On Mindful Democracy

An antidote to political burnout and civic despair: drawing on mindfulness and modern wisdom to cultivate resilience, healthy engagement, and skillful presence in turbulent times

A compact, beautifully designed guide offering 27 powerful teachings of interdependence to navigate news, social media, and civic engagement with clarity and courage

250 years after the US Declaration of Independence, this incisive Declaration of Interdependence is a timely, tender, and transformative guide for citizens who care deeply about the world but feel disillusioned by the state of public discourse. Professor Jeremy David Engels—scholar, mindfulness teacher, and longtime student of Thich Nhat Hanh—proposes that clarity and interconnection are not only paths to personal peace, but vital practices for renewing democracy itself.

Structured in the spirit of On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, this compact, accessible book delivers 27 profound insights—each a short chapter—on how to show up for democracy with compassion, clarity, and courage. It invites readers to step away from enemyship, to root their activism in shared humanity, and to declare their interdependence.

Readers will discover:
• How mindfulness can heal the civic wounds of polarization and fear
• Practices for engaging with news and social media without being consumed
• A reimagining of democracy as collective empowerment, not endless conflict
• Zen stories and teachings to inspire transformation
• Practical tips for showing up skillfully in moments of disagreement and tension

Whether you’re a seasoned activist or a tender-hearted citizen seeking a new path forward, this luminous testament to resilience offers a lantern in the dark—and a quiet call to remember who we are, and what we’re here to do, together.
Preface: “A Declaration of Interdependence”

Introduction: There is No Way to Democracy, Democracy is the Way

Part 1, Strong Foundations
Lesson 1: Stand on Common Ground
Lesson 2: No Mud, No Lotus
Lesson 3: Life is a Miracle We Share
Lesson 4: The Present Moment is a Wonderful Moment
Lesson 5: Know the Difference Between Right and Wrong Mindfulness
Lesson 6: It May Be a Bumpy Ride, But There is a Path
Lesson 7: Emptiness is Also Fullness, So There’s No Reason to be a Nihilist
Lesson 8: You Matter, and the Proof is in the Practice
Lesson 9: Practice the Art of Gratitude
Lesson 10: Be Loving, and Kind

Part 2, Beloved Communities
Lesson 11: Refute the World’s Biggest Lie
Lesson 12: We are One, and We are Many
Lesson 13: Ensemble
Lesson 14: Make a Special Effort to Include
Lesson 15: Know Your Enemyship
Lesson 16: No Person is “Evil,” only Mistaken
Lesson 17: Remain Down to Earth, Close to Common Ground

Part 3, Right Action
Lesson 18: Mindful Citizens Do Not Acquiesce
Lesson 19: Politics is a Moral Argument
Lesson 20: The Five Agreements of Mindful Deliberation
Lesson 21: Words Can Hurt. Words Can Heal.
Lesson 22: Protect the Most Vulnerable (Hate Speech is Not Free Speech)
Lesson 23: Aim for the Roots
Lesson 24: Ask Yourself and Others, “Are You Sure?”
Lesson 25: Right Action
Lesson 26: If You Feel Burned Out, Remember Your Practice
Lesson 27: With Every Word, Declare Interdependence“On Mindful Democracy is a profoundly wise and timely offering—a call to awaken our hearts to the truth of our interdependence. With clarity and compassion, Jeremy Engels invites us to step out of division and into presence, to remember that democracy is not a battle but a shared practice of care. This book is a balm for weary spirits and a guiding light for those longing to heal our fractured world—from the inside out.”
— Tara Brach, author of Radical Compassion

“Democracy is tested daily by forces of division, fear, and inequality. On Mindful Democracy reminds us that democracy is not merely a system of government but a daily practice of compassion, mindfulness, and interdependence. As a mayor and global advocate for compassion, I have seen how communities are transformed when people choose care over conflict and belonging over enemyship. Jeremy David Engels offers a hopeful and practical path toward a democracy that heals and unites—a vision every leader should embrace.”
— Greg Fischer, former president of the US Conference of Mayors and mayor of Louisville, Kentucky 2011–2023

“ Jeremy Engels invites us to reimagine our political system in his timely and refreshing take On Mindful Democracy, reminding us what a democracy can be when we recognize our interdependence and celebrate our differences.”
— Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness

“ On Mindful Democracy is a book of practical wisdom. This timely book bridges the gap between pragmatism and idealism. We need to read this book and then to embrace and practice the principle of interdependence as Jeremy Engels describes it in politics as well as in our daily lives.” — Satish Kumar, editor emeritus of Resurgence magazine and author of Radical Love

“ On Mindful Democracy reframes democracy not as a battle to be fought but as a practice of care, and not as a pathway to independence but a reminder of our interdependence. Jeremy David Engels offers a powerful vision of how mindfulness can help heal our fractured world.”
— Kazu Haga, author of Fierce Vulnerability
“At a time of angry words and fragmented information, On Mindful Democracy offers a much-needed vision of wholeness. Engels combines the knowledge of a rhetoric scholar with the insight of a mindfulness teacher to uncover the true meaning of democracy—the word comes from the Greek roots for ‘community’ and ‘power.’ This is a handbook for true interdependence, a practical guide to staying open and curious while engaging with all sorts of people and ideas. As Engels notes of social media, ‘When your body tightens and constricts, it’s time to take a break.’ Reading this book does the opposite—it leaves you feeling hopeful and spacious in both body and mind.””—Smithsonian magazine


“A profoundly wise and timely offering—a call to awaken our hearts to the truth of our interdependence. With clarity and compassion, Jeremy David Engels invites us to step out of division and into presence, to remember that democracy is not a battle but a shared practice of care. This book is a balm for weary spirits and a guiding light for those longing to heal our fractured world—from the inside out.”—Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance


