In this episode Dena and Robert ask how can contemplatives respond to what is happening in the world when we are all continually bombarded by energies of anger, fear, and hatred? What is going on at this time? Is it a spiritual crisis we are facing and if so, what is the root cause? They talk about the shift in consciousness that is needed if we are to truly see systemic and lasting changes in our society. Responding with hatred and demonizing the ‘other’ only brings further energy of anger into the collective field and fuels the intense energy of this time. How do we strengthen the qualities of a spiritual seeker, qualities such as connectedness, truth, goodness, and beauty?

Robert G. Toth served as Executive Director the Merton Institute for Contemplative Living from 1998 to 2010. He co-edited Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton, a popular series designed for small group dialogue. He is an active member of The Contemplative Alliance, an initiative of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, which organizes dialogues and programs around the world to advance contemplative approaches to issues affecting the welfare of all being. He also serves on the Board of the Lake Erie Institute which offers holistic ecological leadership programs to individuals engaged in creating flourishing, regenerative, and socially just communities. He is currently engaged in writing a book along with two other authors, called ‘Earth Mind.’

Dena Merriam is the Founder and Convener of The Global Peace Initiative of Women (www.gpiw.org) , which has been supporting the role of women spiritual leaders for over two decades. GPIW was founded in 2023 to offer women spiritual and religious leaders a global platform upon which to speak on peacebuilding, the care of the Earth, interfaith understanding and youth. Dena served as co-chair of the Millenium World Peace Summit that brought 1500 key religious figures to the United Nations in 2000 in the first ever summit of this kind. This gathering of global faith leaders sparked widespread activity and programs in interfaith communities and led to hundreds of collaborations for the benefit of humankind. The effects of this gathering last to this day with deep friendships and partnerships ongoing. Dena is also an author and has written ‘My Journey Through Time: A Spiritual Memoir of Life, Death, and Rebirth’, ‘The Untold Story of Sita’. ‘When the Bright Moon Rises’, ‘Rukmini and the Turning of Time’, and ‘To Dance with Dakinis.’ www.denamerriam.com