Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 48 minutes ago
All times are uncertain, but some feel especially stressful. Recent political turmoil, the pandemic, and the threat of climate change may be especially adding to this stress for us recently, and that stress can hijack our judgement so that we go for quick, absolute solutions at the very time that we most need to avoid them so we can deal with new complexity.
Robert M. Ellis, founder of the Middle Way Society, here talks about the ways that uncertain times create absolutization, and how Middle Way practice (for example mindfulness, the arts and critical thinking) can help us to avoid being hijacked by that absolutization. The talk was given over Zoom on 23rd Jan 2021, in the context of an online retreat called 'Living in Uncertain Times'. It is followed by questions and comments from people in the audience.
All times are uncertain, but some feel especially stressful. Recent political turmoil, the pandemic, and the threat of climate change may be especially adding to this stress for us recently, and that stress can hijack our judgement so that we go for quick, absolute solutions at the very time that we most need to avoid them so we can deal with new complexity.
Robert M. Ellis, founder of the Middle Way Society, here talks about the ways that uncertain times create absolutization, and how Middle Way practice (for example mindfulness, the arts and critical thinking) can help us to avoid being hijacked by that absolutization. The talk was given over Zoom on 23rd Jan 2021, in the context of an online retreat called 'Living in Uncertain Times'. It is followed by questions and comments from people in the audience.
