when I was about eight years old I had a singing sleepover party with two of my
singing sleepover party with two of my
singing sleepover party with two of my best friends and we sang all night long
best friends and we sang all night long
best friends and we sang all night long from the 1970s top hits songbook and it
from the 1970s top hits songbook and it
from the 1970s top hits songbook and it was just fantastic our favorite song was
was just fantastic our favorite song was
was just fantastic our favorite song was the Age of Aquarius now this is from the
the Age of Aquarius now this is from the
the Age of Aquarius now this is from the Broadway musical hair for those of you
Broadway musical hair for those of you
Broadway musical hair for those of you who don’t know
who don’t know
who don’t know and this was 1970s so hair had just hit
and this was 1970s so hair had just hit
and this was 1970s so hair had just hit the Broadway scene and it was playing on
the Broadway scene and it was playing on
the Broadway scene and it was playing on the radio all the time and we were like
the radio all the time and we were like
the radio all the time and we were like we did solos for each other and we
we did solos for each other and we
we did solos for each other and we performed rounds for each other and we
performed rounds for each other and we
performed rounds for each other and we you know performed for my mother in the
you know performed for my mother in the
you know performed for my mother in the living room it was just such a blast and
living room it was just such a blast and
living room it was just such a blast and here are the lyrics the first few lyrics
here are the lyrics the first few lyrics
here are the lyrics the first few lyrics of the song and I am NOT gonna sing them
of the song and I am NOT gonna sing them
of the song and I am NOT gonna sing them it goes like this when the moon is in
it goes like this when the moon is in
it goes like this when the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns
the seventh house and Jupiter aligns
the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars then peace will guide the
with Mars then peace will guide the
with Mars then peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars we
planets and love will steer the stars we
planets and love will steer the stars we love this song and my eight-year-old
love this song and my eight-year-old
love this song and my eight-year-old self thought that like the Age of
self thought that like the Age of
self thought that like the Age of Aquarius was really a thing it was a
Aquarius was really a thing it was a
Aquarius was really a thing it was a thing that was gonna happen
thing that was gonna happen
thing that was gonna happen I was gonna grow up in a time as the
I was gonna grow up in a time as the
I was gonna grow up in a time as the lyrics promised of harmony and
lyrics promised of harmony and
lyrics promised of harmony and understanding sympathy and trust
understanding sympathy and trust
understanding sympathy and trust abounding and as I grew up I learned
abounding and as I grew up I learned
abounding and as I grew up I learned that life just isn’t that simple
that life just isn’t that simple
that life just isn’t that simple and the more that I learned about the
and the more that I learned about the
and the more that I learned about the sources of injustice and war and
sources of injustice and war and
sources of injustice and war and conflict it seemed so obvious to me that
conflict it seemed so obvious to me that
conflict it seemed so obvious to me that the answer was structural change that we
the answer was structural change that we
the answer was structural change that we needed to change the policies the way
needed to change the policies the way
needed to change the policies the way resources are allocated you know systems
resources are allocated you know systems
resources are allocated you know systems needed to change and if we did that the
needed to change and if we did that the
needed to change and if we did that the world would be better and so I decided
world would be better and so I decided
world would be better and so I decided to go to law school and while I was in
to go to law school and while I was in
to go to law school and while I was in law school I learned that structural
law school I learned that structural
law school I learned that structural change is in fact key
change is in fact key
change is in fact key but something happened while I was there
but something happened while I was there
but something happened while I was there that planted a seed for a more complex
that planted a seed for a more complex
that planted a seed for a more complex understanding of social transformation
understanding of social transformation
understanding of social transformation this was the early 90s and I was going
this was the early 90s and I was going
this was the early 90s and I was going to school in Buffalo New York and
to school in Buffalo New York and
to school in Buffalo New York and Operation Rescue which is an
Operation Rescue which is an
Operation Rescue which is an anti-abortion effort was sweeping the
anti-abortion effort was sweeping the
anti-abortion effort was sweeping the country trying to shut down women’s
country trying to shut down women’s
country trying to shut down women’s health care centers and a whole bunch of
health care centers and a whole bunch of
health care centers and a whole bunch of us decided to get clinic defense
us decided to get clinic defense
us decided to get clinic defense training and clinic defense training is
training and clinic defense training is
training and clinic defense training is basically we learned how to create a
basically we learned how to create a
basically we learned how to create a human barrier which is standing very
human barrier which is standing very
human barrier which is standing very close to each other you know locking
close to each other you know locking
close to each other you know locking legs and arms and standing three rows
legs and arms and standing three rows
legs and arms and standing three rows deep so that you can protect access to
deep so that you can protect access to
