Meeting this volatile moment with energy and compassion
In my religious tradition, Jewish tradition, we recently commemorated the High Holidays. In the Jewish year, Rosh Hashanah, which took place on September 19-20, is considered to be the birthday of the world. Not long after was Yom Kippur, on September 27-28, which is a day of repentance, reflection and prayer, on which we fast.
Traditionally, Jews start preparing for these holidays a month before. We’re taught to take inventory of our actions, challenges, successes and failures over the previous year. During the ten days the two holidays bookend, we’re instructed to apologize to those we may have wronged and consider how we can be better people in the year ahead. All of this culminates on Yom Kippur, when, according to tradition, our fates for the coming year—literally who shall live and who shall die—is sealed in the Book of Life.
This period seems to surprise me every year. I never feel ready. Between parenting and working and supporting my clients and teaching and creating and learning and amplifying and facilitating and networking and writing and exploring and reading and cooking and gardening…the High Holidays sneak up on me. Every year, I mean to allocate more time to reflecting on the past year. And these critical days come before I am ready. Always.
This year, this moment has snuck up on all of us and we’re all feeling like it’s the High Holidays: In our turbulent time, so many leaders, friends and colleagues are struggling to meet this moment. We’re a little less than one month away from what some have called the most consequential election of our lifetimes. We have a president who is amplifying White Supremacy and actively inciting suspicions towards the democratic process. There is so much suffering now: Over two hundred thousand Americans have died of COVID-19 and millions of Americans are facing the economic hardship brought on by the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately hit our Black and Latinx population, who are already experiencing the pandemic of racial violence. In my home state of California, we’ve faced three rounds of wildfires burning almost 4 million acres of land – effectively the mirror of what happened in Australia’s summer to close out 2019.
It is hard to fault any one of us for being overwhelmed, for not wanting to know, for turning to fear and misinformation as a way to tune out the truth.
And yet – I want to share three sources that speak to meeting the moment:
One is Margaret Wheatley. Margaret Wheatley has written about and worked on leadership for over 50 years. Now 77, Wheatley’s most recent book asks this exact question, Who Do We Chose to Be? Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity. Wheatley suggests that, at this challenging moment, we must be warriors of compassion who support others to recognize the present situation and bring out generosity, insight and compassion in all.
Second is Resmaa Menakem. Menakem’s book My Grandmother’s Hands explores the trauma of racism on Black bodies, white bodies and police bodies. Menakem argues that all bodies hold the multi-generational trauma of racism (whether as perpetuators or victims) at a somatic level and can only let go of that trauma through doing body-based practices, such as meditation, reflection, singing or rocking, to acknowledge and process this violence and settle ourselves. Menakem teaches that meeting the moment – and moving to a more compassionate one – is only possible through an awareness of what we’re feeling – and allowing space for those feelings to move through us.
And lastly, Ruth Bader Ginsberg who we so sadly laid to rest not long ago. So many dimensions of how she is a heroine and paved the way for justice and gender equality. What resonates with me the most is that she held on to her vision of justice without fear.
Those ten days of celebration and reflection happened. Regardless of how ill prepared I was for them, they came and they went, one at a time. For me, it’s what happens every year. I already have the best of intentions to meet them in a year’s time.
And I did the best I could with what I had. I am lucky to have the support that I do (and many other people in the same boat!). We got through it.
But that moment is passed now. I didn’t meet it with the same vigor and intention as I had hoped – but we have another moment coming in a little less than a month. For me, I do not take it lightly as it comes looming with the risk of our democracy in its throes. These are the things that I keep in front of me as I rise to meet this moment. I ask that you join me and, please, no matter which way you bend politically, VOTE! [Note that nonprofit organizations are unable to endorse individual candidates, but can encourage stakeholders to participate in democracy by voting.]
We are also meeting the moment by launching a six-week live online course on Equitable Board Building, which starts October 21. Clients, colleagues and students have expressed a hunger for tools and frameworks to move towards racial equity in their boards and organizations. This course utilizes the frameworks we share with clients and students in a cohort-based experience to move on a path towards anti-racism. More information here and I will be sharing more in the next few weeks.
I believe this is the path in front of us. To review:
Be warriors of compassion
Recognize the trauma and violence of racism, take active steps to let it move through us so we can move to anti-racism
Without fear, speak up for and hold on to our visions of justice
Sending strength – please reach out to let us know how you are meeting your moment.