Flirting
Academy
- New Activism
Principles
for a New Activism from the Global
Renaissance Alliance
THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES
The
principles that follow form the philosophical basis for the work
of the spiritual activist. On the first Tuesday of every month,
our founder, Marianne Williamson, leads a conference call
exploring the meaning of the principles and their application to
the work of the Global Renaissance Alliance and the healing of
our planet.
1.
STILLNESS AS A POLITICAL TOOL
The cultivation of a quiet mind is the most effective
antidote to chaos.
A
moment of stillness is a universal corrective, bringing all
conditions of disharmony into immediate alignment with the peace
of God. While manifestations of chaos may take time to flush out
of the material realm, the introduction of stillness
automatically interrupts the trajectory of chaos.
In
meditation our only task is to "be still and know." As
we simply sit in silence, knowing that God's love embraces all
living things, divine harmony becomes an operative principle in
the world around us.
2.
ENVISIONING AS A POLITICAL TOOL
In the material realm, power is determined by material
wealth; in the spiritual realm, power is determined by spiritual
wealth.
In
the 21st Century, wealth will be determined by consciousness and
imagination. Whoever has the tools of consciousness will wield
the greatest power on earth. In this sense, we will begin at
last to experience the infinite abundance -equally attainable by
all -- which is our spiritual inheritance as human beings.
The
New Activist does not ignore the powers of the material realm,
but rather recognizes their value in helping to shape a better
world. We seek to integrate the power of the world with the
power of spirit, thus achieving a truly holistic sense of self.
With the heart in charge, the intellect is not marginalized but
uplifted to its highest potential.
Living
in the modern world, it is a shift in thinking to withdraw our
attachment to belief in the exclusive authority of external
powers. From money, to business, to science, to medicine, to
technology, to government, we are mesmerized by outer
appearances, assigning to them all manner of authority that they
do not inherently possess. We do so at the expense of our own
remembrance that we, ourselves, as children of a loving God,
wield greater power than does any external authority. We have
been given the power to transform the world, through our
capacity to change how we think about the world. There is no
condition of outer substance that is not transformed by love.
Once
a situation is taken to prayer, and seen meditatively as healed
and whole, the spiritual activist can "consider it
done." Our capacity to inwardly see a condition of peace
invokes that condition through metaphysical power. When two or
more are gathered in the perception of perfect possibility, and
experience together the peace which such discernment bestows,
the conditions of chaos simply and literally cannot remain.
For
instance, if violence erupts in Jerusalem, the work of the New
Activist is to inwardly see the potential for peace. Prayerful
concentration on the possibility of peace, unhindered by
attachment to material "facts," lifts the mind to its
natural function as a worker of miracles. The purpose of the
mind is that it be used, with God, to co-create the conditions
of peace on Earth. It is both our natural function, and our
inherent power, to invoke the world that dwells beyond the veil
of human illusion. Beyond the veil, there are no enemies; there
are only brothers and sisters.
Beyond
the veil, there is no conflict; there is only peace. Beyond the
veil, there is no limit; there is only infinite possibility for
good. To discern that reality for Israelis and Palestinians, at
a time when their own perception is understandably clouded by
the immediate conditions of worldly affairs, is both the
greatest gift and the greatest power that can be wielded in that
situation.
Many
throughout the world would be thinking about the violence in
Jerusalem; even those with the best of intentions, however, are
limited in their capacity to make peace, if the crux of their
attention is focused on war. So it is that the New Activist,
while not looking away from Jerusalem, looks toward it with new
eyes. We look to the region, as does the traditional activist,
but not with a mind that seeks to "fix it." We look
through the eyes of a higher mind, lifting the veil of illusion
by simply seeing beyond it.
When
a critical mass of prayer and meditation is extended in the
direction of peace, then the conditions of war will
automatically be cast away from Earth.
3.
INTERPERSONAL HEALING AS A POLITICAL TOOL
The source of war lies in each of us, as does the source of
peace. As we rid our own hearts of the spark of violence, we are
fostering peace in the world.
Ultimately,
we come to realize that there is no world outside us. All
external reality is mere reflection of consciousness, and thus,
in order to change the world, we must change our minds. The
world is in the circle, as it is in every one of us.
