Healers, Heal Thyselves: Finding Ground in Groundless Times

I started writing this blog post with a litany of all the things happening in the world that scare me and break my heart. Then I stopped. We've all recited that list a thousand times already, as though naming the terrors helps us find the answer to "what should I do." But here's what I'm learning: reciting the horrors isn't the path forward. Stopping the perseverating is.

The news comes fast and furious these days: a relentless stream that leaves even those of us living in peaceful places feeling unmoored. Here in beautiful Portugal, far from the direct chaos, I found myself exclaiming "Oh crap! I almost forgot my appointment!" three times in one week. My spouse noticed something was off. Then I completely miscalculated a time zone difference for the first time in five years.

Even at this distance, my nervous system is dysregulated. And here's the thing: my job is to co-regulate. I'm supposed to provide a peaceful, safer space where people can breathe easier, think easier, and feel easier so they can reclaim their rootedness, their alignment with love, their sense of aliveness.

If you're a care provider, whether you're a spiritual companion, therapist, minister, massage therapist, bartender, or house cleaner, you know exactly what I mean. We show up to help others find their center while our own ground feels like it's shifting beneath our feet.

The Oxygen Mask Principle

You know the airplane safety instruction: put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others. It's not selfish: it's essential. When the world feels like it's tilting off its axis, those of us in caring professions need to double down on our own grounding practices.

How do we continue to hug children, cook good meals, notice the sun and stars and breezes and trees? How do we show up wholeheartedly for our day-to-day tasks when everything feels urgent and uncertain?

The answer isn't to push through or tough it out. The answer is to tend to ourselves with the same compassion we offer others.

What Feeds Your Soul?

Take a moment right now. Ask yourself: What do I do to care for my soul? Your heart? Your wholeness?

Whatever comes to mind: do more of that.

Maybe it's listening to activists who've been in this struggle for decades, who know strategy and can guide you toward effective action. Maybe it's diving deep into wisdom teachings: Pema Chödrön speaking about living with fear, or whatever spiritual resources anchor you.

Maybe it's simpler: turning off the TV and cell phone and sitting under a tree for an afternoon. Diving into the water at your municipal pool. Scheduling an extra spiritual direction appointment. Singing at the top of your lungs. Playing with a cat.

"Punkin", an orange cat crouched in leaves, photo by Hawthorne Post

Permission to Turn Toward Sustenance

We live in a culture that glorifies the helper who gives until empty, but that's not sustainable, and it's not actually helpful. When we're running on fumes, we can't offer the presence others need.

So here's your permission slip: Turn toward whatever sustains you. Not as an indulgence, but as a necessity. Not just for yourself, but for your family, for the people you care for.

And here's something crucial: many people don't have access to the things that help them ground and heal. We can't expect folks to bootstrap their self-care when they're struggling just to survive. If you're one of those people, it's more than okay to ask for help. Reaching out isn't weakness: it's wisdom.

The world needs care providers who are grounded, resourced, and present. It needs

 healers who have done their own healing work, who continue to do it daily.

The Radical Act of Self-Care

In times of chaos, caring for ourselves becomes a radical act of resistance. When we stay connected to beauty... to sunlight filtering through leaves, to the taste of a good meal, to the comfort of an embrace... we're maintaining our humanity in the face of forces that would strip it away.

When we tend to our own nervous systems, we create ripples of calm in an anxious world. Every time we choose presence over panic, groundedness over reactivity, we're offering a gift not just to ourselves but to everyone whose life we touch.

So healers, heal thyselves. The world needs you: whole, grounded, and fully alive.

Beloved, you are whole, holy and worthy,

Rev Amy Beltaine

This Justice and Spirituality series is ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. You may freely reprint any blog post, website, or print resource. Simply include the following attribution, and if you print online, make the link at the end live.

Article ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. This article and hundreds of others, along with other free resources are available at www.AmyBeltaine

 Where Do You Go for Soul Counsel?

Quick question: where do you go when your heart needs guidance, not your career or your relationships, but your actual soul? When the work of justice feels too heavy to carry alone?

Most of us have this figured out for everything else. Therapists for our minds. Doctors for our bodies. Financial advisors for our money. Personal trainers for our fitness goals. But when our spirits need tending? When we're wrestling with questions that keep us awake under the moon's light?

