"Society" is a creation of the minds of those who inhabit it; it always has been and always will be. Thus, we have always been and will always be empowered to change society for the better.
For me to be able to present a workshop based on early mindfulness teachings is a big thrill. The material at the time was so juicy, and it still is. It's about making everyday life the root of your dharma practice, not just incidental events that happen while you're trying to get enlightened.
Maybe we can mix some of the wisdom our ancient cultures with our unprecedented modern knowledge and create the ground for happiness and fulfillment in our lives.
There is no way to bring a "spiritual" service into a market economy without it facing an insane level of unfair scrutiny. Simply put, in today's day and age, spirituality is bad branding.
I would so much rather know that I am getting all of a person --especially a person that I love so dearly -- than have it be easy and know that I was only seeing the surface of them.
In training ourselves through meditation, it is very practical to start with mindfulness practice to pull the mind in from a habitual state of distraction into a focused and clear state.
I grew up knowing Pema Chodron (the second most popular Buddhist in America, after that Dalai Lama guy). Or, rather, she knew me (I was just a little kid running around not paying attention to anything).
Get thee to an eco meditation cushion, if only for a few minutes each morning before the day's madness ensues, and if you need a jump-start of inspiration or a little training, check out one of these Buddhist teachers.