Radical Unification, can we do it?

This will be a newsletter about Tantra and American politics, just fyi.

What I see in the news right now is extreme polarization.

I have a need for Radical Unification.

How does the extreme political polarization negatively effect us and how can we use tantric practices to support the unification process, both internally and externally?

I've always been a person that lives in the land of 'both/and'. Its reflected in my life and love for Tantra, which in essence is the Art of Unification, and its practices support internal transformation.  

I have opinions about access to abortion, treating people with other opinions with respect, zero tolerance for genocide, federal support for marginalized groups, less support for oil extraction and more support for solar and wind power, taking care of family, land, community, spending locally, and my spiritual connection to Source to name a few. Some of these values are shared on both sides of the political isle. And that's where it gets juicy for me.

Because if we are to believe politics right now, in the USA, we are supposed to be a polarized nation, with 2 'sides' and nothing in between. But that just doesn't add up when I look around. I happen to live in North Carolina, right inside the destruction zone of Hurricane Helene. The aftermath, clean up efforts and community support, embraced everyone, no matter which side of the political isle you were on. It was a massive unification process, that strengthened neighbor relations and faith in humanity.

 And at the same time, I'm not needing to downplay the impacts this election’s outcome has had on myself and some of my friends. It’s real. The dream of a female president was so close and it did not happen. This made me sad and mad. But that realization can exist in my body without having to ridicule or hate anyone else for having different needs. Out of my desire to embrace opposing needs, I invited myself over to a friends house, who voted differently from me. Because I could see how this would create an opportunity for growth. And it did. The conversation (thank you NVC!) was a practice in staying grounded, focusing on each others humanity, being curious and trusting the process will take some time.

Meanwhile, the polarizing political campaigns, the mania in the media and our hijacked 'hive-minds', have brought out some of THE WORST in us all.

How amazing it would be, if we had political leaders who genuinely supported us in conflict mediation and wanted to bring out THE BEST in us. Imagine THAT…

But in lieu of strong leaders, we'll just have to do it ourselves. Embodied spiritual practices that support the capacity for holding complexity, internal harmony and internal unification, might just create the fertile ground and ripple effect for external unification on a global scale. As within so without....

Using the power of visualization and breath to move prana in the body for healing has been used in tantric practices for 100's of years to create transformation. I truly believe in magical change and the healing of limiting belief systems by opening up to 'the impossible'. What it takes is allowing the discomfort to be present in your body. Using the breath to support the 'easing in' to the tension spots, and a clear mind to disrupt 'story-telling' where necessary. It is hard work, and it is important.

So no matter how challenging the situation, as practitioners of tantra, we can make the choice to continuously come back into our OWN body, our OWN nervous system, and embrace the diversity of our own social ecosystems.

My Mantra; during these polarized times I choose radical inclusion and allow the human connection to neighbors and friends on ‘the other side’ to soften me. I make the choice to see the complexities and expand into them

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We likely all have very similar feelings about love, life and decency. 

Every-Day-Courage Question: Where can your inner world engage in softening two seemingly opposite needs and find the place of expansion into “both/and”?