Drawing from her life's research in spirituality, research in Political Communication at the University of Washington and political involvement from East Coast to West, Jaelle discusses problems inherent in a nation that separates the spiritual from the political and offers solutions to resolve the disconnect.
Politics and spirituality are inextricably bound—public policies affect moral living and moral living is essential to spiritual progress. Unless we move towards an act of goodness that brings about a recognizable world change, politics will calcify in the wake of greed and power.
The United States government started a bonfire in the Middle East, which is now apparently a poor fit with U.S. citizens' values. There is both a feeling of helplessness and a terrible sense of political paralysis. It is easy being spiritual; it's difficult being political. All major religions teach, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," and there's a growing recognition that as spiritual beings it is imperative that we act.
Learning how to love may be a lost art, and yet, an act of goodness begins with learning how to love even the meanest of beings.