Gathering
together as New Activists, we find among us the roots of war.
Someone may judge someone else; someone may not like someone
else's personality; someone may hold resentments regarding a
particular situation. As we heal ourselves of our own judgements
and subtle thoughts of conflict, we automatically affect the
minds of those who perpetrate greater violence in the world.
The
Citizen Circle is a sacred circle. It holds the pain, as well as
the possibility for transformation, of the world in which we
live. We do not seek outside ourselves, but rather within, for
the source of all darkness as well as the source of all light.
The issue of concern becomes not the love withheld by someone
else in a situation outside the circle, but rather the ways in
which we ourselves might be contributing to the suffering of
mankind.
For
instance, if a couple attending the Alliance meeting are having
problems in their relationship, then the Circle holding their
bond in prayer is a political act: healing between any two
people literally helps to heal the world. When any two
experience conflict, the universal condition of conflict is
fueled. When any two experience forgiveness, that condition is
universally ameliorated. Thus do the pursuits of personal growth
and political healing intersect in spiritual activism. In a
wider sense, it is the political work of the Circle to address
the personal fears of its members.
According
to Mahatma Gandhi, we must "be the change we want to see
happen in the world." This explains one of his tenets of
non-violence, that "the end is inherent in the means."
An angry generation cannot create peace in the world. That we be
peaceful, must be our personal effort as well as our political
goal.
At
the same time, it is difficult to achieve peace with our fellow
human beings when we are not at peace within ourselves. So it is
that the healing of our own fractured sense of self becomes a
prerequisite of sorts, for the healing of our relationship with
others.
4.
DEPTH OF INSIGHT AS A POLITICAL TOOL
The most powerful axis of activism today is vertical rather than
horizontal. The depth of a conversation is more important than
how many people are involved in it.
A
wise society holds its common experiences wisely, and in so
doing, creates subtle and invisible sources of healing. The more
meaningful the conversation a society holds with itself, the
more meaningful its collective actions become.
The
traditional activist is often tempted to facilitate a more
shallow group discussion, in order to attract as many people as
possible to it. More attention is paid to the numbers of people
supporting a position, than to the genuine moral authority of
the position itself. On a certain level this is reasonable, as a
main role of the traditional activist is to achieve electoral
gain. The New Activist, however, makes the attainment of Truth
itself our highest priority.
It
is not assumed that the quest for Truth automatically leads to
the attainment of political power through the electoral process.
However, immediate political gain is not necessarily the goal of
the New Activist. Rather, we place our faith in the power of
Truth over time, recognizing that positions supporting a freer,
more compassionate human experience are literally backed by
cosmic impulse. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
"The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward
justice."
To
make the attainment of Truth one's highest priority, is not to
lack political focus. It is merely to draw a distinction between
short-term and long-term efforts. The spiritual activist seeks
as deep a discussion of an issue as possible, exploring the
psychological, spiritual, historical, mythological and
philosophical issues as they pertain to the political domain.
Truth is the greatest power, but not necessarily immediately.
Some of the most important political achievements in history
were, when first articulated, considered outrageous and
impossibly idealistic by the status quo of the time. Truth is
usually articulated from outside the circle of contemporary
popularity. Examples abound, from the abolitionist, women's
suffrage, labor and civil rights movements in the United States,
to the end of apartheid in South Africa. Early in these
movements, the argument would of course have been made that
"No one will buy this," "It's just a few of us
against all of them," "We don't have the money and
they do," etc. The power of an unalterable Truth, however,
gives spiritual fuel to such efforts, providing invisible
sources of aid throughout the political struggles which follow.
Depth
of moral authority, as evidenced in political quests for social
justice, freedom, etc., forms a field of conscious desire and
intention which, if harnessed effectively, ultimately leads to
political power. What begins with the conviction of usually a
few charismatic personalities, ultimately spreads like positive
contagion through the hearts of resonant souls. In the words of
Walt Whitman, "There is nothing so powerful as an idea
whose time has come."
The
New Activist relies on the strength of higher awareness to
create breakthrough and possibility in the material world, by
strengthening the conviction, courage and personal eloquence of
the activist. It is not our numbers, but our depth of insight,
which transform events around us. The spiritual impulse toward
what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to as "the
establishment of the beloved community," fuels every
fundamental shift in the direction of higher good. Mental
alignment with that impulse is the New Activist's greatest
power.
