wisewords
respect. The most effective negotia-
tors in situations of extreme danger or
conflict are those who experience their
own continuing inner conflicts, which
keeps them humble. While it would be
sentimental to claim that this approach
always succeeds, we can say that the
active spiritual path shows us the way
A Conversation
to the only solutions that can succeed
in the long run.
with Andrew Harvey
What qualities do all sacred activists
Author and Sacred Activist
have in common?
The embrace of unconditional love and
by linda Sechrist forgiveness is essential to the success
of all major activist adventures in our
world, not just to saints and Bud-
dhists. Until you try this, you will never
explore your own capacity to love and
forgive.
Sacred activists understand that
I
n The Hope: A Guide to Sacred constantly grounding yourself in
Activism, author, scholar and mystic sacred practice would be like run-
service is the only road to profound
Andrew Harvey inspires us to par- ning into a forest fire, dressed only in
and lasting joy, and that the deep-
ticipate in radically transforming the a paper tutu.” Like Marion, I believe
est service rises out of their deepest
world by becoming sacred activists. that extreme situations, like those we
compassion, which is born out of their
Awakened to our divine purpose, we are in now, require extreme solutions
deepest heartbreak.
become effective, practical agents of that are born from another dimension

change for peace and sustainability. of truth and compassion. Our present
How do we know our sacred cause
world crisis is spiritual and mystical;
when we meet it?
What is the difference between therefore, only spirit and mystical
sacred activism and activism? consciousness will give us the passion,
Sacred activism asks two related things
energy and peace that provide the kind
of those who serve: to remain open,
It is my experience that a large majority of solutions that have any real chance
without illusion, to the danger that the
of activists are fueled by an honorable of being effective.
world is in and to ask, “What is my
outrage and desire to do good. The
deepest heartbreak?” If you can open
sacred activist, rather, lives from the What differentiates the outcomes
your heart to the horror of what is hap-
depths of divine consciousness and acts advocated by the sacred activist and
pening and at the same time identify
from the depths of divine wisdom and the activist?
your deepest heartbreak, the answer
compassion, because he or she is com-
will marry a profound urgency with a
mitted to a deep spiritual practice. The sacred activist is aware that the
focused and passionate commitment to
Sacred activists understand that temptation and excitement of projecting
your primary cause.
the deepest service rises out of their their own unacknowledged darkness
deepest compassion, which is born onto others keeps them from seeing just
What has kept you going for more
out of their deepest heartache. They how implicated they are in the problem.
than 20 years as an activist?
are committed to being, in the face of Such an enlightened thinker also under-
growing chaos, suffering and violence, stands that advocating for any cause in
The things that keep me going—a sense
what Robert Kennedy called, “a tiny the spirit of condemnation only reinforc-
of urgency about the dangers we face;
ripple of hope,” and a “center of en- es the behavior it is trying to end, and
a tremendous love for human beings,
ergy and daring.” virtually ensures that any efforts increase
animals and nature; and an energy that
resistance, rather than healing.
rises out of the depths of profound and
Why is a deep spiritual practice The radical psychological self-
direct realization from the divine—are
important to the sacred activist? work on their own shadow, or dark
available at any moment, to anyone
aspects, as well as incessant prayer by
who has a deep hunger for them.
The Jungian analyst Marion Wood- the sacred activist, opens the doors
man once said to me, “Continuing to to a sense of humility which views
For more information about Andrew
do pioneering sacred work in a world opponents not as an “other,” but
Harvey and the Institute for Sacred Ac-
as crazy and painful as ours without rather through the eyes of kindness and
tivism, visit AndrewHarvey.com.
natural awakenings March 2010

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