Thank you for sharing comments from readers, Jane. A few of them resonated with me, as well as your responses to them. I truly appreciate the intention behind creating a conversation among all of us, even just to carry these thoughts with us as we move forward through the day ... and to stay curious and open.
Love your teachings, Jane! I sat there with my 87-year-old mother in her living room and I played the video with her and she really enjoyed it even though she has some dementia.
So thank you so much because it’s been really hard to get her to listen to me about meditation, even though she got me into it herself years ago when we went to see Ram Dass give a talk at the University of Toronto. Around 1980.
I saw this big hippie signing his be here now books and I was wondering who the heck this guy was! And then in university when I really needed meditation, I remembered him and went and bought his foundational meditation book and it saved my life!
He would love that you’re doing this! Thank you so much also for still being an activist. You give me great hope in the world. If I wasn’t doing meditation and yoga, it would be very difficult for me too handle my daily life as
executive Director of ArtistsAgainstRacism, which I cofounded 30 years ago.
There’s a lot of bad news out there as you know and to stay sane I do yoga and meditation and teach yoga at a youth shelter also— feel free to msg me if you want to give me any tips!❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Jane! I am so grateful you are doing this substack, I invited my girl tribe to join along. the current state of the world has caused me to actively seek moments of peace, things that uplift and ward off discouragement and sadness. My friends are certainly one "tonic" and frankly find you ? on this platform? I can just say again thank you...we all need hope and something to look forward to as we navigate not just getting older but dealing with the state of a world we cannot control...but must not accept.
Hi Jane! I remember you so well from a summer in Rome so many years ago-I dated Peter—you were dared to swim across the Tiber, and took the dare and swam across and back! I thought you were so gutsy then, and you’ve continued to be. So here we are in our 80s, and what a ride it’s been. Now I’m still practicing as a psychotherapist, just published a couple of memoirs and have my Substack niche. I totally agree with you re meditation. So glad to have you here.
Cannot wait to meditate with you. There is nothing more powerful than a whole bunch of open hearts and minds channeling energy together in such a beautiful way. We can bring forward a tidal wave of love and strength. Thank you for leading us. ❤️
Meditation in these days & nights of terror is something I need more of now.
Rebecca Solnit’s essays in “Meditations in an Emergency” remind me that the word “emergence” is in the word “emergency.”
I must keep finding my calm center & practice more meditation so that I will be more helpful to others & more effective in my resistance to this regime.
I haven’t lived in America for 81 years to give up now.
I want to remain calm & fierce & focused as I continue to fight for social justice.
Changes are beginning to happen in America; this morning I read that many Republicans, many Trump supporters, are finally acknowledging that they were wrong.
They’re understanding
that continuing to support this regime is contributing to the fall of democracy.
And they’re understanding they can choose to stand with those of us who are unwaveringly &
peacefully resisting the regime & daring to be part of a movement which has the potential to create a better, more just & decent & accountable America.
This morning, I read (in the essay Jermaine Fowler posted today) the word “interregnum” and learned it describes “the gap between an old order dying & a new order not yet born.”
I look forward to more meditations during this interregnum and to renewed actionable hope.
Thank you for the note - I would love if you shared your book list or suggested something insightful for us to read together. I've followed your Blog, but hard to find all the great books in one place!
Thank you for sharing those comments from other readers, it's heartwarming and encouraging to know that we aren't alone, especially in such unsettling times.
I listened with interest to your video, and felt a gut punch as you spoke about your how your physical health improved when you clarified and acted upon your values. This is something that I am experiencing myself right now. I've felt 'off' for at least the past year and it's been a gradual realisation that this feeling is about more than health it's about my values and my identity. Hearing you speak about this it was as though another piece of the puzzle fell into place. It's not that I needed permission, I think it's that my heart just wanted to hear it form someone else, to know that it's ok and it's on the right path. I'm really looking forward to being a part of your community here on Substack, thank you.
Congratulations Jane on a beautiful start to your Substack journey! Meditation and Somatic Experiencing have been instrumental in expanding my heart space and freeing me from 6 decades of anxiety. It’s never too late to start.
Over the years (76!) I have tried to meditate and found I can't close out the world outside. I've found walking or exercising meditation to work for me. I hope you can discuss a variety of ways to meditate, and also how to not feel like a meditation failure.
Hi Jane, it’s Giovanna from São Paulo, Brazil! So happy to see you here.
I don’t know if you’ll ever read this comment, I’m sure it’s just one among thousands, but I still wanted to write it. I’ve been following your work for years, and I truly missed having a space where I could feel close to you again, the way I did back when you had your blog. I lost my password and can only read the posts now, but I’ve always missed the interaction.
During the pandemic, I joined a few Fire Drill Fridays lives through Greenpeace. I would always show up and introduce myself in the comments as “Giovanna from São Paulo, Brazil,” and you actually started remembering me by that little nickname. That’s why I introduced myself this way at the beginning of this message. Those Fridays and our little interactions brought me so much hope in such a dark time. I still remember how you were always so beautifully put together during the lives, dressed in red, wearing hats, sometimes even little scarves tied around your neck. It was inspiring in the most human way, like a reminder that resistance can also look like care, presence, and dignity.
