Page 3 - The Wave Holistic and Metaphysical Journal March/April 2016

The Wave
Letter From The Editor
Yesterday, I listened to a fascinating conversation moderated by Krista Tippett on her NPR radio show “On Being”. It was an exciting, inspiring revelation to me.
Her guests were Dr. Robert K Ross, President and CEO for the California Endowment, and Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter and Director of Truth and Reinvestment at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. What amazed me was that their conversation centered around how love and a new, (some would say a New Age), spirituality have become the underpinnings
and supporting foundation of the current national Civil Rights Movement and the work of Social Justice. I was thrilled to hear the profound words of these two leaders in the Civil Rights Movement about the wisdom of bringing one’s Whole Self to the work of Social Justice.
Dr. Ross said that infusing love into all we do - our laws, our decisions as a community about how we treat each other and our children, (even when they act out or are disruptive to our schools and our lives) - is the most powerfully important spiritual work upon which the future of this nation rests. He said this kind of work calls upon us to bring the total best of ourselves to the table: not just the angry part, not just the “struggle” part, but also the loving part, the compassionate part, the whole healed person. This way of showing up is the foundation of what is called Healing Justice. Working to bring about Healing Justice is essential to creating courageous and resilient communities.
I was fascinated to learn from Patrisse Cullors that Black Lives Matter meetings often start with saging and prayer, and that they often incorporate indigenous practices. Some members create alters and ceremonies. Through these practices they have come to feel honored to do this work on behalf of those for whom
they are advocating. This is very different from previous ways of approaching the “struggle” for social justice.
Diane Winston stated, in the magazine Religion Dispatches, that “Black Lives Matters chapters and affiliated groups are expressing a type of spiritual practice that makes use of the language of health and wellness to impart meaning, help grief and trauma, combat burnout, (which the original Civil Rights leaders will say they were not good at), and encourage organizational efficiency.”
A member of the radio show audience brought up a point that troubles many of us who put our shoulder to the wheel to try to make a difference in the World. “The System” seems not to have
a soul, she said. Then she asked, “How do we bring some spirit back into The System” under which we all labor, and which we
are trying to change. Ms. Cullors’s answer to this question was profound. She said that The System’s purpose is not to gain a soul. What is important is not to lose your own soul. When facing crushing forces, it is hard not to wonder what is the point? The
point is not “victory”. It is building the power of our communities;
to have the audacity to imagine something better for ourselves, and work together to bring about change, even if it takes 200 years.
Stacey Leigh Mohr Editor, Publisher
She said that it is essential to
take control of the narrative of our lives and our world. Someone imagined handcuffs. Someone imagined guns. Someone imagined jails. These things were all imagined before they were brought into being. We need to imagine something better for our future if we want to bring it into being. In order to bring about
a world in which Social Justice is the norm, we have to imagine what such a world would look like. We have to see ourselves as better.
She said “Culturally we are a lot better at dwelling on what is going wrong. But we want to be called to our best selves. Being involved in inspirational and aspirational work helps us to do that.”
I created The Wave to facilitate the kind of healing that helps us to bring our whole selves to the table, so we can then heal our world. Most times this work feels energizing and rewarding. Sometimes I get discouraged, overwhelmed, and depressed by the task set before me. It is at these times that it seems Spirit comes through for me and I receive the encouragement and inspiration I need to keep going. Thus, after a very tough and discouraging week, I happened, “by chance”, to tune in to this particular radio program.
We support each other in this great work. So if you, like me, need encouragement and inspiration, if you want to hear about successes in the work toward Social Justice, and how love and deep personal spirituality and holistic healing are becoming
an integral part of the national Civil Right and Social Justice Movement, go to www.onbeing.org and click on the program title “The Resilient World We are Building Now” to hear the whole inspiring conversation with these two wise Civil Rights leaders.
If you would like to participate in the healing work of The Wave, consider writing and submitting an article that imparts your knowledge and gifts of wisdom about holistic healing and deep spirituality. For more information about our new article submission program, go to www.TheWaveHolisticJournal.com and click on Submit an Article.
I am eternally grateful for all readers, authors, healers, and advertisers who have supported The Wave in this healing work.
March/April 2016
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