Protect What Is Sacred

The New Moon in Aquarius last Friday invited us to look deep within at our core values.

• What is sacred?

• What would I die fighting to protect?

As the Nation faces an uprooting of core beliefs and structures, now is the time to really stand up for what we believe in. Here is what my heart says about the current instability since a new leader has taken the oath one week ago.

1) Get crystal clear on what is sacred to you. Drop into your heart and be quiet to hear the answers. Write them down.

2) Self-care is crucial. A well-rested, well-fed warrior is far more effective than an exhausted, burnt out warrior. Tips: How to Stay Outraged Without Losing Your Mind.

3) Feel emotions. Welcome grief, anger, and despair just as much as you welcome joy, happiness, and peace. Everything moves in waves and if we ignore how we feel, we are operating from a place of denial. Move through the emotions so you can make decisions from a place of stability and truth.

4) Love yourself no matter how you show up in each moment. Whether you feel inspired to attend a rally and call congress, or you want to stay in bed all day- be compassionate with yourself. Learn to love all the parts of you, even the darkness.

5) When taking actions, start by committing to one movement. They are all equally important. LGBTQ rights are just as important as protecting the environment. Comparing the worthiness of social movements is not helpful. There are millions of people working on projects to ensure more peace and justice to all. Pick one that you can fully show up to. Do not divert your energies too much as this can dilute your overall impact.

6) Balance your attention. Remember to laugh and have fun together! Take a break from organizing to go for a walk, read a book, dance to your favorite song, whatever you do to get back into your body in the present moment.

7) Listening is powerful medicine. Ask each other how we’re doing and really listen. Healing happens when we know someone is listening to us and cares about us. Offer your ear to a friend without interruption. What may seem like small actions are actually immeasurable. Peace and justice ripple beyond the mind’s capacity to compartmentalize.

8) Be aware of tendencies to fall into the trap of “us” and “them.”  Explore the parts of you that feel unlovable. I challenge you to meditate on having compassion for Trump and those who voted for him. I am not saying you have to love and accept anything he is doing. Experiment by bringing your attention to the parts of you that hate another person. It’s juicy in there.

“Dehumanization is a predecessor of war. When you see your opponents as subhuman in their morals, conscience, or intelligence, then you will have to defeat them by force.” – Charles Eisenstein from This Is How War Begins

9) Tell people how much you care about them. Love cannot be defeated. Real present moment human connection is powerful.

10)  Sing your song. Be loud, be visible, make your voice heard, run for political offices, write a letter. However you contribute toward building a more peaceful planet with justice for all, go for it. This may mean going on a silent retreat for weeks at a time.

There is No Peace without Peace Within.

11) Trust in the Divine Orchestration of the Universe. Kali is here.