Jurriaan KAMP / Optimist Daily, May 9, 2017 / translation: Jiří Zemánek
Meditation and prayer clearly contribute to social change. That's the inspiring message of David Nicola's new book Subtle Activism: The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary Transformation (Gentle Activism: The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary TransformationNicol teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies and is the co-founder of the Gaiafield Project, which launched the WiseUSA initiative, dedicated to social change through meditation.
What is gentle activism?
It is the use of consciousness-based practices such as meditation and prayer for collective transformation. This means that the healing and transformative power of these practices is applied in the collective rather than the individual sphere. Gentle activism is aimed at shifting consciousness at a very deep level, which can lead to changes in the external world.
Is it just about prayer and meditation?
No, there is more: rituals, conscious dance, ceremonial work, art, etc. I have seen drama therapy bring healing to Jews and Germans. There are many ways to achieve collective healing. This is what I call 'gentle activism'.
Is there any evidence that gentle activism can heal society?
Mystics have claimed for centuries that their spiritual practices have far-reaching effects on society. Recent quantitative and qualitative studies examining intentionality in group settings seem to confirm this phenomenon. For example, various research projects conducted by the Transcendental Meditation movement have shown that large groups of meditators can reduce violence in society. This research is very rigorous and compelling. However, it is not the only example.
Don't these examples suggest that subtle activism represents a more effective form of activism?
Soft activism will never replace pragmatic action. Activism is most powerful when it includes both elements – soft and pragmatic. Many activists tend to prioritize ‘real action’ and downplay meditation and prayer. I think that pragmatic action for social change is much more effective when it is shaped by deep awareness. A sense of purpose and love. This is what made the social movements led by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King so powerful.
Can anyone be a gentle activist?
I think it is a calling and it can be a way for people who have certain spiritual abilities, inclinations or gifts to be of benefit to society. I am particularly interested in the abilities of highly conscious cohesive groups that are able to harness an increased transformative power that goes beyond what people can achieve individually.”
The political debate in society is negative and divisive. The forces of subtle activism seem very small and it is difficult to see them succeeding in such a negative climate.
This movement is still in its infancy. That is to say: Since 2012, when we started WiseUSA, I have seen some really impressive growth. That year, we held 248 events. This year, we had about 1,600 events around the world. Recently, 50,000 people around the world meditated together in support of the people at Standing Rock who are resisting an oil pipeline that is being built through their land. That is a big number. Many people experience a strong sense of solidarity when they hear about this approach. They say they feel like this is the right thing to do, that this is how we need to engage right now.
Is gentle activism a new phenomenon, or is it just a rediscovery of ancient practices?
In many ways, it is a modern term for an ancient approach. In all mystical traditions, spiritual practice is not only done for personal enlightenment, but also for the good of society as a whole. In our culture, spirituality belongs only in the private sphere. There are good historical reasons for this. The medieval church was too dominant, and it was good that church and state separated when science became the guiding force of society. But in the process, the baby was thrown out with the bathwater: the wisdom that can be found in spiritual practice should not be kept out of the public sphere. It is very much needed to bring into the public consciousness a sense of deep connection with the whole, a sense that the Earth is sacred.
So should we abolish the separation of church and state again?
Of course, we shouldn't take a step back and bring dogmatic religion back into the public sphere. But I don't think there's any need to directly question this view either. I think that as more people engage in these practices, the awareness of the fundamental unity of all and the whole, of these universal spiritual values, will permeate the collective consciousness. This awareness will spread to all aspects of culture and our cultural worldview, and we won't have to go back to arguments about the separation of church and state.
What experience of gentle activism has personally inspired you?
We recently did a series of gentle activism events to promote ocean health off the coast of Seattle. This ecosystem is under threat, and the killer whale is a symbol of the health of this system. When we started our events, killer whales hadn't been seen in the waters off the coast of Seattle for four years. In the months that followed our event, about eight orca calves were born in the area. It was all over the media. We had an intention, and then you see these results. We have to be humble, and we can't know with 100 percent scientific certainty that our gentle, invisible action caused these things to happen. But finding these correlations is part of the process of understanding how it might work.