deep so that you can protect access to the health center and at the same time
the health center and at the same time
the health center and at the same time that we were getting a training on
that we were getting a training on
that we were getting a training on clinic defense right down the street at
clinic defense right down the street at
clinic defense right down the street at a local church Operation Rescue was
a local church Operation Rescue was
a local church Operation Rescue was getting training on clinic attack they
getting training on clinic attack they
getting training on clinic attack they were learning how to penetrate through
were learning how to penetrate through
were learning how to penetrate through human barriers and other kinds of civil
human barriers and other kinds of civil
human barriers and other kinds of civil disobedience on the day of this very
disobedience on the day of this very
disobedience on the day of this very well publicized demonstration the whole
well publicized demonstration the whole
well publicized demonstration the whole city of Buffalo was ready for a pitched
city of Buffalo was ready for a pitched
city of Buffalo was ready for a pitched battle press police everything there
battle press police everything there
battle press police everything there were hundreds of people busted we all
were hundreds of people busted we all
were hundreds of people busted we all took our positions around the health
took our positions around the health
took our positions around the health care center we were on one side they
care center we were on one side they
care center we were on one side they were on the other and that left this
were on the other and that left this
were on the other and that left this tiny tiny little lane for the women to
tiny tiny little lane for the women to
tiny tiny little lane for the women to walk through to keep their doctor’s
walk through to keep their doctor’s
walk through to keep their doctor’s appointments and every time a woman
appointments and every time a woman
appointments and every time a woman would approach the front door the
would approach the front door the
would approach the front door the operation rescue people would yell at
operation rescue people would yell at
operation rescue people would yell at her and every time they would yell at
her and every time they would yell at
her and every time they would yell at her we would yell at them and I was
her we would yell at them and I was
her we would yell at them and I was standing sort of near the front door of
standing sort of near the front door of
standing sort of near the front door of the Center and the door opened and a
the Center and the door opened and a
the Center and the door opened and a clinician came out and she waved me over
clinician came out and she waved me over
clinician came out and she waved me over and she said the patients are really
and she said the patients are really
and she said the patients are really scared and I said I know they’re really
scared and I said I know they’re really
scared and I said I know they’re really horrible and I pointed at the operation
horrible and I pointed at the operation
horrible and I pointed at the operation rescue people she said no no it’s not
rescue people she said no no it’s not
rescue people she said no no it’s not just them it’s all of you there’s too
just them it’s all of you there’s too
just them it’s all of you there’s too much shouting there are patients in here
much shouting there are patients in here
much shouting there are patients in here please be more quiet and she shut the
please be more quiet and she shut the
please be more quiet and she shut the door and she went back inside and I was
door and she went back inside and I was
door and she went back inside and I was stunned because the last thing in the
stunned because the last thing in the
stunned because the last thing in the whole wide world that I wanted to do was
whole wide world that I wanted to do was
whole wide world that I wanted to do was to contribute to the suffering and the
to contribute to the suffering and the
to contribute to the suffering and the fear of the women that I had come to
fear of the women that I had come to
fear of the women that I had come to protect so I went back to my place in
protect so I went back to my place in
protect so I went back to my place in the line and I tried to get people to be
the line and I tried to get people to be
the line and I tried to get people to be more quiet which was futile and
more quiet which was futile and
more quiet which was futile and finally you know 200 arrests later the
finally you know 200 arrests later the
finally you know 200 arrests later the day came to an end and we felt very
day came to an end and we felt very
day came to an end and we felt very proud that we’d actually managed to keep
proud that we’d actually managed to keep
proud that we’d actually managed to keep the health center open but we packed up
the health center open but we packed up
the health center open but we packed up our things our signs our cars and we
our things our signs our cars and we
our things our signs our cars and we went back into our daily lives and
went back into our daily lives and
went back into our daily lives and something about this day just stuck with
something about this day just stuck with
something about this day just stuck with me and I went on to graduate from law
me and I went on to graduate from law
me and I went on to graduate from law school and I went into public policy I
school and I went into public policy I
school and I went into public policy I was working on women’s health and social
was working on women’s health and social
was working on women’s health and social justice and I was fighting the good
justice and I was fighting the good
justice and I was fighting the good fight emphasis on the word fight people
fight emphasis on the word fight people
fight emphasis on the word fight people who disagreed with me on policy
who disagreed with me on policy
who disagreed with me on policy positions I considered my enemy they
positions I considered my enemy they
positions I considered my enemy they were the enemy other and every day began
were the enemy other and every day began
