Choosing Love As An Act Of Dissidence

I'm not gonna lie. Despite having written about the astrological harbingers of our current state of political chaos, I'm still gobsmacked by the reality of it.

And yet, despite the ongoing maelstrom of madness, I'm an optimist at heart. I'm holding space for when the Phoenix will rise from the ashes of the current administration's dumpster fire.

You might be asking at this point, what does this have to do with love?

After the election I was called to re-read Care of The Soul by Thomas Moore. Published back when the world was still analog, Moore, a therapist and theologian, equated society's obsessions, addictions, deep division, and propensities to violence as symptoms of a "loss of soul." Those maladies have developed an even deeper hold in our digital age.

Moore goes on to state, "The ultimate cure, as many ancient and modern psychologies of depth have asserted, comes from love and not from logic."

I'm going to repeat that, more simply. The cure to the world's ills is found in love and not in logic.

Love is the Greatest Warrior

In a world as divided as ours, healing will not come from the presentation of facts. This is even more true when those facts are presented with ridicule or anger. Our brains are wired to dig in and hold on to the version of "truth" that makes us feel safe, righteous, and valued. 

So what to do instead? In thinking about the first steps, I cannot help but refer to this quote from Carl Jung:

We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.

How Karmic Learning Led To The Current Situation

In the cycle of Reincarnation, there are four levels of soul development. Young Souls, those in their first few incarnations on the planet, travel in soul groups, working together to figure out what it means to have a body and get basic survival needs fulfilled. Young Souls generally share in the fate of their community, won't break any habit or cultural pattern unless forced to, and go along with the crowd even if it means disaster.

There are more souls on the earth now than ever before, meaning there are scores of Young Souls, making Young Soul mistakes. Knowing this is part of their karmic learning has allowed me to, as Jung noted, be more accepting of, and have compassion for those who act rashly and make foolish decisions.

That said, having a big picture view of what's going on is not the same as condoning it or assenting to it. I don't, nor should you.

Go to protests, write letters, boycott, fight back in whatever way you need. Just don't let your outrage be all-consuming or you yourself may begin to suffer from loss of soul.

The Dissidence Of Small Personal Acts

Philosopher and scientist Alfred North Whitehead defined a civilized society as exhibiting five qualities: Truth, Beauty, Adventure, Art, and Peace.

In addition to your protests, I urge you to consider doing the following, not just to heal our fractured world, but as acts of resistance in their own right.

Remain curious, explore new ideas, and continue your life's journey, even when it means coming face to face with your fears. Especially when it means confronting your fears.

Walk your talk. Get clear on your truth and live according to your personal values. During times like these, it's easy to succumb to groupthink, which can lead to more outrage, which can lead to more loss of soul.

Stay centered in your vision of peace, whatever that looks like to you. Create it in your mind's eye so you can create it in the physical world.

Make art. Make lots of art. Don't judge it, just make it. Paint, dance, sing, tell stories, get up on stage. If you're not inclined to that kind of thing, garden, build, cook beautiful meals. Remember, the artists and creators have always been the greatest threat to those who wish to oppress. Making art is one of the most powerful acts of civil disobedience you can engage in. (See if your library has a copy of the film, Varian's War, for inspiration.)

And most important of all, remember to nourish your soul. Keep your heart open. Choose love whenever possible. Without it, all is lost.