• Am I living my purpose?
• How do I stay rooted when the world feels chaotic?
• When my values conflict with tactics, how do I discern right action?
• What does the Sacred ask of me in this moment?

We're often left fumbling in the dark.

Sunset, Sandpiper Beach, Oregon, Photo by Hawthorne Post

The Three Wells of Wisdom

Spiritual companioning creates space to draw from all three wells of wisdom:

• Moon wisdom - the celestial knowledge of sacred teachings, ancient practices, and institutional wisdom that has guided seekers for millennia.
• Forest wisdom - the interconnected knowing that emerges from community, relationship, and our recognition that we don't walk this path alone.
• Bone wisdom - the deep inner knowing that lives in your body, your intuition, the truth that no institution can give you because it's already planted in your bones.

This is where justice makers come when activism burns them out but the calling remains. Where earth tenders seek discernment about their next right action. Where League of Women Voters organizers and  ministers and Pagans and all kinds of spiritual care providers learn to trust the deeper knowing that emerges when all three sources of wisdom are honored.

Because when you're connected to your source of meaning, really connected, you have strength and resources for the long work ahead that you simply can't access any other way.

Sacred Questions Need Sacred Space

Spirit tending isn't therapy, though it can be healing. It isn't advice-giving, though clarity often emerges. It isn't religious instruction, though it honors the sacred however you understand it.

It's companion work for the deep questions. The ones that matter most. The ones that shape how you show up in a world that desperately needs your gifts.

When the headlines break your heart daily, where do you go to tend that grief and find strength to continue? When you feel called to something but aren't sure what, who walks alongside you in the discernment? When your spiritual practice feels stale or your activism feels hollow, where do you go to reconnect with the fire that first lit your path?

Sacred questions need sacred space. And sacred space is what the work of spiritual direction provides.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,
Rev. Amy

Companioning soul-weary change-makers becoming rooted, aligned, and alive again.

May the 4th Be With You: Rising Together Against Empire

Every May 4th, fans across the galaxy celebrate Star Wars — but this isn't just about lightsabers and epic space battles. At its core, Star Wars is a story about resistance. It’s about ordinary beings choosing to rise up against a brutal Empire, refusing to let fear, apathy, or despair win. Today, let's remember the spiritual heart of the Rebellion — and what it can teach us in our own time.

Let us celebrate the message within Star Wars — a saga not only of battles and planets, but of people who commit to doing what’s right when the outcome is uncertain. These stories are filled with reminders that even in the bleakest moments, we are still called to the work: to resist empire, to protect what we love, and to hold fast to one another.

✨ “Rebellions are built on hope.” – Jyn Erso, Rogue One

But they are not, are they? They are built on relationship, commitment, love, perseverence. The film "Rogue One" was entirely about a group doing what needed to be done, knowing they were almost guaranteed not to survive. Rebellions are not just built on strategy or numbers. They’re built on people who show up, who choose integrity when it costs them something, who continue even when they can’t see how things will end. The Rebellion holds because people refuse to quit — not because they’re sure they’ll win, but because they know who they are.

🌀 “The Force will be with you, always.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi, (Original Series)

This isn’t about magical power. It’s about trust. About being connected to something deeper — call it Spirit, or Source, or just the sacredness of life. Even in exile, even in ruin, the Force is with those who align themselves with justice and compassion.

💥 “I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.” – Chirrut Îmwe, Rogue One

Chirrut did not actually wield the force. He believed that all were connected through the force. A breath, a chant, a commitment. When the world feels too much, we return to this rhythm. We are not alone. Our actions matter. Even if we fall, the work continues — and we are part of something greater than ourselves.

🛡 “It’s not about fighting what we hate. It’s about saving what we love.” – Rose Tico, Last Jedi

When exhaustion and despair creep in, we remember: we aren’t just resisting. We’re protecting. We’re tending to what matters — the earth, each other, future generations. The Rebellion isn’t just opposition. It’s care, courage, and love-in-action.

🔥 "We have everything we need." – General Leia Organa, The Last Jedi

Empires rely on fear, silence, and division. But the people — when we remember our strength, when we organize, when we hold fast to our values — are more powerful than any Death Star.

General Leia Organa

So today, on May the 4th, may the Force be with you.

Not as a promise of victory, but as a companion in the long work of compassion, disruption, and repair. We are not called to be heroes — only to be faithful to the work. Whether you're a healer, a dreamer, a fighter, or a farmer: the path of resistance is yours to walk.

