Spiritual Activism sounds like an oxymoron, right? We think of spirituality as something internal, inactive, silent, sacred. We think of activism as noisy, angry, worldly. How could they ever work together? But it is actually an old concept, and some of the most influential change agents throughout history were spiritual activists. Think of Jesus turning over the tables in the temple to protest what he saw as corruption. Or Joan of Arc being a sacred warrior. Remember that Ghandi was able to change the course of history in his country by forcing the British army to leave India through the power of Satyagraha, or the spiritual philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance. And Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in this country--a minister who took Ghandi's principles to heart and turned an entire nation around to embrace civil rights.
And the list goes on--Mandela, Mother Teresa, Jane Goodall, the Dalai Lama--all people whose motivation to do good for the world comes from their belief in a higher power. In fact, those whose impulse to serve humanity comes from their faith in God, or soul, or whatever they call their belief, are able to make a deeper and more lasting impact for the greater good. I think it is because they have a deep patience, a faith in the goodness of the world, a peacefulness. As Ghandi said, "We must be the change we want to see in the world." It's a lot easier to follow a leader whose very being is in consort with the message he or she is promoting. That's what spiritual activism is about--linking up your life with your word.
Based on your definition of spiritual activism, it sure sounds like The Network of Spiritual Progressives whose conference I attended earlier this month. There are a lot of people out there working for the greater good. Anything else you'd like to add, Elizabeth?
Final words? Here are a few:
It's hard to stay positive and hopeful these days. It seems that there's so much suffering--the oil spill, global warming, wars, genocides, illness, poverty. What's to be positive about? But I think it's important to stay hopeful. Not head-in-the-sand positive, but fully present and at the same time full of hope. Hope breeds happiness in everyone we touch. And happiness breeds kindness. So how do we do this? We've been terribly educated in this department.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