were the enemy other and every day began and ended with my working to defeat them
and ended with my working to defeat them
and ended with my working to defeat them and this went on for years over a decade
and this went on for years over a decade
and this went on for years over a decade actually it’s licensed by early 40s and
actually it’s licensed by early 40s and
actually it’s licensed by early 40s and a health crisis like stop me in my
a health crisis like stop me in my
a health crisis like stop me in my tracks and for the first time in my life
tracks and for the first time in my life
tracks and for the first time in my life I had to orient myself inward in a way
I had to orient myself inward in a way
I had to orient myself inward in a way that I I never had and in addition to
that I I never had and in addition to
that I I never had and in addition to some very excellent Western medical care
some very excellent Western medical care
some very excellent Western medical care I turned to eastern practices known for
I turned to eastern practices known for
I turned to eastern practices known for healing and well-being like yoga and Tai
healing and well-being like yoga and Tai
healing and well-being like yoga and Tai Chi and meditation and acupuncture and
Chi and meditation and acupuncture and
Chi and meditation and acupuncture and during this period I I found this
during this period I I found this
during this period I I found this exercise in the back of a book that I
exercise in the back of a book that I
exercise in the back of a book that I was reading it was called heart opening
was reading it was called heart opening
was reading it was called heart opening exercise I was like I don’t know I
exercise I was like I don’t know I
exercise I was like I don’t know I didn’t even know my heart needed opening
didn’t even know my heart needed opening
didn’t even know my heart needed opening you know until I did this exercise and
you know until I did this exercise and
you know until I did this exercise and the instructions were really simple you
the instructions were really simple you
the instructions were really simple you just you put your hand on your heart and
just you put your hand on your heart and
just you put your hand on your heart and you cradle it like it’s a baby and when
you cradle it like it’s a baby and when
you cradle it like it’s a baby and when you feel that empathic connection to
you feel that empathic connection to
you feel that empathic connection to something you really care about you ask
something you really care about you ask
something you really care about you ask your heart what’s troubling it when I
your heart what’s troubling it when I
your heart what’s troubling it when I did this the backlog of sadness and
did this the backlog of sadness and
did this the backlog of sadness and grief that just rushed out really took
grief that just rushed out really took
grief that just rushed out really took me by surprise and it was such a
me by surprise and it was such a
me by surprise and it was such a tremendous relief to express this this
tremendous relief to express this this
tremendous relief to express this this emotion that actually did this exercise
emotion that actually did this exercise
emotion that actually did this exercise like regularly for about a year and I
like regularly for about a year and I
like regularly for about a year and I still do it from time to time but if
still do it from time to time but if
still do it from time to time but if this was a period of time to really you
this was a period of time to really you
this was a period of time to really you know
know
know release my emotion and as I learned how
release my emotion and as I learned how
release my emotion and as I learned how to do this
to do this
to do this III felt better and better these
III felt better and better these
III felt better and better these practices they helped me heal and they
practices they helped me heal and they
practices they helped me heal and they also gave me the big aha that I had been
also gave me the big aha that I had been
also gave me the big aha that I had been living out of values alignment that
living out of values alignment that
living out of values alignment that while I valued peace and love
while I valued peace and love
while I valued peace and love I yearned for peace and love like many
I yearned for peace and love like many
I yearned for peace and love like many activists I was living filled with anger
activists I was living filled with anger
activists I was living filled with anger and rage my daily fight had led me to
and rage my daily fight had led me to
and rage my daily fight had led me to build a fortress around my heart nothing
build a fortress around my heart nothing
build a fortress around my heart nothing could really get in and nothing could
could really get in and nothing could
could really get in and nothing could really get out and as I learned how to
really get out and as I learned how to
really get out and as I learned how to peel the layers back from around my
peel the layers back from around my
peel the layers back from around my heart something unexpected and really
heart something unexpected and really
heart something unexpected and really vital happened which was that I began to
vital happened which was that I began to
vital happened which was that I began to feel connected to all human hearts
feel connected to all human hearts
feel connected to all human hearts including my enemies and this is where
including my enemies and this is where
including my enemies and this is where the seed that was planted in Buffalo
the seed that was planted in Buffalo
the seed that was planted in Buffalo began to blossom because I I wanted to
began to blossom because I I wanted to
began to blossom because I I wanted to be an activist in a way that reflected
be an activist in a way that reflected
be an activist in a way that reflected my now knowing and deepening
my now knowing and deepening
my now knowing and deepening understanding that we’re all
understanding that we’re all
understanding that we’re all interconnected that the knee bone is
interconnected that the knee bone is
interconnected that the knee bone is connected to the shin bone and therefore
