Working on Our Inner World to Strengthen Our Outer World
I often use the metaphor of skydiving, and action sports in general, to illustrate the work of spiritual activism. There is an adrenaline rush and a flood of endorphins are released when we are on our game, when the justice we seek becomes tangible, when a cruel piece of legislation gets overturned or a policy endeavor we sought becomes law; those wins are some of the best feelings in the world.
Often, the motivation for everyday people to engage in adventure sports is not so much an actual love for the activities as the unmatched power the sport has to awaken an individual to the present. At the moment of peak thrill, one is not worried about the stress of work, or the need to pay bills, or the existential trials of a mundane schedule. Indeed, no one worries about paying their taxes when falling out of a plane at a high velocity, nor is one considering their morning meeting when one false step could lead to a plunge over a mountain cliff.
These moments, no matter how thrilling, are distractions from the serious work of cultivating the best of ourselves for the benefit of others. It may seem like a contradiction, but taking the time to ensure that we are at our peak for the outside world means fostering the best of our inner world. Certainly, to take on the responsibility of spiritual activism necessitates a healthy inner life. It may sound harsh, but we stain our souls with cursory delights, especially when our precious time is diverted from supporting the vulnerable.
A strong inner life gives us the resolve to withstand the difficulties of our individual missions. But getting in touch with our inner lives is more than finding meaning; that is too simple. Instead, the strength of one’s inner life allows us to develop conviction, courage, and resolve. The tension within ourselves leads to cathartic action. No less than Dr Martin Luther King Jr articulated this point wonderfully. Shortly before his assassination, Dr King conveyed the following message about listening to that cacophony of voices that resides in our souls and following the strongest among them. Using his mastery of the rhetorical form, he said:
On some positions, Cowardice asks the question ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question ‘Is it politic?’ And Vanity comes along and asks the question ‘Is it popular?’ But Conscience asks the question ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.1
Resolving latent issues within ourselves allows us to resolve issues outside of ourselves. The conflicts between people cannot be separated from the conflicts within people. Many go through life immersed in conflicts and think it’s primarily because of other people. Each of us has a detractor whose singular goal is to discourage and make us feel as if our voice doesn’t count. When we allow that part of us that pushes us forward even when the path is arduous, that is the connection to the power of our inner life. We grow out of this rut whenever we look at our inner conflicts, conquer them, and go out into the world with clarity and perspicacity.
Our inner life is not all positive and light-filled. We must also face our own inner darkness, not just our wounds but also our own internalized oppression and our own hate and prejudices. Where do we hold racism, sexism, xenophobia? Where from within do these come? And how might we dismantle these forces? How might we challenge our own power, privilege, and ego, which hold us back from exuding love and compassion?
Much of what others see in activism is external. This is by design: the imagery of activism is purposefully vibrant to ensure the point gets across in a persuasive manner. What may get lost in the tumult of this work, however, are the time and space to focus on ensuring that we are pursuing our causes in a way most relevant to our hearts and souls. If all we’re seeking is the opportunity to show up at a rally, or write a petition, or participate in civil disobedience without pondering the meaning of our action, then much of what we hope to accomplish becomes empty and mechanical.
To persevere through the obstacles of finding peace within us is to see the challenges as part of this work, as well—to be so committed to growth in our inner lives that even negative situations are viewed positively as opportunities for inner growth. This is to say that even the pain, suffering, and frustrations can be helpful to us, even when it is some aspect of ourselves that we’re tirelessly fighting. Thus, the most important first step to healing our world is to tend to our spiritual lives and our deepest inner spaces. When we are morally focused and spiritually healthy, we transcend ourselves for the other in their most desperate moment of need.
Exercise 1: Spend five minutes each day writing down your thoughts and exploring the origins of those thoughts. Explore anxieties, fears, hopes, and dreams. Don’t look to resolve them. Just identify them and explore the depths of their origins.
Exercise 2: Learn your triggers. What external stimuli trigger sadness, joy, anxiety, and other emotions for you? Explore where these emotions are emerging from and why those stimuli trigger them.