I used to always talk about Grace and Frankie. That’s where I first got the chance to discover your work. And ever since then, I’ve binge-watched pretty much your entire filmography that I could find online.
I also wanted to tell you how much I admire your posture, the way you don’t shrink back or get intimidated by this moment of fear and tension that you’re living through in the U.S. right now.
Who do you see as the voices of the new generation, the people you’d want to carry your legacy forward? Because we truly need people like you, people who take a stand, people with a voice. I can see that actress Hannah Einbinder has been one of those voices too, fearless, sharp, and unafraid to say what so many people are thinking but don’t dare to articulate out loud.
Sometimes it feels like the world is trying to exhaust anyone who still believes in justice, truth, and collective responsibility. That’s why it matters so much to see someone like you staying firm, not only because of what you represent, but because of what you ignite in other people: courage, clarity, and the feeling that we’re not alone.
And honestly, I wish you could be eternal. Or that, at the very least, your legacy keeps being carried forward when you eventually leave this plane. I hope I get to your age with your energy, your sharpness, your strength. You inspire me so much. I’m 25 years old, and I’m not afraid of aging. If anything, you make it look powerful. You make it look like freedom.
Thank you for reminding me that getting older doesn’t mean getting quieter, softer, or smaller. It can mean becoming even more unapologetic, more alive, more fearless.
I would love to be able to hug you in person one day, but I know that might never happen, so here it is: my love, my gratitude, and my biggest virtual hug from afar.
Thank you, Jane! Your Prime Time workouts have helped me be come stronger and I am eternally grateful to you for that! Meditation has been a daily practice for me for several years now; I honestly don’t know where I’d be without it!
How interesting to be in touch. No facebook, no instagram, no X!
Really don't pay much attention, no time for any of that, busy creating, however, will make time for you, curious. So now just subscribed * to explore fresh, healthful, exchange of thoughts and insights with you. You're cool Jane.
Doug Wilson
*Haven't really figured out how to operate on this platform but do intend to learn and have fun too! A word to the why's, why not?
Thank you for sharing comments from readers, Jane. A few of them resonated with me, as well as your responses to them. I truly appreciate the intention behind creating a conversation among all of us, even just to carry these thoughts with us as we move forward through the day ... and to stay curious and open.
Love your teachings, Jane! I sat there with my 87-year-old mother in her living room and I played the video with her and she really enjoyed it even though she has some dementia.
So thank you so much because it’s been really hard to get her to listen to me about meditation, even though she got me into it herself years ago when we went to see Ram Dass give a talk at the University of Toronto. Around 1980.
I saw this big hippie signing his be here now books and I was wondering who the heck this guy was! And then in university when I really needed meditation, I remembered him and went and bought his foundational meditation book and it saved my life!
He would love that you’re doing this! Thank you so much also for still being an activist. You give me great hope in the world. If I wasn’t doing meditation and yoga, it would be very difficult for me too handle my daily life as
executive Director of ArtistsAgainstRacism, which I cofounded 30 years ago.
There’s a lot of bad news out there as you know and to stay sane I do yoga and meditation and teach yoga at a youth shelter also— feel free to msg me if you want to give me any tips!❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Jane! I am so grateful you are doing this substack, I invited my girl tribe to join along. the current state of the world has caused me to actively seek moments of peace, things that uplift and ward off discouragement and sadness. My friends are certainly one "tonic" and frankly find you ? on this platform? I can just say again thank you...we all need hope and something to look forward to as we navigate not just getting older but dealing with the state of a world we cannot control...but must not accept.
Hi Jane! I remember you so well from a summer in Rome so many years ago-I dated Peter—you were dared to swim across the Tiber, and took the dare and swam across and back! I thought you were so gutsy then, and you’ve continued to be. So here we are in our 80s, and what a ride it’s been. Now I’m still practicing as a psychotherapist, just published a couple of memoirs and have my Substack niche. I totally agree with you re meditation. So glad to have you here.
Cannot wait to meditate with you. There is nothing more powerful than a whole bunch of open hearts and minds channeling energy together in such a beautiful way. We can bring forward a tidal wave of love and strength. Thank you for leading us. ❤️
Thank you Jane. I’m looking forward to that.
Meditation in these days & nights of terror is something I need more of now.
Rebecca Solnit’s essays in “Meditations in an Emergency” remind me that the word “emergence” is in the word “emergency.”
I must keep finding my calm center & practice more meditation so that I will be more helpful to others & more effective in my resistance to this regime.
I haven’t lived in America for 81 years to give up now.
I want to remain calm & fierce & focused as I continue to fight for social justice.
Changes are beginning to happen in America; this morning I read that many Republicans, many Trump supporters, are finally acknowledging that they were wrong.
They’re understanding
that continuing to support this regime is contributing to the fall of democracy.