connected to the shin bone and therefore
connected to the shin bone and therefore our social change process really matters
our social change process really matters
our social change process really matters if we want a world filled with peace and
if we want a world filled with peace and
if we want a world filled with peace and love our process has to be somehow
love our process has to be somehow
love our process has to be somehow grounded in peace and love and I’ve been
grounded in peace and love and I’ve been
grounded in peace and love and I’ve been thinking a lot about this it can be very
thinking a lot about this it can be very
thinking a lot about this it can be very challenging very challenging and here’s
challenging very challenging and here’s
challenging very challenging and here’s what I’ve come to grounding and peace
what I’ve come to grounding and peace
what I’ve come to grounding and peace and love does not mean that we have to
and love does not mean that we have to
and love does not mean that we have to get soft it does not mean that we have
get soft it does not mean that we have
get soft it does not mean that we have to lose our moral discernment it does
to lose our moral discernment it does
to lose our moral discernment it does not mean that we cannot rise up in
not mean that we cannot rise up in
not mean that we cannot rise up in protest and resistance together in the
protest and resistance together in the
protest and resistance together in the face of injustice and wrongdoing but it
face of injustice and wrongdoing but it
face of injustice and wrongdoing but it does mean that somehow we have to find a
does mean that somehow we have to find a
does mean that somehow we have to find a way to get beyond the enemy paradigm
way to get beyond the enemy paradigm
way to get beyond the enemy paradigm beyond the enemy reflex beyond the
beyond the enemy reflex beyond the
beyond the enemy reflex beyond the necessity to make an enemy other that we
necessity to make an enemy other that we
necessity to make an enemy other that we can demonize
can demonize
can demonize and to do that we need a social change
and to do that we need a social change
and to do that we need a social change process that is both personal and
process that is both personal and
process that is both personal and structural it is an inside job and an
structural it is an inside job and an
structural it is an inside job and an outside job the inside job is to work on
outside job the inside job is to work on
outside job the inside job is to work on healing ourselves and building the
healing ourselves and building the
healing ourselves and building the personal capacity for being peaceful and
personal capacity for being peaceful and
personal capacity for being peaceful and loving and the outside job is to work on
loving and the outside job is to work on
loving and the outside job is to work on building systems and structures and
building systems and structures and
building systems and structures and policies that support the well-being of
policies that support the well-being of
policies that support the well-being of everybody and the planet that we share
everybody and the planet that we share
everybody and the planet that we share it is a both and because who we are as
it is a both and because who we are as
it is a both and because who we are as people
people
people shapes the structures we create and the
shapes the structures we create and the
shapes the structures we create and the structures we create shape who we are as
structures we create shape who we are as
structures we create shape who we are as people so this is a collective work in
people so this is a collective work in
people so this is a collective work in progress with a long legacy to build on
progress with a long legacy to build on
progress with a long legacy to build on and I’ll share just a small example from
and I’ll share just a small example from
and I’ll share just a small example from my own life recently a few months ago I
my own life recently a few months ago I
my own life recently a few months ago I was in Arizona and I was at a
was in Arizona and I was at a
was in Arizona and I was at a demonstration for immigrants rights
demonstration for immigrants rights
demonstration for immigrants rights standing up together with people to
standing up together with people to
standing up together with people to protest the horrible conditions that
protest the horrible conditions that
protest the horrible conditions that people are living under in the policies
people are living under in the policies
people are living under in the policies in Arizona and in other places in the
in Arizona and in other places in the
in Arizona and in other places in the country and I was with a sea of people
country and I was with a sea of people
country and I was with a sea of people we were walking down downtown Phoenix
we were walking down downtown Phoenix
we were walking down downtown Phoenix and standing on the corner there was a
and standing on the corner there was a
and standing on the corner there was a man who was kind of having his own
man who was kind of having his own
man who was kind of having his own counter demonstration yes by himself
counter demonstration yes by himself
counter demonstration yes by himself it’s carrying a sign and he was
it’s carrying a sign and he was
it’s carrying a sign and he was screaming the top of his lungs military
screaming the top of his lungs military
screaming the top of his lungs military families before immigrant families
families before immigrant families
families before immigrant families military families before immigrant
military families before immigrant
military families before immigrant families and now this is 25 years after
families and now this is 25 years after
families and now this is 25 years after my experience in Buffalo and so I the
my experience in Buffalo and so I the
my experience in Buffalo and so I the old me would have just normally like
old me would have just normally like
old me would have just normally like yelled back at him and kept right on
yelled back at him and kept right on
yelled back at him and kept right on walking but neither of us would have
