TIKKUN's Spiritual Dimension of Politics

Core Vision of an Interfaith Movement

In short, the political must have a spiritual dimension. This is a dimension of life which is rarely given attention in social change movements, but it is a central concern of the TIKKUN Community.Among the central building blocks of such a spiritual dimension:

the development of a personal spiritual practice such as meditation or prayer

the practice of generosity and sharing what we have with others, compassion toward others and toward oneself, including the open-hearted acceptance of one's own and other's flaws

developing the habit of affirming the being of others even when we may disagree with some of their beliefs or practices

careful attention to one's speech so as to not say hurtful things towards others

joyfulness and the affirmation of pleasure

treasuring our bodies through conscious eating and exercising (but without politically correct guilt trips)

the practice of forgiveness and repentance

giving to give and not to get

letting go of fantasies that we can control everything,

and recognizing that there is enough and that we are enough.

The Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP)

1) Advocates a New Bottom Line in America. This bottom takes into consideration not only how well institutions and the economy maximize money and power, but how well they maximizes love and caring, ethical and ecological sensitivity and behavior, kindness and generosity, non-violence and peace, and the extent to which they enhance our capacities to respond to other human beings in a way that honors them as embodiments of the sacred, and enhance our capacities to respond to the earth and the universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement.

2) Challenges the misuse of religion, God and spirit by the Religious Right and

3) Challenging the anti-religious and anti-spiritual assumptions and behaviors that have increasingly become part of the liberal culture

4) Challenges the extreme individualism and "me-firstism" that permeate all parts of the global market culture.

As long as I am posting about the spiritual dimension of politics I should not forget Houston's First UU Church - newsletter (pdf) and mp3s of sermons.

Tags: TIKKUN, religion, liberal, spirituality, politics, UU