This is how we endure.
This is how we belong.
This is how we rise.

May the 4th be with you. And with us all.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

When the World is on Fire: Why Spiritual Care Still Matters

Not everyone has to be a fire fighter to put out a fire. Some of us have to be water carriers.

When authoritarianism rises, when rights are stripped away, when the fabric of society frays—what is the point of tending to small things? What is the point of spiritual care when fascism gains ground?

The answer is simple, but not easy: the work of spiritual care still matters. In fact, it matters more.

Naming the Tensions

In a moment like this, we’re pulled in many directions.

• Panic: Drop everything. Scream. Mobilize.
• Grief: Lie down and cry. Lose faith in what we do.
• Numbness: Pretend it’s not happening. Keep busy. Keep scrolling.
• Determination: Carry on with work and routines as if nothing has changed.

And for those of us whose work centers around care, spirit, healing, and justice, there’s an added tension:

How do I do this work now? Is it selfish to keep tending to my practice, to my livelihood, to my own healing while the world is burning?

Burning dumpster at George Floyd protests in Washington DC, Lafayette Square by Rosa Pineda CC4.0

Yes, Your Work Still Matters

I want to say this clearly: spiritual care is not a luxury. It is not optional. It is not secondary to “real” resistance.

Spiritual care is part of resistance.

The practices we offer—presence, reflection, discernment, connection, grief-holding, joy-tending—these are what keep people human in the face of dehumanization. These are what make the difference between despair and determination, between burnout and resilience.

If you’re a caregiver, a healer, a spiritual companion, your work is part of the resistance. You are offering people a lifeline. You are helping them find their ground when the world is shaking.

Personal Crisis in Public Crisis

And what if your personal life is also unraveling? What if you’re navigating divorce, illness, poverty, grief?

Well, of course that is happening. Life is still “life-ing.”. That’s not a disqualification. That’s part of the truth.

Your heartbreak does not make your care less valuable. It may, in fact, deepen it.

Your questions about what to keep, what to let go, and what to rebuild—those are holy questions.

There’s no shame in regrouping. There’s no shame in starting over. There is no shame in needing care and offering it. We are in this together, and none of us is immune to the ache of these times.

So How Do We Go On?

• Gently. With ourselves. With one another. With the work.
• Imperfectly. Trusting that “enough” is still sacred.
• Creatively. Letting old models go if needed, experimenting with what still resonates.
• With discernment. Listening for what’s real, what’s needed, what’s yours to hold.

Try This

1. Set a timer for ten minutes.
2. Ask yourself: What part of my work still feels alive?
3. Write down whatever comes. Don’t judge.
4. Then ask: What needs to rest? What’s worth tending now?

You’re not alone in this.

The work of care—spiritual, emotional, communal—is never easy, and even less so in times of crisis. But it is still ours to do. Not perfectly. Not endlessly. But with presence, with honesty, and with courage. The world may be on fire, and still, we keep lighting candles. Not to deny the dark, but to remember we are not forsaken. Our work remains. We remain. Let’s keep tending the sacred together.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

Apophatic and Cataphatic Orientations in Spiritual Tending

Apophatic and Cataphatic? Embrace the World or Renounce the World? 

How do you experience the Sacred? Is it through the beauty of the world around you, or through moments of stillness and unknowing? In spiritual care, we meet seekers who walk both of these paths—and everything in between. Understanding these paths helps us meet each person where they are, offering the deep companionship they need.

In spiritual care, we encounter a wide variety of ways to engage the Sacred, both in our own practices and in the lives of those we companion. Two of the most profound approaches are apophatic and cataphatic spirituality. These two paths offer rich insights for spiritual companions. Understanding them helps us nurture deeper connections with seekers of all temperaments, honoring their unique spiritual needs.

These orientations are deeply intertwined with the tension between world-embracing and world-rejecting spiritualities—each offering its own invitation into the Sacred. For some, the Divine is woven into the very fabric of life itself, while others emphasize detachment or renunciation as a means to encounter the Sacred. Each path is valid, yet cultural biases often nudge us toward one or the other. In some religious circles, especially within Christian traditions, there is the belief that true spirituality must somehow be opposed to the world—often equating it with austerity, detachment, and even renunciation of possessions or societal involvement. On the other hand, world-embracing practices are often more visible in modern spiritual landscapes, where connection with the material world is seen as a gateway to the Divine.