walking but neither of us would have
walking but neither of us would have seen each other or hurt each other and
seen each other or hurt each other and
seen each other or hurt each other and so instead I caught my enemy reflex and
so instead I caught my enemy reflex and
so instead I caught my enemy reflex and I decided to do something different and
I decided to do something different and
I decided to do something different and I I took a breath I calmed myself down
I I took a breath I calmed myself down
I I took a breath I calmed myself down and I approached him with genuine care
and I approached him with genuine care
and I approached him with genuine care and I said to him you know I also care
and I said to him you know I also care
and I said to him you know I also care about military families
about military families
about military families and I care about immigrant families is
and I care about immigrant families is
and I care about immigrant families is there a way that you could imagine we
there a way that you could imagine we
there a way that you could imagine we could care about both and in this one
could care about both and in this one
could care about both and in this one moment it’s something small but
moment it’s something small but
moment it’s something small but important shifted he couldn’t dismiss me
important shifted he couldn’t dismiss me
important shifted he couldn’t dismiss me as quickly as he wanted to and I
as quickly as he wanted to and I
as quickly as he wanted to and I couldn’t dismiss him and so we stood
couldn’t dismiss him and so we stood
couldn’t dismiss him and so we stood there we actually exchanged a few
there we actually exchanged a few
there we actually exchanged a few sentences real sentences but importantly
sentences real sentences but importantly
sentences real sentences but importantly we exchanged the humanity of seeing each
we exchanged the humanity of seeing each
we exchanged the humanity of seeing each other and that was it and I kept walking
other and that was it and I kept walking
other and that was it and I kept walking and wondering does any of this matter at
and wondering does any of this matter at
and wondering does any of this matter at all now chaos theory tells us that a
all now chaos theory tells us that a
all now chaos theory tells us that a very small shift somewhere in a complex
very small shift somewhere in a complex
very small shift somewhere in a complex system can have a huge impact somewhere
system can have a huge impact somewhere
system can have a huge impact somewhere else in the system and I have no idea
else in the system and I have no idea
else in the system and I have no idea whether what happened that day had any
whether what happened that day had any
whether what happened that day had any impact on him but I know the impact that
impact on him but I know the impact that
impact on him but I know the impact that it had on me and that is what gives me
it had on me and that is what gives me
it had on me and that is what gives me the faith that this is the kind of
the faith that this is the kind of
the faith that this is the kind of healing that we need to see each other
healing that we need to see each other
healing that we need to see each other as essentially related and connected
as essentially related and connected
as essentially related and connected we’re part of each other and that we
we’re part of each other and that we
we’re part of each other and that we have what it takes to build the bridges
have what it takes to build the bridges
have what it takes to build the bridges across the things that divide us it’s in
across the things that divide us it’s in
across the things that divide us it’s in here it’s out here and this is what I
here it’s out here and this is what I
here it’s out here and this is what I have come to think that the song the Age
have come to think that the song the Age
have come to think that the song the Age of Aquarius is actually all about the
of Aquarius is actually all about the
of Aquarius is actually all about the lyrics of the song promised that when
lyrics of the song promised that when
lyrics of the song promised that when Jupiter and Mars align in the sky
Jupiter and Mars align in the sky
Jupiter and Mars align in the sky there’s gonna be the spontaneous shift
there’s gonna be the spontaneous shift
there’s gonna be the spontaneous shift in human consciousness and suddenly
in human consciousness and suddenly
in human consciousness and suddenly peace and love will prevail but we know
peace and love will prevail but we know
peace and love will prevail but we know from astronomy that Jupiter and Mars
from astronomy that Jupiter and Mars
from astronomy that Jupiter and Mars actually line up regularly
actually line up regularly
actually line up regularly and we’re still waiting and working so
and we’re still waiting and working so
and we’re still waiting and working so instead of thinking of it as an
instead of thinking of it as an
instead of thinking of it as an astrological prediction the way that I
astrological prediction the way that I
astrological prediction the way that I did when I was a kid I now think of it
did when I was a kid I now think of it
did when I was a kid I now think of it as a metaphor as a call to us Earthlings
as a metaphor as a call to us Earthlings
as a metaphor as a call to us Earthlings to align the inner world of the human
to align the inner world of the human
to align the inner world of the human heart with the outer world of what we
heart with the outer world of what we
heart with the outer world of what we human beings create and if we could
human beings create and if we could
human beings create and if we could align these two worlds then we can
align these two worlds then we can
align these two worlds then we can create the Age of Aquarius and we can
create the Age of Aquarius and we can
create the Age of Aquarius and we can create a time when peace will guide the
create a time when peace will guide the
create a time when peace will guide the planets and love will steer the Stars
planets and love will steer the Stars
planets and love will steer the Stars thank you
”
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