5.
RADICAL GOOD WILL AS A POLITICAL TOOL
Recognition and affirmation of the spiritual innocence in all
human beings creates a field of possibility for the emergence of
miracles.
In
A COURSE IN MIRACLES, it is written,"Miracles are
everyone's right, but purification is necessary first." The
presence of fear-based thinking within our own minds is the
primary block to the political effectiveness of the New
Activist.
It
is tempting to think that a huge multinational corporation,
aided by assets of billions of dollars, has more power to
achieve its will on Earth than do we who merely live here. Once
we recognize, however, that money is not as powerful as prayer,
or imagination, or most importantly, love, then we begin to
harness the powers of the heart on behalf of planetary healing.
The New Activist does not project negativity toward the
corporation, its executives, or its shareholders, but rather
surrounds them all in a field of positive intention,
surrendering them to light. We ask that they be blessed; we ask
that their hearts and minds be lifted to divine right order; we
ask that every action of every living thing promote the health
of planet Earth and its inhabitants.
Any
negative thoughts about the corporation, its executives, or its
shareholders, limit our capacity to affect their behavior. Any
negative thought toward a political opponent actually increases
his or her capacity to thwart us. It is our radical good will
toward all of humanity that naturally works miracles. Some call
such thinking naïve. What is naïve, in fact, is the thought
that any amount of traditional politicking can stop the
juggernaut of planetary devastation that is wreaked by market
forces when no longer restrained by the dictates of conscience.
The
New Activist uses prayer, meditation and forgiveness as tools
for the creation of a world made right. Whoever wields the power
of a loving mind wields a power that is greater than any on
Earth, restoring conscience to its primary place in human
affairs.
6.
SACRED SPACE AS A POLITICAL TOOL
The simple configuration of people gathered in a circle,
sharing prayer and meditation and heartfelt conversation, casts
a web of healing power affecting not only the members of the
circle but the world at large.
Humans
carry an ancient memory of the power of ritual. The creation of
sacred space is not merely symbol but rather the actual
harnessing of energy for the purpose of spiritual healing.
Within a sacred circle, we are lifted past the limitations of
personality which normally hold us back; greater wisdom, greater
clarity, greater insight emerge. As the veils of the personality
are lifted, so are the walls which divide us. No longer
experiencing a false sense of separation from each other, our
oneness in God becomes an experiential reality.
Within
the sacred field of oneness, we experience the ultimate equality
of souls. The level of our personal sharing reflects a deeper,
more heartfelt truth, when the competitive, fear-based grasping
of the ego is transcended. The benefit to our collective
experience is obvious. Spiritual force fosters deeper honesty,
creating a web of social intimacy among members of a group. When
the heart becomes the basis for both speaking and listening, the
individual's personal expression becomes a more meaningful
contribution to an emerging collective truth.
7.
SPIRITUALLY CENTERED ACTION AS A POLITICAL TOOL
The New Activist wields power by standing for what could be,
as opposed to fighting what is. Making a stand for a new
possibility, the personality attains the power to create it.
When
asked whether meditation alone could save the world, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama responded, "If we are to save the
world, we must have a plan. But no plan will work unless we
meditate."
It
is the integration of the powers of spirit and matter which
conjoin to form the New Activism. Ultimately the yin of personal
development meets the yang of social activism, as the New
Activist turns his or her attention to traditional political or
social efforts, but with a new dimension of spiritual and
personal power.
At
a political gathering, the New Activist remembers to avoid the
temptation to demonize one's opponent; at an activist's
gathering, the New Activist has acquired the serenity to become
the most eloquent and inspiring spokesperson for the group's
effort; working on a project, the New Activist silently
meditates with others for a blessed outcome. The New Activist
sets a standard for a level of positive, powerful,
spiritually-motivated activism, thus making a maximal impact
within any community.
Using
the tools above, the New Activist has greater capacity to be an
instrument of change. In service to a higher good, allowing a
higher dimension of awareness to affect our personalities, we
are thus in a position to effect the greatest good. New wine
demands new bottles, new ends demand new means, and new ideas
demand new hearts.
