It’s been nearly a month since I wrote a newsletter and in that time, Root and Branch has begun to unfold in beautiful and meaningful ways. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be in fellowship with others interested in deepening their spiritual life in community with one another.
We’re two weeks into our group discussion of Soul Medicine for a Fractured World: Healing, Justice and the Path of Wholeness by Rev. Dr. Eliza Rankow, and wow, what powerful conversations we’re having! I couldn’t have imagined how satisfying and inspiring it would be to explore the difference between “self-care” and “soul care,” what inspires awe, and how to work with the idea of ancestors when your lineage carries woundedness and trauma. We’ve also wrestled with how difficult it is to reconcile people’s violent and painful actions with our beliefs about goodness and redemption, especially in light of the Cornell 7 and the current political climate. Although it’s too late to join this group, I encourage anyone interested in the intersection of spirituality and social justice to read the book!
Speaking of the intersection of spirituality and justice work, I’ve been reflecting a great deal on the phrase “service through joy,” a concept that appears repeatedly in The Freedom Transmissions, channeled by Carissa Schumacher. The idea is that as we grow into greater consciousness, balance our imbalances, and allow Spirit more access to us, we gain clarity about our authentic, soul-aligned service and take part in it more freely. Rather than feeling like grunt work, service feels like genuine joy.
Bringing forward Root and Branch Spiritual Growth is part of my service through joy, and I’ve given myself plenty of room to try things out and learn what feels right. The experience is unfolding beautifully, and I’ve been deeply moved by the powerful intimacy of small groups. From the fall equinox ritual in Leeds to the ceremony with spiritually active women in Deerfield, the spiritual discussion group at Haydenville Church, and the online Soul Medicine book group, I have been nourished by time with others who care about connecting with their own souls and aligning with the divine call.
One path to finding our service through joy is deeply feeling and moving into alignment with our unique essence and allowing it to shine through. For me, I know this is related to justice work, even if I’m not yet certain what that looks like. I was recently inspired by Valarie Kaur, a civil rights leader, lawyer, filmmaker and author in Los Angeles who is working with faith-based organizations to resist ICE in California. In this week’s Soul Medicine book group, I’ll be sharing a clip from a keynote speech of hers that I attended last week. Her vision of Revolutionary Love is exactly what I feel is needed in this moment, and I’m excited to continue to learn how she is demonstrating what Revolutionary Love looks like right now. If you’re interested, I invite you to check out her work and her books. I have a feeling this may be the subject of a future book group!
My wish is that each of you continue on your unique path to spiritual growth and allow yourself space to find what feels inspiring, resonant and enlivening to you. And I hope you are able to turn that into your own service through joy.
Wherever you find yourself today, may you experience the peace of your own wholeness and connection within the fabric of life. I am glad you are a part of this community and I look forward to connecting with you.
With Love,
Heather