Imagine a world where the majority of the population lived from the knowledge that we are all interconnected and interdependent – that whatever you did to the other you did to yourself. There might be some discrepancies in income, but everyone would have enough for a comfortable life: quality healthcare, nourishing food, clean water, and a safe place to call home. Greed and corruption would not be tolerated, much less worshipped. Every member of the community would be seen as having a gift to contribute, and they would be welcomed regardless of the color of their skin, their religion, their gender or sexual identity. The animals, plants, and other inhabitants of the natural world would be viewed as integral to the health of the ecosystem.
I think it’s a beautiful vision for a more compassionate world, and you may also, but do you believe it is possible for humans to evolve their consciousness so that they would one day soon value this way of life?
Or are you pessimistic, feeling hopeless about our capacity to trust love and come into harmony with life? Do you doubt that enough people would give up their comfort, convenience, and privilege long enough to work for a more compassionate way of being in the world? Do you believe it’s useless to make changes yourself if you can’t see how it could make a difference?
Doubt can be a healthy thing, and it can be destructive. Healthy doubt questions, discerns and investigates, and this kind of independent thinking prevents one from falling prey to misconceptions, lies, and manipulation. It values truth, and seeks to find it rather than just adopting someone else’s version of truth. Destructive doubt, on the other hand, denies the possibilities that can arise from beyond the ego. It defends against trusting without a guarantee (or at least a very high likelihood) of success. It values safety and certainty over possibilities that might not be readily seen or implemented.
Most of us wrestle with the destructive type of doubt at some point in our lives. We long to achieve a strong faith, but aren’t prepared to tolerate a period of letting go of the defenses, beliefs and habits that are familiar but no longer working. We don’t want the discomfort and uncertainty of not knowing, the working and then waiting for new possibilities to arise.
How can we embrace healthy doubt as part of our growing faith in the benign nature of the universe? How can we choose to take that next step when we can’t see where the staircase is taking us?
If we are want an end to the cruelty, apathy, indifference, greed and corruption, we will encounter our doubt at some point in the journey. That is why our next module of the Sacred Activism series will explore faith and doubt, and the tools that can help us develop the faith that will be required in order to risk participating in the creation of a more beautiful world.
A new world is possible. It asks us to envision it, believe in it, and work to manifest it. Not just on the outer level, but also on the inner level – because in reality, they are one.
In the words of John Lennon,
“You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”
Whether you have faith in big dreams, or big doubts, I invite you to join Cibele Salviatto and me for the next module in the Sacred Activism series on April 27th from 6:30pm-8:30pm. It’s entitled “Trusting the Dark — Finding Faith When the Path is Unclear.
You’ll find a safe space to explore the fear and doubt that arise amidst the craziness of world events, and how to hold those feelings with grace.
We offer this series via the gift economy, which trusts participants to choose an amount that both respects your budget and the value you receive. If that amount is zero, please know you are welcome. Our intention in offering this new model is to live what we teach by moving away from consumerism toward a compassionate, equitable exchange that benefits all.
