Tag: personal transformation

Spiritual Activism: Recognizing the Shadow (Essay 3 of Series)

Before I pick up where I left off in the second essay of this series, I would like to give expression to a relevant teaching that I was reminded of while reading the book, “Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality” by Charles Burack. The teaching highlights the necessity of affirming the “original blessing” (from Aquinas’ “original goodness”) of human life as central to beginning the spiritual journey to wholeness and holiness.

Reading this work on Fox’s writings reminded me of my initial encounter with his teachings on “original blessing” (versus original sin) that I encountered in the 90’s while reading his book, “Creation Spirituality” on the urging of a friend who was then a student of his Oakland, CA based school, University of Creation Spirituality. At the time, while an exciting revolutionary concept to me, it did not land on “fertile soil.” Thankfully, my 7-year deep study and practice of Buddhism from 2010-2017, particularly Shambhala Buddhism and the writings of Pema Chodron and Chogyan Trungpa Rimpoche (1939-1987) provided the necessary compost to reawaken and revitalize the dormant mental seed planted which blossomed into a flower of liberation during a Buddhist meditation retreat weekend early in this period.

For readers with traditional Christian backgrounds (and thus most likely the “original sin” malaise), (re)awakening to this truth is especially important before starting this type of deep healing work, and I was remiss in not including that statement earlier. (For more on the concept of “original blessing” I encourage you to read one of the many books authored by American priest and theologian, Matthew Fox.

If we return to Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” the source of the inspiration for embarking on this adventure to author this essay series on the topic of spiritual activism, we can see this necessity present in Dante’s journey. Initially, Dante informs his guide, Virgil, that he is not strong enough for the first leg of the journey—hell. However, after Virgil explains that he is there to assist him, because Beatrice asked him to do so out of her concern and love for him, Dante musters the courage to follow Virgil through the Gate of Hell. This revelation of Beatrice’s love and his lovability (i.e., original goodness) fuels his courage to face his fears.

Now, picking up where I left off. As stated in the second essay of this series on spiritual activism, internal seeing and recognition of habituated destructive life patterns– the inner capacities cultivated, over time, by regular self-observation practices along with daily meditation and prayer– are the beginnings of freedom from them.

If/when one is serious about making deep personal change, these difficult and painful realizations source the motivation to attempt the challenging act of refraining from a habituated reaction. Notice the word, “attempt” here. Refraining from habituated reactions takes effort and practice. One may not do so in the first few attempts. One may fall short a lot; however, over time one develops the capacity to notice the habituated pattern arise in one’s being sooner and sooner and sooner such that one day the person will be able to catch “the train” right as it starts to depart the station. At that point, they will be able to refrain and replace or reorient to the desired ideal, mode, or way of being.

Usually one uncovers past hurts, woundedness, untruths, shadow elements, and outmoded thinking underneath habituated patterns during this healing phase of the journey, which as highlighted previously is continuous and spiral-like versus linear. Again, not pleasant, but liberating. Stay with it but expect an internal fight.

An internal fight is to be expected as one’s small self, ego, or operational self is challenged by this work. There is an aspect of the psyche that is threatened by this inner work of healing, maturing, and transforming to being and becoming a spiritual activist (aka, a “transformed nonconformist” MLK Jr). Thus, it is essential that you find support for your journey to include a comprehensive framework to inform, guide, and provide insight into the complex internal process underway.

Personally, I have benefited from several such frameworks to include Integral Life Practice (Ken Wilber and Terry Patten), Psychosynthesis (Roberto Assagioli), the Fourth Way (especially the writings of Ted & Rebecca Nottingham), as well as Contemplative Christianity (Thomas Keating, Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault), and as mentioned previously, Buddhism, especially the work of American Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron whose writings I highly recommend for this phase of the journey especially, “No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva or the section of this book presented in her work, “Don’t Bite the Hook.”)

Of note, I briefly cover these frameworks and traditions as well as cautions for the spiritual journey in my book, “Ten Developmental Themes of Mindful Leaders. The book version is available on my website as a free PDF download and an audio version available via Audible. I have also authored essays on some of them which are available on my website as well.

