This week’s audio is a riff on some thoughts that came up for me earlier this year when I was reading The Dispossessed (1974) by Ursula K. Le Guin, and preparing for my what is spiritual anarchy?! workshop. Lately, I’ve been feeling called back to talking about spiritual anarchy again and the foundations of energetic protection.
I taught what is spiritual anarchy?! this summer. It was a foundations class, but ultimately it was also an energetics class, about the philosophy that underlies the mechanics of the practice.
I’ve gotten the message that it’s time for me to teach another installment, focusing on energetic boundaries and how to use your internal technologies to support yourself within times of chaos. It’s a funny thing because boundaries aren’t even the word for what we’re really talking about, because the whole concept of defense becomes irrelevant at a certain point in spiritual mastery. But we’ll still also talk about practical, alchemical, and magical ways to build up your energetic and spiritual protection so that you can have room to understand the inherently girded frequencies of trust, wholeness, and integrity.
So for this new class, consider this the unofficial announcement: Spiritual anarchy and energetic boundaries is happening December 15th. It’ll be live and recorded. Pricing TBD, but will have sliding scale options. Sign up here to get on the list for more info about it once registration opens! More details to come, this is a landing page just to get started.
But to give a bit of a preview of what I’m talking about when I say that integrity is inherently protective…this quote from The Dispossessed relates to what I’m talking about.
The Dispossessed follows a scientist who is trying to bridge the gap between his anarchist home world with limited resources on a barren planet, and the wealthy but warmongering capitalist planet that he has found fame in, in order to develop a groundbreaking theory on time. It’s a novel that explores utopia, revolution, and the capacities and limits of both individualism and collectivism. It is fucking brilliant. Engaging, topical, philosophical, a good yarn; if you haven’t read it, don’t think about it, just do it.
In context, without spoilers, this quote is from a scene where the protagonist, Shevek, is being bullied by his professor/advisor who is trying to take credit for his scientific work. His advisor is trying to keep Shevek from publishing a paper under his own name, without overtly saying so, and they enter into a verbal dance of wits.
Seeing this quote for this first time, my body tingled. It felt so aligned to my understanding of spiritual anarchy - a philosophy of self-containment and resolve that makes one untouchable by external forces. The gentleness of Shevek isn’t a result of being a pushover, the opposite in fact: he is completely aware of his power in his situation. They are both citizens of the anarchist home world, the advisor isn’t his boss. Because of Shevek’s integration of their philosophies on autonomy, he recognizes his advisor’s hypocrisy, realizing inherently that there is no competition or battle: Shevek does not bow to his advisor’s tricks and therefore cannot lose even in the face of the professor’s anger, which leads to his eventual reluctant allowance of the paper’s publication.
When you recognize your own power, there is nothing that can take that away from you. It leaves those who would oppose you with no tactic or defense. This, as a side note, is also why martyrdom doesn’t work the way an enemy would expect it to - because while they perceive they have vanquished a foe, the virtue of that spirit lives on beyond the death of the martyr, and becomes a mythology stronger than any attempts to eradicate it. It remains alive in the hearts and memories of the people.
In short, this Dispossessed quote is powerful because it teaches that spirit in its integrity cannot be destroyed. It exists fully and takes up space without the need for resistance, defensiveness, battle, or opposition. That’s what we’ll be talking about in Spiritual anarchy and energetic boundaries.
I might put up the original spiritual anarchy class up on my website for a pay what you can price. If you’re interested, leave a comment or reply to this email and I’ll get you more info.
Keeping it short today. Tonight is Pluto’s last night in Capricorn. Get some rest and nourish yourself. New beginnings coming.
This is your usual reminder that my books are open for readings and mentorship.
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