The Great Turning — The Shambhala Prophecy — The New Earth

The Great Turning, a term coined by eco-philosopher Joanna Macy, describes the collective shift from an industrial growth society rooted in separation to a life-sustaining culture grounded in interconnection, reverence, and care. It is both an outer revolution and an inner awakening—a transformation of consciousness that mirrors the healing of the Earth.

We are living in a time of rupture: ecological collapse, social injustice, and widespread spiritual disconnection. Yet this crisis is also a threshold, a collective rite of passage in which the old gives way to new forms of life and consciousness. The Great Turning calls us to meet this moment with courage and humility—to act as midwives to a new way of being in relationship with self, community, and planet.

Activating your inner heart warrior means meeting life with presence, courage, and compassion—standing rooted in truth even when the ground shifts beneath you.

The Shambhala Prophecy of Tibetan Buddhism echoes this vision. It tells of a time when the world is consumed by greed and aggression, and the warriors of Shambhala arise—not with weapons, but with the twin powers of compassion and insight. Their task is to dismantle the forces of destruction, both inner and outer, through clarity of mind and steadfastness of heart.

The Shambhala warrior symbolizes the qualities the Great Turning calls forth: courage amidst uncertainty, compassion in the face of fear, and devotion to life even in times of decay. Both teachings remind us that transforming the world begins with transforming the self—through healing, mindfulness, and the reclamation of our belonging to the living Earth.

In my work as a therapist, my intention is to help clients awaken their inner heart warrior—the part that meets life’s challenges with presence, compassion, and truth. Each act of awareness, each gesture of love, each choice to live consciously is part of this Great Turning, a movement of the human spirit returning home to wholeness and to the heart of life itself.