The Lights in the Distance: Inspiration for Spiritual Activists

When the world is burning with anger, divisiveness, and fear, this book of inspiring quotes selected by the editors of Parallax Press is a still, small voice in the storm that will bring peace of mind to the reader. With delicate illustrations by artist Maude White, this book speaks to the vulnerability and courage of holding space for the loving, connected, and more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.

This book is gift, solace, and inspiration for idealists, progressives, and anyone fighting the good fight. In the long tradition of spiritual activists from Martin Luther King Jr and Thich Nhat Hanh to new and less known voices, this book of 100 quotes draws from a range of contemplative traditions and offers wisdom and nourishment for anyone engaged in working for a more compassionate world. Quotes include those by Thich Nhat Hanh, Sister Chan Khong, Joanna Macy, Sulak Sivaraksa, and others, on themes of awareness, idealism, kindness, self-compassion, truth-telling, transformation, resilience, and love.

Parallax Press is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit publisher, founded and inspired by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1986, whose mission is to publish works to alleviate suffering and contribute to a more beautiful, just, and joyful world.

Maude White is a papercutting artist living in the Hudson Valley. She loves the great strength, yet delicacy of paper. Every cut is exact and meaningful. She enjoys playing with positive and negative space to create fantastic scenes and stories. In pursuing her work, she hopes to make visible to others the immense world of possibilities that every piece of paper holds. In print, her work has appeared in newspapers and art publications. In film, her shadow puppet designs appear in The Happy Film documentary.

Hisae Matsuda is an editor of books on personal and community healing. She is interested in listening to voices that are not usually heard. Born in Japan and raised in London, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.