“Reframes democracy not as a battle to be fought but as a practice of care. Jeremy David Engels offers a powerful vision of how mindfulness can help heal our fractured world.”—Kazu Haga, author of Healing Resistance and Fierce Vulnerability


“Democracy is tested daily by forces of division, fear, and inequality. On Mindful Democracy reminds us that democracy is not merely a system of government but a daily practice of compassion, mindfulness, and interdependence. As a mayor and global advocate for compassion, I have seen how communities are transformed when people choose care over conflict and belonging over enemyship. Jeremy David Engels offers a hopeful and practical path toward a democracy that heals and unites—a vision every leader should embrace.” — Greg Fischer, former president of the US Conference of Mayors and mayor of Louisville, Kentucky 2011–2023


“Jeremy Engels invites us to reimagine our political system in his timely and refreshing take On Mindful Democracy, reminding us what a democracy can be when we recognize our interdependence and celebrate our differences.” — Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness


“Jeremy Engels writes with clarity and insight on the fruitful interdependence of mindfulness and democracy. This is certainly a topic of major interest to all of us concerned with our shared planetary future. His fresh spirit and authentic voice are not only refreshing but enlightening. Read this and be transformed!” — Mary Evelyn Tucker, cofounder of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology and coauthor of Journey of the Universe


“On Mindful Democracy is a book of practical wisdom. This timely book bridges the gap between pragmatism and idealism. We need to read this book and then to embrace and practice the principle of interdependence as Jeremy Engels describes it in politics as well as in our daily lives.” — Satish Kumar, editor emeritus of Resurgence magazine and author of Radical Love


“A deeply healing vision for how we might meet these fractured times with presence, open hearts, and the courage to build beloved community. Jeremy David Engels reawakens the true spirit of democracy as a mindful practice of care, compassion, and interdependence.” — Banafsheh Sayyad, author of Dance of Oneness: Awaken, Heal, and Transform Through Embodied Love and Light


“Fighting doesn’t work. Jeremy David Engels’s Declaration of Interdependence reminds us that interbeing and interconnectedness are more than ideas—they are concrete practices that reconnect us with the world. His text invites us to move beyond black-and-white thinking and to look with eyes of loving-kindness at our so-called ‘political enemies’ and to understand them better.” — Kai Romhardt, chair of the Network for Mindful Business and author of We Are the Economy: The Buddhist Way of Work, Consumption, and Money


“Jeremy David Engels provides an audacious, insightful, and long overdue reappraisal of what ails contemporary democracies. Encapsulated in his revised ‘Declaration of Interdependence,’ Engels draws on Eastern spiritual traditions to prescribe mindfulness and compassion as the best remedies for the ills of political polarization and demonization that are pushing democracies around the world to the abyss of populist authoritarianism and outright technofascism. Don’t miss this important book!” — Manfred B. Steger, author of Globalization: A Very Short Introduction


“In On Mindful Democracy, Engels summons us to care for our democracy, now. From a place of deep practice and teaching, he has written a concise and cogent guide for practicing democracy in the midst of present-day despair. He challenges us to deeply consider the common ground of interdependence as an indisputable fact of life. Engels explores the salient question: How do we practice democracy? Yes, democracy is an everyday practice of life-affirming actions by you and me! This mighty little book should be on everyone’s bedside table to be read daily for transforming our hearts and minds in service of our mutually shared lives.” — Wendy Egyoku Nakao, abbot emeritus of the Zen Center of Los Angeles


“In person, Jeremy’s calm and centered presence feels like a warm blanket of comfort and peace. Through his writing, he is somehow able to transport that essential quality to make the book be an anchor in a sea of uncertainty. Read this book—it will change your life. If enough of us embody the insights presented here, it might even change the world.” —Lara Heimann, founder and CEO of LYT yoga


“Mindful insight can bring us to a place of peace, a place beyond the false bravado of strongly held opinions and attitudes. Such a transition must be made for democracy to become real. Power resides with the people in a functioning democracy. This book gives practical advice on how to recover human agency through gentle, ongoing awareness of our inter-dependence.” — Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and director of the master of arts in Yoga Studies program, Loyola Marymount UniversityJeremy David Engels, Ph.D., is the Liberal Arts professor of Communication and Ethics at Penn State University (www.jeremydavidengels.com). He is also a longtime teacher of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga and since undertaking a pilgrimage to walk in the footsteps of the Buddha in India and Nepal in 2018, a student of Thích Nhất Hạnh. He is an award-winning teacher and scholar, and has published numerous books and articles about democracy, community building, deliberation, and peace. He lives in State College, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife Anna run a community yoga and meditation studio called Yoga Lab. Jeremy joyfully joins the Plum Village Beloved Community in practicing mindfulness as “the practice of peace.”Preface

“A Declaration of Interdependence”
We hold these truths self-evident,
that all people are created equal and interdependent,
that everyone
— all races, genders, classes, sexual identities, religions, and nationalities —
belongs,
and can be truly happy,
and has something to contribute to the ensemble,
and deserves the opportunity to answer life’s ultimate questions in their own words,
that in this endeavor life, liberty, and happiness are sacred,
and no one waste away from want,
when there is abundance.

When in the course of human events,
it becomes necessary to take a stand,
we stand on common ground,
practicing mindful democracy,
aware that the present moment is the only moment —
friendship not enemyship is our foundation;
affirmation not destruction is our politics;
love not hate is our motivation;
we act not for light and transient causes,
but for the eternal aim:
That we might be truly happy,
in this life,
together.