Joy Is Not Neutral
Delight as Public Allegiance. As the Third Quarter Moon rises, we walk the Via Positiva awakening, blessing, and beholding the sacred in all things.
Opening the Circle
Let us stand in awe of the tenacity of the human spirit to persevere in the face of the terror wrought by the state. Through their gun shots and bluster, we rise up. We stand in the truth that no one should be mistreated or terrified. Terror and fear is a tool of the other side. We stand on the ground of God, and God is love. True love casts out fear, it does not create it.
May we encircle ourselves with love. May we encircle ourselves with blessing. May we awake to the strength flowing through us. May we behold the way of Mutual Aid and Care.
The Sacred Moment
Today, the third quarter moon rises, opening the middle way between light and darkness. May we feel the call to awe, to cosmic hospitality, to the art of savor, and to the kin-dom of God here and now. In the sacred light of the Third Quarter Moon, we walk the path of the Via Positiva: the way of wonder, the dance of delight, courage to speak the living Word of God into form. Our souls ache for blessing and community as we gather to taste the sweetness of life and share the joy with each other.
This is a moon to awaken, to bless, to behold.
Path Illumination
In this moment, as we meditate on the Via Positiva, we cannot lose our delight in marching together, standing together to show our solidarity and to make our voices heard. Those arrayed against us are trying to “flood the zone” and drown our enthusiasm and drive for justice. They are trying to wear us down and make our numbers dwindle so they can get everything they want no matter what is right. The best way we can fight back is to hold tight to our awe, wonder, and delight.
Every time I see the crowds coming out to protest, I am in awe of our presence. I find wonder in their courage and strength to speak out for what is right in the face of those who seek only harm and fear. I delight in the spirit of protest that is not afraid to speak the Word of God to the face of tyranny. The Word of God ever speaks for justice, for the marginalized, for the poor, and for the oppressed.
May we ever see the wonder of our numbers and delight in the work of God in our actions.
The Sacred Question
The question facing us today is simple: When we look at the field we tend, the space around us where we live, what can we do to keep delight in the work alive?
Embodied Practice
The spiritual practice we are called to right now is a hard one: We must savor the strength and power of the people to act in solidarity to make the voice of God heard by the people in power. This looks differently for different people. Think about the protest frogs, those who sing and dance at the marches, the ones who provide food and drink to the protesters to keep people strong.
Our practice it to transmute the anger and rage we feel through this awe, wonder, and delight into the joyful march toward the new day we all long to see. This is the the work: Be so filled with this delight that we joyfully proclaim the new day. This joy confuses the powerful and they do not know how to react to it.
Blessing of Becoming
Blessed are those who stand with the marginalized and oppressed.
Blessed are those who return love for their neighbors for the hate and fear sown among them.
Blessed are those who delight in the beloved community which rises like the phoenix in the face of tyranny.
Walk with joy and mission.
Speak with truth and love.
Act with delight and wonder.
Arm in arm and hand in hand, we will win the day.
Powerful framing of how joy becomes resistance. The idea that transmuting anger through delight confuses power structures is something I saw firsthand organizing mutual aid during the 2020 protests. When folks brought food, music, and care to demonstrations, it shifted the entire dynamic from reactive to generativ. The concept of savor as spiritual practice feels especially relevant when burnout is such a constant threat to sustained movement work.