Heart Reading … Day 85

The Pursuit of Wellness X

This is day 10 of 10.

It is 4am and I still struggle to sleep. I want to speak to a next level of wellness and close this 10-day “miniseries” with thoughts on moral integrity. It is such a contentious and explosive subject — who has the authority to name what is or isn’t moral?!

If there are no sheep (humans) to follow the shepherd (preacher), is that an indication of lost moral authority? Not when there are subversive tactics deployed to lull congregants, parishioners, audience members into the spell of the performing artist. Not only am I at a boiling point about what people like Aaron Lewis are doing on stage (see day 79), I have seen a lot of performing artists in houses of worship and I’ve felt the integrity of some of the folk speaking with great integrity at these pulpits. There is a vast difference.

If we research and reflect on what is available for organized spiritual nourishment it is not hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. (For a research suggestion, the film Contradiction — A Question of Faith is highly recommended). We need to do this work — think — it is not illegal yet.

History has great examples of moral integrity gone wrong — like the 1498 papal bull issued by pope Alexander VI that set “precedent” for colonizing others’ lands.

We are no doubt seeing the end of that long tail’s impact on the world given the religious ferver underneath gross edicts like the crusades, colonialism, eugenics, and genetic experimentation (forced sterilization, COVID, etc.).

As a result of moral injury we have seen women rise up and fight each other, Indians and African Americans rise up and fight each other, and if we’re honest, we can see how we wage war internally and fight our own highest and best good in all the ways we have allowed others’ moral authority to denigrade our moral integrity.

What is the antidote to moral injury? What solution is “growing close by” (see day 84)?

The heart is the antidote. Moral integrity is the realm of the heart and it expands with compassion and direct action.

When we allow ourselves to love deeply, we do not have to think about doing what needs to be done, it becomes a clear call to serve another — even and especially when the other is unable to speak for themselves — like the trees and bodies of water.

Can we please all learn from the water protectors?

White supremacy is killing us and the planet. Together we can shine the sunlight of truth on its “eyes” so that it must stop causing harm — like a toddler with only brute force to express himself.

True love from another is easy to feel. If it is not easy it is not pure.

And when we love actively “on” a family member, a friend, a colleague, we naturally give them space and only insert ourselves into that space as we feel invited and moved.

How can we all begin by giving ourselves that space — actively loving ourselves — so that our lightness of being, our “cup” runneth over to love and cherish one another?

Perhaps you might enjoy writing a love letter to yourself?