Politics, Conflict and Division

A beloved friend of mine has gone through a treacherous week of FaceBook bashing for his political views. On his FB page a mini-war has erupted with name calling directed at him. He called me really torn up inside. He is a deep, deep lover of humanity and serves his community through action. He is a good guy. And, his political views aren’t mine. Neither are the views of half of my friends. Half of my friends are Democrats and half are Republicans; and I don’t love either group of my friends more or less because of the road each party believes will create our brightest future.

Somewhere in our history we have trained ourselves to hate the people, not the views. To attack people, not the views. To kill people, not views. Hate, attack, and killing views or people have never worked, anyway. People become damaged or dead and views still remain. In a dualistic world we will always have black and white, right and left, up and down, male and female, in and out, conservative and liberal. This is the world of form.

The spiritual walker does not give power, no matter how tempting, to the physical world. The walker realizes the outer conflict and goes within to discover where the conflict, hatred, and attack may exist within themselves. They know that the without reflects the within. This is where the healing is done. The spiritual walker learns to love all aspects of him or herself even those parts which hate. In loving the inner hater, transformation and transmutation happens. Through the act of loving our own inner vileness, we shift into a deep, sweet vulnerability which is the seat of our strength.  This shift from believing in an external power to owning one’s own strength, creates a bi-product of compassion for others trapped in thinking the world gives them power.

The spiritual walker initiates themselves into the spiritual awareness of Oneness which isn’t the merging of the two opposites, it is a realization of a Higher Reality beyond and within the field of duality. It is the Ever Presence in the present moment.

What can you do if politics rile you up?

1. Applaud yourself for caring. We respond to that which we feel is important. 
2. Sit down, become quiet, go within to find the stories behind the trigger. Be aware of the energy of both sides of the story (ie. oppressed and oppressor).
3.Give yourself permission to understand both sides of the energy within you and the story you told yourself on how these beliefs would keep you safe.
4.Extend love to your wounded, humiliated or embarrassed self.
5. Once you’ve tapped into the Unified Field, ask your inner guidance what is yours to do. Spiritual guidance comes from Deep Abiding Love without opposition. You won’t be lead to attack another, you’ll be lead to create or participate in something. You will be asked to BECOME the change you desire to know.
6. Make the decision you will be a safe place in the world for our brothers and sisters who require it.
7. Listen to your Soul. You may be inspired to be politically active, yet it will come from a place of Love of All with solutions.
8. If you are stuck, or desire a quickened experience, hire a spiritual practitioner to pray along side you.
9. Repeat often.

This sitting isn’t a one time deal. We have carried stories and developed new ones within us over years and decades. Be gentle with yourself as you love yourself into new understanding.

I promised in my last post I would write about one of my favorite Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stories. In the book A Knock at Midnight King shares the story of driving at night with his brother. Cars were approaching them with their high beams on making it hard to see the road. Enraged, King’s brother bated him “turn on your bright lights, get them back.” (paraphrased). King’s responded by saying “No. One of us has to be sane. One of us has to take the high road. One of us has to love.”

I’m walking …