I'll probably get into trouble for this one....

I’ll probably get into trouble for this one….

…and, as Judge Judy says when people want to tell how they feel or what they think: “I don’t care!” A judge can only consider facts of the law; nothing else. People might think she’s being rude. She’s just being a judge. And I’m just being a writer sharing my opinions. Although I do care about your ideas and opinions and I’m always willing to dialog, I don’t care if you disagree with me or attack me for what I’m about to say. Here goes.

When people who call themselves spiritual say they don’t get involved in politics or vote or say they’re tired of hearing about politics or they want politicians to not be political, I shake my head and wonder what planet they think they’re living on. Whether we like it or not, our lives are ruled by politics. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about it, but let me ask you a few questions.

Are you tired of driving on streets? Tired of stop lights and stop signs? Tired of food or airports, train stations, libraries and fire departments? Tired of your church or non-profit not paying taxes? I doubt that you are. Are you aware that each of these and much more is ruled by political decisions that are made by elected officials? Are you aware that when you sit in your meditation room and declare yourself too spiritual for politics and then complain about the potholes in your street, you’re being hypocritical?

When’s the last time you went to a city or county council meeting to find out what they are discussing and what they are voting on? If you can’t go to meetings, when’s the last time you looked up the minutes of the meetings and called or emailed one of your representatives? Never, you say! Then in my book, you have given up your right to complain. Do you vote in your local elections or say they don’t matter because it isn’t a presidential race? Locally elected officials have more impact on our day-to-day lives than the national ones do. And if you opt out of voting in national elections because no one is an exact fit for your beliefs, then you’re being very short-sighted and selfish. That’s like not eating, preferring to starve, because the buffet doesn’t have anything you like.

I’ve heard a few people say they feel there is no difference between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Again, I wonder what planet they are from. The only person who would say these two people are the same are people who secretly agree with one of them but is afraid to own their opinion. By the way, I have already voted and Kamala and Tim are my choices for the presidential ticket.

Guess who most people revere as a great spiritual being? Ghandi, right? Was he involved in politics? You bet he was. He saw injustice and did what he could to right the wrongs. He left a lasting impression on his world and was assassinated for it. He got up off his futon and did something.

Why am I writing all this? Because if you think you’re too spiritual for politics, you’re wrong. Ask the religious right. They have played the long game of using their religion and beliefs to fill the courts with judges who they believe will rule in their religion’s favor; they have intimidated people in congress and the senate to vote according to the religious right’s views; they even managed to put someone in the While House who fulfilled their dreams in return for being able to do what he wants - even shoot someone on 5th Avenue, he says, - and turn the other way. They have used politics to fulfill their religious dreams. They are trying to do this again, citing religious views for what they’re doing.

Is our system perfect? Of course not. Does it need some work? Of course it does. We all do. But to say it’s all too dirty for us to put our supposedly clean hands in it - no. Every time one of us does nothing, no matter how small our action might be, the more we empower those who want to see us eliminated. Strong words? Maybe 15 years ago, yes. Today? No.

Let’s not be like the two people in the Tower card of the tarot. Lightening hit the top of the tower and the two of them went falling to the ground many stories below. Let’s not wait until things are so bad that there is no way to turn the ship around. Let go of identity politics. Let go of having to feel offended when someone says something you don’t like about your beliefs. Dialog instead. I remember the old days when I could sit down with people who held political beliefs different from mine and we could have lunch while having a conversation. No one got angry. No one felt offended. We talked. We disagreed. We didn’t get defensive. And we did it while enjoying one another’s company. We respected one another and we voted. And we stayed friends.

Get involved in some way. I can’t tell you how you need to get involved. I can only tell you you must do it or all the meditating, mantras, yoga, vitamins, flower essences and crystals will be as meaningless as my corgi barking at squirrels in the trees because she thinks she can catch them if only she barks loudly enough

Maybe we can learn from her: maybe we need to bark louder so our voices are heard and the squirrels scamper away. Let’s do some human barking and VOTE.

Living in grace and ease,

Krysta