only deals with the positive things in life. Everyone has both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. Life is complicated; the universe does not always meet our individual needs and desires.
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