Sacred Activism - Centre For Peaceful Solutions

Maria Arpa

8 November 2017

Maria’s Midweek Mindfulness Moments

In 2005 I posed a question to Marshall Rosenberg, my greatest teacher and the inventor of Nonviolent Communication: ‘Who do you think will be the people to take this work forward?’ . He told me that the people who will create social change will be those that demonstrate a balanced combination of compassionate understanding and political savvy. It was this short answer that inspired me to create the Dialogue Road Map.

In the mainstream world, passionately setting out to make a worthwhile change without political insight or an inclusive strategy can actually do more harm than good. Alienating the decision makers and purse string holders sets up the same ‘them and us’ adversarial relationships that lead to war. When I developed the Dialogue Road Map (DRM) I knew that it was imperative that it presented a solid, stable platform for open and authentic communication, whatever the topic or cause.

This quote by author Andrew Harvey eloquently conveys the message from our own work with the DRM.

“A spirituality that is only private and self-absorbed, one devoid of an authentic political and social consciousness, does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut of history. On the other hand, an activism that is not purified by profound spiritual and psychological self-awareness and rooted in divine truth, wisdom, and compassion will only perpetuate the problem it is trying to solve, however righteous its intentions.

When, however, the deepest and most grounded spiritual vision is married to a practical and pragmatic drive to transform all existing political, economic, and social institutions, a holy force – the power of wisdom and love in action – is born. This force I define as Sacred Activism.”

So this week, what one small act of Sacred Activism could you make?

I’m working on my contribution to a Conference for Blue Light services on the topic of Mindfulness in memory of Maria Stubbings and other victims of domestic violence.

With love, light, and gratitude. Maria Arpa -x-

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