In addition to adopting and studying at least one of these schools, traditions, or frameworks, you may want to journal, and work with a therapist and/or reputable support group especially during the initial phase of this work. Minimally, I encourage you to have at least one trusted support person you can authentically discuss your experience with who will objectively listen without offering unsolicited advice.

To be continued.

Spiritual Activism: Embracing Healing and Self-Discovery (Essay 2 of Series)

For this second essay on the topic of spiritual activism, I would first like to refine my working definition of the concept to the following:

Intentionally reforming (i.e., challenging to the status quo/business as usual) words and actions for the common good, informed and inspired by a growing understanding (and possibly direct experience) of the ultimate unity of all life coupled with an intensifying love for others, life, and the Source (i.e., God, Ground of Being, Universal Love, Divine Light etc.) AND, over time, a deep healing/ liberation/recovery from destructive habitual patterns, in part, by regular, consistent, long-term spiritual practices.

After posting the first essay on this topic, I realized that my initial definition did not explicitly capture the deep healing component of the spiritual journey that I intended. This latest definition attempts to do so with, “AND, over time…”

While different terms are used in the inner traditions of our world religions as well as paths of personal transformation not directly associated with a specific religion (e.g., The Fourth Way), spiritual healing or awakening from spiritual sleep requires the choice to turn inward to begin self-observation with an open, compassionate, honest orientation to increase self-awareness or self-knowledge.

Artist mid adult woman looking herself on mirror. Dusts and dirts on the mirror…

The beginning of awakening from spiritual sleep is to first acknowledge that one is asleep, and that there is a painful degree of discontent present or perhaps, an element of unmanageability to our life (many of us avoid this work until reaching this point). We admit to ourselves and the God of our understanding, “no, I truly do not, got this.” Through regular self-observation, we begin to notice our habitual patterns and character defects (Twelve Steps), negativities (the Fourth Way), or shadow (Carl Jung). As difficult as it is to explain, we begin the spiritual healing or liberation process as soon as we start to see these aspects of ourselves, because they reveal a distinct observing self from the destructive act or mode of being.

As stated in essay one of this series, the material that I share in these essays on spiritual activism is not original. It comes from the systems of personal transformation, those associated directly with religions and some that are not, that I have studied over 20+ years. However, I may not always be able to remember which tradition or what teacher I may have received a teaching from, but I will strive to make those connections for readers. Of note, the world’s religious traditions all have inner spiritual traditions (i.e., paths to spiritual healing, maturation, transformation, and union) as well as more visible and known outer expressions or exoteric traditions with which we are more familiar.

While some spiritual paths such as the Twelve Steps integrate prayer and meditation later in the healing process, my study of and experiences with Buddhism, Contemplative Christianity, and other systems of self-transformation (e.g., the Fourth Way) inform my encouragement to consider a meditation practice, coupled with other self-observation practices, at the beginning (and throughout) of the spiritual journey process unless one has experienced severe trauma and has not yet engaged in any type of therapy or has only recently begun therapy. I am not suggesting an either/or here as I have benefited from both in my journey (i.e., traditional counseling and spiritual healing teachings and practices), but sharing my understanding of sequencing especially if/when one experienced significant trauma and has not yet engaged in any traditional counseling work.

Meditation or simply moments of silence and solitude are essential for the spiritual journey, because they support the cultivation of mental space in which greater clarity and objectivity can arise. Starting and maintaining a regular (at least five times a week if not daily) meditation or silence practice, will provide the essential foundation for the journey to spiritual activism as we begin to slow down enough to become to see ourselves and to start gaining self-awareness. Initially, this growing self-awareness can be extremely difficult. For example, when I started meditating over 15 years ago, I was shocked by the busyness of my mind, the speediness of being, and the anger underlying my activism and much of my life. This was not pleasant, but it was liberating, because I was able to start seeing and facing my habitual patterns and self-destructive and hurtful ways, which provided the needed opening for deep change work to begin.

Such internal seeing and recognizing opens the door to deep change by shedding light on the option to interrupt the automatic or habitual reaction by refraining and replacing, both simple to say but not easy to do as we all know from personal efforts to break unhealthful habits.

To be continued.