Overview of What to Do With Rage: Meggan Watterson
This episode of We Can Do Hard Things (host Glennon Doyle, guest Meggan Watterson) explores righteous anger—what it is, where it comes from, and what to do with it right now. Watterson grounds her rage in personal experience (as a survivor), recent revelations in the Epstein files, and her reading of erased early-Christian texts (the Gospel of Mary; the Acts of Paul and Thecla). The conversation moves between theology, history, cultural critique (religion, wellness, sports, media), concrete emotional practices, and collective strategies for women to reclaim power and act together.
Key themes and main takeaways
- Rage as love: Watterson reframes righteous anger as an expression of love—love that refuses injustice and demands accountability.
- Power from within: Drawing on Mary Magdalene and Thecla, the episode emphasizes that spiritual authority and worth are internal, not granted by patriarchal institutions.
- Believe yourself, then believe each other: Before demanding institutional belief, Watterson and Doyle insist survivors and women must first trust and validate their own experience.
- Ungaslighting moment: Current revelations (e.g., Epstein-related documents) have created a cultural turning point where long‑suppressed truths are being named and believed.
- Action through small, creative collective resistance: Historical examples show women acting with improvisation and persistence—scrappy, public disruption can change what’s considered possible.
- Withdraw and redirect: Holding that sometimes the proper response is refusing complicity (e.g., leaving agencies or institutions that protect abusers), even if next steps aren’t yet clear.
Notable quotes and insights
- “Everything comes from within.” (Mary Magdalene / egg image)
- “The rage that love inspires.” — anger motivated by love and protection.
- “I believe Mary.” — symbolic: “I believe the woman who is not believed” / “I believe survivors.”
- “Throw cardamom.” — metaphor (and literal suggestion) to visibly support women who are standing up.
- “We have to baptize ourselves.” — claim your worth and authority rather than waiting for institutional validation.
- “If you’re okay right now, I am away from you.” — a moral litmus for where people stand in this moment.
Historical and contemporary examples Watterson uses
- Early-Christian texts: Gospel of Mary; Acts of Paul and Thecla — both point to women’s internal authority and were later erased or maligned by the institutional church.
- Mary Maloney (1908) — ringing a bell to drown out Churchill and raise awareness for suffrage.
- Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (Argentina, 1977) — mothers wearing white scarves to demand accountability for disappeared children.
- Julia Butterfly Hill (1997) — tree-sit to protect a redwood.
- Women of Liberia — Christian and Muslim women protesting in white to end civil war.
- Contemporary scandals: Epstein files and cited emails (Watterson references Deepak Chopra’s presence in those files as a trigger).
Practical actions and recommendations (what to do with rage)
- Personal grounding practices
- Make a list (Watterson started “How Women Pray When the World Is on Fire”) to channel nervous energy into tasks and research.
- Use meditation/soul-voice practices to stay grounded and listen to inner knowing.
- Accept the emotional wilderness—allow crying, rage, and overreaction for a time as part of healing and justice.
- Collective/relational practices
- Believe survivors; start by believing yourself and other women before institutions do.
- “Throw cardamom” — materially and visibly support women who are standing up (public endorsement, amplification, resources).
- Refuse complicity: step away from institutions/agents that protect abusers, even if the next step is unclear.
- Organize in small, creative ways modeled on historical examples (bells, silent protests, public art/ritual).
- Moral framing
- Name rage as sacred and sourced in love; reframe “anger” as a guide to where change is needed.
- Discern what “winning” looks like: often it’s the creative life-affirming responses, not institutional power elites.
Emotional/logistical supports Watterson describes
- Validate inner knowledge/intuition (don’t automatically defer to external authorities).
- Practical self-care: stay grounded with breathwork/meditation and simple actions that calm the nervous system (lists, rituals).
- Trust that action will emerge from collective practices and that visible small acts will model new possibilities.
- Allow space for imperfect allies; avoid reflexive rejection of every woman (but be discerning about those who uphold the patriarchy).
Resources and suggested reading/action
- Readings referenced: Gospel of Mary; Acts of Paul and Thecla (texts are now more widely available).
- Historical examples Watterson cites as models for protest and persistence (look up Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Julia Butterfly Hill, women’s protests in Liberia).
- Practical next steps listeners can take:
- Start a short “How I’m praying/acting” list to channel rage.
- Publicly support women who are taking risks (amplify, donate, show up).
- Educate yourself on erased women’s histories and share them.
- Consider leaving or refusing to support institutions that protect harm; look for collective alternatives.
Final framing
This episode is both an emotional map and a call to practical solidarity: let rage in, understand it as love, ground it with practices that preserve your nervous system, and convert it into collective, creative action. The central spiritual pivot is reclaiming inner authority—“baptize yourself”—and then supporting one another outwardly so change becomes possible and visible.