Be the Change
The issue with oft repeated phrases is that they lose meaning over time. “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, is one of them.
I spent 2016 to 2020 full of anger, vacillating between rage and despair on a daily basis. I don’t want to live the next four years of my precious life like that. I want to be a voice of hope and transformation.
But what to do with this anger I'm feeling? Righteous anger, I might add. Vulnerable communities are getting punished and hurt daily. Our constitution is under attack daily. The well-being of our country, its citizens, and its place in the world is being eroded daily.
Anger gets a bad rap. Especially in relation to women. “She’s an angry woman,” as if that's the worst insult one could hurl. And if you're a spiritual person, you're not supposed to feel anger, right?
I’m not buying it. The Hindu Goddess Kali is the Goddess of anger and destruction, but her wrath is a response to a world ruled by suffering, greed and ignorance. In her hands she holds a sword to cut through illusions, and often her right hand is held in mudras that represent fearlessness and blessing. She acts in order to liberate people from suffering. A Goddess for these times.
I do not believe in Being Anger. The world doesn't need more of that. But I do believe in using its energy to effect change, harnessing it to create focussed, determined, peaceful and compassionate resistance. That's a high bar. A regular spiritual practice, like meditation, yoga, Reiki, or walking in nature, can help by creating space between strong emotion and reactivity, while encouraging calm and focussed action.
Which brings me to my Writing Circles. I may be angry, I may be heartbroken, but my gathering people together in community is fueled by love, and the desire to experience this world as it is together. Writing to express ourselves is an act of resistance, and this shared humanity is what gives us courage to create change. We are stronger together.
As part of my commitment to my community, I am offering a free month community writing class open to both men and women on the first Thursday of most months. The next “Come Together: A Community Writing Class” is Thursday, February 6th, 5 to 6:30 pm PT. Register here. You are warmly invited.
Find your community—whatever community speaks to you. Hold on to your compassion, your humanity, and your joy, even in the face of ugliness. It’s not easy, but know you’re not alone. Find your people — those who love you, support you, and lift you up as we rise to meet the profound challenges we face as a country.
Which brings me back to Gandhi’s quote. I may not always feel peaceful, but I choose peace. I choose compassion. I choose love. Choosing to be this in the world, even in the face of anger and grief, is the best I can do at this moment. I'm hoping it’s good enough.
The Abhayamudra, a gesture of reassurance and safety.