What we’ve learned about the events leading up to, during and ongoing since January 6, thanks to the work of the House Select Committee, makes it clear just how close our country came to a violent overthrow of the will of the people. The US Supreme Court is striving to achieve the same results through different means by dismantling the power of the federal government, eliminating personal privacy protections, allowing gerrymandered maps to stand, and agreeing to hear the NC case challenging the authority of state supreme courts.
[I pulled this from the Fair Maps WI July newsletter and made minor edits. My sign is tattered but still displayed.]
Angry, sad, fearful about where the US is headed?
Inspired by Crys Wood’s essay “Good and Angry.”
Take that feeling and try metabolizing it—
- Allow the feeling. Let the feeling arise without minimizing or bypassing. This can be done incrementally, and for your psyche’s safety, it may need to be. For me, allowing anger means venting to an understanding friend or talking with one of my inner selves (silently or aloud). My meditation practice absorbs some of my violent energy, despair, or anxiety.
- Listen to the feeling. Ask it: What do you hope to protect me from? What line has been crossed here? Who’s done us wrong? Is there anything else I need to know? Then listen in for the answer.
- Learn from the feeling. Ask yourself: Why is this so important to me? What button does it push? What memory does it trigger? For example, school shootings leave you enraged or scared? Point that energy at expanding gun safety. Upset about what the Republican is becoming? Call your R-congresspeople and ask them snap out of their Trump trance.
- Release the feeling. Bow to it. Thank it for its help and attention. Invite it to go on its way. It’s been heard, and you’ve got this now.
- Act on the lesson.Your values are a safer place to work from than your emotions—instead of fighting against what upsets you, fight for what deeply matters.
Any action is better than inaction.
“Doing nothing only supports the hopelessness that can feed anger. Take any effective action, no matter how small it may seem. Small actions can make a big difference, particularly when amassed with the actions of others.” – Crys Wood
…and give your mind and body a soothing moment from nature’s bounty!