And they’re understanding they can choose to stand with those of us who are unwaveringly &
peacefully resisting the regime & daring to be part of a movement which has the potential to create a better, more just & decent & accountable America.
This morning, I read (in the essay Jermaine Fowler posted today) the word “interregnum” and learned it describes “the gap between an old order dying & a new order not yet born.”
I look forward to more meditations during this interregnum and to renewed actionable hope.
I love you, Jane!! Can you talk about how you handle anger?
Thank you for the note - I would love if you shared your book list or suggested something insightful for us to read together. I've followed your Blog, but hard to find all the great books in one place!
Thank you for sharing those comments from other readers, it's heartwarming and encouraging to know that we aren't alone, especially in such unsettling times.
I listened with interest to your video, and felt a gut punch as you spoke about your how your physical health improved when you clarified and acted upon your values. This is something that I am experiencing myself right now. I've felt 'off' for at least the past year and it's been a gradual realisation that this feeling is about more than health it's about my values and my identity. Hearing you speak about this it was as though another piece of the puzzle fell into place. It's not that I needed permission, I think it's that my heart just wanted to hear it form someone else, to know that it's ok and it's on the right path. I'm really looking forward to being a part of your community here on Substack, thank you.
Congratulations Jane on a beautiful start to your Substack journey! Meditation and Somatic Experiencing have been instrumental in expanding my heart space and freeing me from 6 decades of anxiety. It’s never too late to start.
Over the years (76!) I have tried to meditate and found I can't close out the world outside. I've found walking or exercising meditation to work for me. I hope you can discuss a variety of ways to meditate, and also how to not feel like a meditation failure.
Hi Jane, it’s Giovanna from São Paulo, Brazil! So happy to see you here.
I don’t know if you’ll ever read this comment, I’m sure it’s just one among thousands, but I still wanted to write it. I’ve been following your work for years, and I truly missed having a space where I could feel close to you again, the way I did back when you had your blog. I lost my password and can only read the posts now, but I’ve always missed the interaction.
During the pandemic, I joined a few Fire Drill Fridays lives through Greenpeace. I would always show up and introduce myself in the comments as “Giovanna from São Paulo, Brazil,” and you actually started remembering me by that little nickname. That’s why I introduced myself this way at the beginning of this message. Those Fridays and our little interactions brought me so much hope in such a dark time. I still remember how you were always so beautifully put together during the lives, dressed in red, wearing hats, sometimes even little scarves tied around your neck. It was inspiring in the most human way, like a reminder that resistance can also look like care, presence, and dignity.
I used to always talk about Grace and Frankie. That’s where I first got the chance to discover your work. And ever since then, I’ve binge-watched pretty much your entire filmography that I could find online.
I also wanted to tell you how much I admire your posture, the way you don’t shrink back or get intimidated by this moment of fear and tension that you’re living through in the U.S. right now.
Who do you see as the voices of the new generation, the people you’d want to carry your legacy forward? Because we truly need people like you, people who take a stand, people with a voice. I can see that actress Hannah Einbinder has been one of those voices too, fearless, sharp, and unafraid to say what so many people are thinking but don’t dare to articulate out loud.
Sometimes it feels like the world is trying to exhaust anyone who still believes in justice, truth, and collective responsibility. That’s why it matters so much to see someone like you staying firm, not only because of what you represent, but because of what you ignite in other people: courage, clarity, and the feeling that we’re not alone.
And honestly, I wish you could be eternal. Or that, at the very least, your legacy keeps being carried forward when you eventually leave this plane. I hope I get to your age with your energy, your sharpness, your strength. You inspire me so much. I’m 25 years old, and I’m not afraid of aging. If anything, you make it look powerful. You make it look like freedom.
Thank you for reminding me that getting older doesn’t mean getting quieter, softer, or smaller. It can mean becoming even more unapologetic, more alive, more fearless.
I would love to be able to hug you in person one day, but I know that might never happen, so here it is: my love, my gratitude, and my biggest virtual hug from afar.
Sending you love from Brazil.
I’m so thrilled you are here on Substack. You are the OG of activism! By the way, On Golden Pond is my all time favorite movie.
Thank you, Jane! Your Prime Time workouts have helped me be come stronger and I am eternally grateful to you for that! Meditation has been a daily practice for me for several years now; I honestly don’t know where I’d be without it!
Looking forward to meditating with you and everyone soon 💕!
Looking forward to getting back into meditating. Life is quite stressful right now (in general for all of us 🙈)
So some time out with the wonderful Jane Fonda on this platform is just what the doctor ordered. Hope we all benefit and find some peace here.
Oh boy...folks! So happy to be here! Thanks for sharing. Looking forward and hoping I can help, too💕✨️
Feb 9, '26
How interesting to be in touch. No facebook, no instagram, no X!
Really don't pay much attention, no time for any of that, busy creating, however, will make time for you, curious. So now just subscribed * to explore fresh, healthful, exchange of thoughts and insights with you. You're cool Jane.
Doug Wilson
*Haven't really figured out how to operate on this platform but do intend to learn and have fun too! A word to the why's, why not?