I can completely disagree with political leaders. I can engage in civil disobedience when I see that what they do goes against love. Love for people, animals, plants, minerals, the world.
And in doing so, I want to keep my heart open. If I don’t, I become part of the problem, and that’s not what I want. I want to be part of the possibilities. That, for me, is precisely what mindfulness training is about: learning to be part of the possibilities, connected to other people. Acting together because what is happening right now creates suffering. I want to be an instrument to alleviate suffering.
Love is worth NOT fighting for.
Social action doesn’t need to be fueled by righteous indignation or anger. That’s about setting things against each other, about conflict, about fighting, which leads to war. You don’t need to fight against something to join forces for something.
Fighting-against is acting out of fear.
want to live from my heart, which loves and seeks connection, and not so easily align with all those (pre)judgments and fearful emotions of my personality that make me attack or defend. I want to engage in social action from a place of compassion. That is the true and only way to break the cycle of violence.
Uniting-for is acting out of love.
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With thanks to Ram Dass, Words of Wisdom (daily e-mail)