A Ritual For Voting
I’m a nervous messy buffet table of anxiety and fear today. It probably doesn’t help that I have been compulsively addicted to the news for weeks, which, like all addictions can be toxic when not in moderation.
But “turning away” or completely distracting myself isn’t a solution either. So when the news becomes too much today, I’m channeling my civic attention and intention towards bigger ideas - wisdom from history, poetry, and good conversations ignited by interesting question.
Listen
Play uplifting music.
Let these voices remind you that you're not alone. Allow yourself to feel part of a long continuation of Americans struggling for freedom and justice that started long before you - and will continue long after.
2. Ground in Gratitude
As David Steindl-Rast teaches, we cannot be grateful for every thing, but we can be grateful in every moment. Acknowledge your many privileges. Remember to breathe. Keep remembering.
The guide has a 5min guided gratitude meditation from Zoey Belyea. I'm also a fan of this prayer from @labshul:
3. Frame
Take a brief break from the news to read some "civic scripture" - important writings, speeches, and poetry from American history and herstory. Encounter the shared words and wisdom that our democracy is built upon.
We abolished slavery, prohibited racial discrimination, and made men and women people of equal citizenship stature. In the vanguard of those perfections were citizens just like you, of every race and creed, making ever more vibrant our national creed: E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one).
Ruth Badar Ginsburg
Naturalization Ceremony Remarks 2018
How I still want to sing despite all the truth
of our wars and our gunshots ringing louder
than our school bells, our politicians smiling
lies at the mic, the deadlock of our divided
voices shouting over each other instead of
singing together. How I want to sing again—
beautiful or not, just to be harmony—from
sea to shining sea—with the only country
I know enough to know how to sing for.
Richard Blanco
from America the Beautiful Again
4. Reflect and Discuss
Momentous occasions give permission to ask big questions of yourself and the people you're gathered with. Today is an opportunity to go deep. Some of my favorites from the guide:
"What are you willing to change your mind about?"
"What will be needed restore our faith in our fellow Americans and in our country?"
"What is the role of a citizen in a democracy?"
5. Symbolize
Action is the cure for anxiety. If this election has stirred up emotions, what are you going to do about it? And how are you going to hold yourself accountable?
Oaths can be a useful tool to symbolically externalize your internal commitments. Inspired by the naturalization oath, the guide includes a "sworn-again oath" to recommit yourself to the responsibilities of citizenship. Get ritual-y with it.