By Marilyn Loy Every, DMin, CSL
It was November last year that I was in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. I awoke to the harsh reality, as I saw through my eyes, of these times we are living in. My rose-colored glasses had shattered overnight; illusion died that morning. I simply did not know how to navigate through the uncertainty we faced around the world. I did not know how to move through change, loss, disruption, and raw disappointment.
I set out for a long walk in the brisk air that morning. I walked along the cliffs flanking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and out on the jetty with sea air in my face. Eventually, I arrived at the Monroe Bookstore in downtown Victoria. In my solemn longing, a book jumped off the shelf into my hands—We Were Made for These Times by Kaira Jewel Lingo, a Buddhist nun who trained with Thich Nhat Hanh. Though a short read, the book changed me that day. The concept that you and I are made for these times continues to amaze me every day and bring me hope through shadows of what Matthew Fox, an American priest, theologian and author, names as ecocide, racism, patriarchy, illusion, and despair.
This brings me to ponder our human journey here on Earth. We are not just participants at this moment in time. We indeed are the culmination of a 13.8-billion-year journey, from the birth of the universe to this moment. We are part of something unimaginably vast—and intimately connected. In all the chaos and uncertainty in our world today, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, wondering whether we are equipped for the times we are living in, and what we can possibly add to the welfare of the world.
We truly are living proof of the “union of miracles” that resulted in our existence in the first place. So, considering that your and my life are miracles, it is essential for us to also consider how to best navigate these unprecedented times. In my own search, I looked for novel spiritual practices that would give me hope, inspiration, encouragement, and strength. I discovered helpful suggestions in Lingo’s writing that provided life-affirming support in carrying forward.
Coming Home to Ourselves
In times of upheaval, our first refuge is within. Coming home to ourselves means pausing the noise of the world and turning inward to reconnect with our breath, our body, and the stillness beneath the storm. This is the place where truth lives— not as an idea, but as an embodied experience. In our “home within,” we find our ground and comfort.
Trusting the Unknown
Change often dismantles the familiar and leaves us standing “stark in the dark.” To trust the unknown is not to pretend we are unafraid, but to walk forward anyway—open-hearted, alert, and attuned to our intuition. Trust means recognizing that while we may not know what lies ahead, life has always held us. The same intelligence that births galaxies and turns seeds into trees is moving in our lives, too.
Accepting What Is
Acceptance of our situation at any moment is not resignation. It is the willingness to see life as it is without resistance. When we accept what is, we stop struggling against reality and begin to move with it. It allows us to set aside our “cherished beliefs” that things should be different. It is from this place of grace and honesty that real transformation can begin.
Loving Ourselves Through Uncertainty
Uncertainty is precisely the time when we most need our own kindness. To love ourselves through uncertainty is to be gentle with our inner experience, to soothe the parts that fear and ache. It is a radical act of self-compassion grounded in love, allowing resilience to grow.
Caring for Strong Emotions
Anger, grief, and anxiety are not problems to fix, but messengers to tend. When we care for our emotions instead of denying or suppressing them, they begin to soften and settle. We can breathe into the storm, name what we feel, and let it move through us. With care, even the strongest emotion becomes a doorway to healing and deeper wisdom.
Realizing Realities of Impermanence
Understanding that everything changes is the most difficult and yet most liberating truth of our existence. When we realize impermanence, we begin to hold life a little lighter. We cherish peace, success, and relationships while they are here, and grieve losses knowing they were never meant to last. We do not cling, but we lean into change—understanding whatever our circumstance is, it too will pass.
Mirroring Compassion
One of the most powerful spiritual practices we can engage in is mirroring compassion. This means learning to reflect to ourselves the same gentleness, understanding, and care that we would offer someone we deeply love. Remember this simple truth: every one of us is walking through life with invisible burdens—grief that is unspoken, fears that are masked, struggles that are invisible. What we most need is not self- reproach or advice but loving presence and kindness.
Practicing Equanimity
Equanimity is the spiritual practice that was meaningful for me last November. It involves the practice of remaining calm and centered during chaos. It is not detachment, but it creates balance. To practice equanimity is to cultivate a heart that is steady—holding joy and sorrow, gain and loss, hope and fear. It is the deep stillness that teaches us how and when to act with clarity.
Nurturing Good
Even when the world feels heavy, there is still goodness everywhere. We can choose to notice and nurture good. This may be a small kindness, a simple prayer, or a brave conversation. To amplify the good is to see it, name it, and even create it. In doing so, we become gardeners of the human spirit—planting seeds of light in dark soil.
Believing You Are Made for These Times
Most importantly, it is to believe that you and I are made for these times. It is a truth that our soul already knows. We were shaped by everything that came before us. We carry wisdom in our bones, and we have boundless strength, love and courage yet waiting to be roused. Believing is a choice—to show up, to stay awake, and to participate in the healing of the world, right where we are.
Which of these spiritual practices speak to you most potently at this time when the old world is shaking and the new one is not yet born? It is good to discover new life-affirming ways to support and strengthen yourself. Then, choose once again and yet again how to live your life holistically, and passionately, with clear intentions and focused purpose.
Yes, our world is hurting and calls us for healing. We have never been better prepared to act than we are now. However, it is wise for us to continue tending our own healing along the way, so we continuously are the best version of ourselves as we contribute to the healing of the world. Let us be there for one another in fostering positive outcomes day by day right where we are. Reference: Lingo, Kaira Jewel: We Were Made for These Times. Berkeley, California, Parallax Press, 2021
