Krista Tippett doesn’t see herself as a preacher, but if she does have a ministry she would call it a “ministry of listening.” For two decades, Tippett, a journalist who later went to divinity school, has been in our ears as the host of the “On Being” podcast . Tippett is a guest on the third installment of Globe Opinion’s “Say More” podcast series, Beating Burnout.
She talks to host Shirley Leung about the connections between our struggles cultivating inner life and widespread feelings of depression and burnout. Listen at globe.com/saymore and wherever you find your podcasts.
Here are key takeaways from the conversation. Burnout is a spiritual issue, says Tippett, who is also a best-selling author with a focus on modern spirituality She says our nervous systems are fried, and you’re not alone if you have deep feelings about stress and despair. Advertisement COVID-19 turned our society upside down.
We’re staring down a future of global warming and seemingly endless political turmoil. The future has never felt so unknowable. “Our bodies internalize uncertainty itself as a threat,” said Tippett, who struggled with burnout during the pandemic.
“I don’t think we have even begun to fully metabolize what we’ve been through.” For Tippett, this time of uncertainty was a call to action and a time to look inward. “I wanted to befriend what was happening inside me,” said Tippett.
She defines spiritual life as “befriending reality, in all its glory a.