What We Must Do: A Guide for Perilous Times

To take good care of ourselves and our world is a universal obligation of fundamental moral importance. Courageous and thoughtful, Wendy Wood, PhD and Thaïs Mazur, PhD have written a practical guide for responding purposefully and with compassion to the threats the world now faces at home and abroad. This book helps the reader build skills to stay balanced, respond with clarity, and commit to actions which are equitable and just without domination and divisiveness, and actions that do not cause harm for ourselves and our planet. In these times, when countries are moving toward isolationism, deep cultural and social divides, and with the results of the 2016 election in the United States, people are asking the question, "What can we do?" This book helps answer these questions, giving readers the tools and confidence to become more effectively involved in ways which benefit the common good.

What We Must Do is a useable guide book that connects the reader to the qualities of mindful engagement-- authenticity, mindfulness, skillful communication, compassion, and love--qualities the authors have found to be useful while navigating these challenging, if not daunting times and circumstances. The book contains an active and dynamic set of practices. There are two sections in this book. The first section is a call to action, stressing the vital importance of having the tools to respond in ways that are just and humane. The second section presents the qualities of Authenticity, Communication, Mindfulness, Compassion, and Love. Contemplations, Inquiries, and Actions help ground the practice of each quality. The Contemplations guide intentions and thinking related to the qualities with considered and focused attention. Inquiries support exploration of thoughts, beliefs, and values related to each quality. And Actions invite responses, reflections, and applications and integration of the qualities into daily life.