The psychological and physical violence that wants to erupt is calling for an equal and opposite healing presence from those of us who feel called to live into a new way of being. So, how do we change things? How can we become a more humanizing force in our communities?
I spent this weekend immersing myself in the latest research on narcissism, psychopathy, grandiosity, magical thinking, and delusional disorders, and I’m feeling deeply disturbed. It’s hard for me not to just throw up my hands, announce that the world has gone mad, find a cabin deep in some remote forest, and busy myself with feeding squirrels and reading poetry… I find myself turning to principles of shared humanity, intellectual humility, kindness, and my deep dedication to learning and growth.
Each of us will bump up against our empathy edges, those places we just don’t want to go, those people we just won’t let into our hearts.
Here I’m outlining key differences between power-over versus power-with consciousness, and we’re exploring the nonviolent, compassionate use of personal power and the impact that differences in power have on our relationships.
At the root of so much human suffering lies a fundamental question: Do I matter? The experience of mattering is one of our most core human needs. We want to matter to ourselves, to one another, to our communities. The experience of mattering also lies at the heart of meaningful social change efforts.