Culture Blogs
Essays at the intersection of spirituality, activism, and radical psychology.
Revolution, Commitment, and Healing
How can we be effective revolutionaries if we get sick whenever the pressure goes up?
How can we create a new world if we don’t keep our commitments?
Is there a connection between these two problems?
Here are some thoughts:
– Revolution is not a drop-in project
– healing myself is a revolutionary act
– therefore: healing is not a drop-in project
– My words help create my reality
– self care begins by keeping my commitments
– I learn not to over-commit the hard way – by keeping every commitment I make
– if I use “not feeling well” as an excuse – I will not feel well later that day
– Showing up late means I am ambivalent about a commitment
– corollary: people that show up late are ambivalent about our work together
– People generally do exactly what they want to do
– exceptions – dying and/or being strapped to a hospital bed; tending a sick family member; being stuck in an elevator; getting hit by a car or another person
– people who skip a commitment because they “don’t feel well” are doing exactly what they want – ie, they are choosing to stay home and be sick
– Getting a “cold” or “flu” means my energy is stuck
– my energy is often stuck because I am not keeping my commitments, and I “feel bad” about it
– if I keep a commitment in spite of “feeling lousy” – I usually feel much better afterward
– “I can’t because I feel sick” is a self-perpetuating cycle – “I think I’m coming down with something” is a self-inflicted destiny
– “really being sick” means I must prioritize getting to a hospital or clinic over other commitments – it does not mean “I feel like I need to go to bed” – that is called “being tired,” and it is neither fatal nor contagious
– exceptions (times to stay away): head lice; exposure to measles, chicken pox, or other potentially contagious diseases; persistent vomiting or high fever – this is called “really being sick” – please skip your commitments and get to a doctor or clinic
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