Loving Activism

I feel it, do you? Anger! It’s everywhere! On our streets, in our homes, online, in our town halls, amongst family and friends…in our hearts. And given the current state of our country I understand why. I am damn good and angry, just like many others who are witnessing and disgusted by the racism, bigotry and ignorance, of a reinfection of a dis-ease that has been laying dormant for a bit of time. A dis-ease that has never gone away, but instead, has been waiting for the perfect storm in order to reawaken in full force. The anger that we are feeling, I have observed, either paralyzes or enrages us to the point where we end up lashing out with hatred and fear in our hearts, unable to create lasting change and ultimately, leaving us ashamed and drained of our power after the war ranging within is over.

I have learned in my life that the only way to defeat hatred is with the exact opposite, LovE. Now, I believe most of us know this in our hearts, but it doesn’t often get demonstrated or put into action. It almost seems too far reaching. We seem to be able to intellectualize this concept, but then, what do we DO with it? How do we become loving activists?

This is a question I have been asking myself for a while now, but in the horrible aftermath of the Charlottesville tragedy, I am searching deep within to really feel out what “loving activism” looks like for me and how to put it into action. It’s a question I hope we are all asking ourselves right now. We have voices, we have souls, we have massive, loving, beating hearts that when opened and used for the betterment of the whole can completely shift the world, but we have to believe this and we have to get to DOING something. We need to ask ourselves how we can become proactive in our communities, how we can be a part of the conversation from a distance when we can’t get up close and personal during the aftermath of these tragedies.

So, with this question in my heart, within a day, the universe sent me a great place to start. I absolutely love Ram Dass. He is one of my favorite spiritual teachers. His network “Be Here Now” has done a five part series about LovE in the time of chaos. This five part series features collective advice from the “Be Here Now Network’s” incredible teachers on dealing with the political climate with LovE, compassion and equanimity. I have found it very thought provoking, comforting and helpful in so many ways.

LovE is anything but passive. LovE says “No.” LovE stands up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. LovE fights for a better world with peace in our hearts, grounded fully in itself.  It’s time we begin cultivating our spirit, personally and collectively, to be able to create change and remain in peace when faced with anything but.

So, do you believe you have a voice? Are you asking yourself these important questions? How can you or are you becoming a loving activist? What daily practices do you use to ground yourself in these challenging, delicate times?