An antidote to political burnout and civic despair: drawing on Zen philosophy to cultivate resilience, mindful engagement, and skillful presence in turbulent times A compact, beautifully designed guide offering powerful teachings of interdependence to navigate news, social media, and civic engagement with clarity and courage years after the US Declaration of Independence, this incisive Declaration of Interdependence is a timely, tender, and transformative guide for citizens who care deeply about the world but feel disillusioned by the state of public discourse. Professor Jeremy David Engelsscholar, mindfulness teacher, and longtime student of Thich Nhat Hanhproposes that clarity and interconnection are not only paths to personal peace, but vital practices for renewing democracy itself.Structured in the spirit of On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, this compact, accessible book delivers profound insightseach a short chapteron how to show up for democracy with compassion, clarity, and courage. It invites readers to step away from enemyship, to root their activism in shared humanity, and to declare their interdependence.Readers will discover:How mindfulness can heal the civic wounds of polarization and fearPractices for engaging with news and social media without being consumedA reimagining of democracy as collective empowerment, not endless conflictZen stories and teachings to inspire transformationPractical tips for showing up skillfully in moments of disagreement and tensionWhether youre a seasoned activist or a tender-hearted citizen seeking a new path forward, this luminous testament to resilience offers a lantern in the darkand a quiet call to remember who we are, and what were here to do, together.
