The world is shifting beneath our feet. Political upheaval, climate crises, and social breakdown have left many feeling destabilized, disoriented, and searching for solid ground. And yet, within this chaos, there is also an undeniable call—to root deeper, to listen more intently, and to stand for what truly matters.
On February 4, 2025, the Resilience and Possibility series brought together a global community to explore how stay rooted in truth with Lynne and Bill Twist, co-founders of Pachamama Alliance, and poet and scholar Drew Dellinger. What emerged was not a roadmap with easy answers, but an invitation—an invitation to stay present, to engage, and to become an island of coherence in a sea of chaos.
Opening Sacred Space: A Call to Be “Maladjusted”
Drew Dellinger, drawing from his years as a scholar of Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas Berry, opened the gathering by invoking the sacred interconnection of all things—from the cosmos to the ancestors who paved the way for justice and transformation. He reminded us that the heartbeat of life, the force that moves galaxies, is also the pulse within our own chests.
He shared King’s powerful words from 1957:
I never intend to adjust myself to the evils of segregation or the madness of militarism… My friends, I call upon you to be maladjusted to all these things. It may be that the salvation of the world lies in the hands of the maladjusted.
This, Drew suggested, is the work of our time—not to adjust to systems of destruction, but to actively disrupt them with love, courage, and truth .
The Discomfort of Transformation: Embracing Chaos as a Portal
Lynne Twist spoke with raw honesty about her own experience of these times.
I’m destabilized, I’m upset, I’m confused. I am off guard. I am trying to find my ground.
Her words resonated deeply because they spoke to a truth many of us feel. The world as we have known it is unraveling. And yet, she reminded us, perhaps being shaken is exactly what we need—to find our own inner taproot, to reconnect with something deeper than the external turmoil .
Even amidst the uncertainty, Lynne reminded us that even small pockets of clarity and connection have the power to transform the whole:
Islands of coherence in a sea of chaos can ultimately shift the whole system.
Even as the world around us seems unstable, the simple act of coming together in community, standing in love, and committing to possibility creates pockets of stability that can ripple outward and influence the whole.
The Crisis of Purpose and the Need for a Collective Reawakening
Bill Twist reflected on the deep dissatisfaction and unrest that permeates society, particularly in the U.S.—a country that, despite its immense wealth, is plagued by rising inequality, declining mental health, and a fractured social fabric. He pointed out that the failures of the political system are not confined to one party—both sides have avoided addressing the deeper crises shaping our future.
The wealthiest country on earth of the industrialized nations has the worst social outcomes. We ought to be ashamed of it.
At the heart of this, he suggested, is a crisis of purpose—a collective forgetting of why we are here. In a world where economic interests dominate political discourse, the more profound questions of humanity’s role, our relationship with the Earth, and our responsibility to future generations have been pushed aside.
Echoing the words of Mark Twain, Bill urged everyone to reflect:
The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.
If we do not root ourselves in a sense of purpose larger than economic survival or political division, we become easily manipulated, swayed by fear, and disconnected from the deeper currents of life.
Moving Forward: How Do We Stand in These Times?
This gathering was not just about discussing the crisis—it was about anchoring in resilience and standing in possibility.
Lynne closed with a reading from Clarissa Pinkola Estés:
One of the most calming and powerful actions you can take to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it.
So, how do we stand in these times?
- Acknowledge the discomfort—Transformation is unsettling, and that’s okay.
- Find your taproot—What keeps you steady when the ground is shifting?
- Build islands of coherence—Whether through community, conversation, or action, create spaces of clarity and alignment.
- Remember why you are here—What do you stand for? What is the contribution only you can make?
This Is Our Time
The decisive decade of 2020-2030 is still unfolding. The world needs people willing to hold both the grief and the vision, the despair and the possibility.
As Lynne put it:
No matter the chaos, our commitments still stand.
So, what is your stand?
If you’re reading this, you are part of this unfolding moment, you have the capacity to be an island of coherence. You are the voice the world needs.