Spiritual companions can be a gentle presence that challenges these biases, helping seekers honor the sacredness of both paths. We can affirm that neither is more spiritually advanced than the other, but each offers a unique way of encountering the Divine and finding meaning in our lives.

Dharma Lyon Yogi- NY Public Library CC1.0

See also this post about Spiritual Companioning: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-heart-of-spiritual-direction.html

Apophatic and Cataphatic: What Do They Mean?

These terms come from Christian mystical traditions but resonate across many spiritual paths:

• Cataphatic (via positiva): This is the way of presence, imagery, and affirmation. It includes prayers, visions, symbols, and experiences of the Divine that have form—like a loving deity, sacred texts, rituals, or felt encounters with the Sacred.
• Apophatic (via negativa): This is the way of unknowing, silence, and letting go of images. It acknowledges that words and concepts ultimately fall short, emphasizing mystery, emptiness, and the Divine beyond comprehension.

These orientations appear across traditions. Paganisms, for example, tend to embrace cataphatic spirituality. By contrast, many monastic or ascetic traditions lean toward apophatic spirituality. (See also this post on Mysticism: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/mysticism-and-spiritual-direction.html)

While apophatic spirituality emphasizes unknowing and letting go, and cataphatic spirituality engages the senses and imagination, these are not opposing paths. As Gerald May suggests, deep spiritual practice often weaves both together—silence and word, emptiness and vision—rather than rigidly adhering to one alone.

Via Positiva / Via Negativa: Paths to find the Sacred

In Latin languages the word "via" means way, or road. I like to think of it as a path. In spiritual care, the Via Positiva and Via Negativa offer two distinct, yet complementary, paths for engaging the Sacred, each shaped by its own journey of discovery and unknowing. The Via Positiva focuses on engagement with the world through imagery and presence, where the Divine is manifest in the tangible. In contrast, the Via Negativa emphasizes silence and unknowing, where the emphasis is on detachment from the material.

Via Positiva (The Path of Affirmation)

The Via Positiva is the path of engagement with the Sacred through presence, immanence, and affirmation. Those on this path seek the Divine through the world around them—through nature, art, relationships, and the richness of life itself. Images, symbols, and rituals are often central to this orientation, with seekers finding the Sacred in the tangible and the manifest. It celebrates life as a reflection of the Divine and invites us to experience the world with awe and gratitude.

This path is world-embracing, understanding all that is as inherently sacred. Those who travel the Via Positiva often find connection to the Divine through the beauty and complexity of the world. They may engage in practices like prayer, dance, communal worship, and celebration—expressing reverence through the very acts of living and being present in the world.

For those interested in exploring the traditions of mysticism, works like Starhawk's The Spiral Dance or Matthew Fox’s Original Blessing offer rich insights.

Spiritual practices associated with this path include: Ritual, Ecstatic dance, Lectio Divina, Ignatian imaginative prayer, Embodied practices, Community song, and Devotional art

Via Negativa (The Path of Absence and Renunciation)

The Via Negativa, on the other hand, emphasizes detachment, renunciation, and the Sacred found in emptiness, silence, and absence. Seekers on this path are drawn away from the material world and its distractions, turning inward or into the depths of mystery. The Via Negativa emphasizes that the Divine is not something that can be contained by words, concepts, or images. It calls us to let go of the forms and symbols that shape our experience of the world, leading us to encounter the Sacred in the ineffable, the unknowable, and the unseen.

This path is often understood as world-rejecting, not in the sense of negating the world entirely but in the sense of detachment from attachment to its fleeting forms. The seeker is called into deeper states of stillness, solitude, and contemplation, where they can experience the Divine beyond all images and concepts. Practices such as silent meditation, fasting, solitude, and centering prayer are often part of this path, guiding the seeker to encounter the Sacred in the silence and emptiness that transcends the visible world.

Via Negativa can be an orientation that helps you simplify life and shed attachments to false happiness. Apophatic spirituality isn't just about mystical experience but also about practical, everyday detachment from illusion. Fasting, silence, or voluntary simplicity are ways to engage in via negativa in daily practice.

Spiritual practices associated with this path include: Centering Prayer, Silent meditation, Breathwork, Fasting, Contemplative retreat, and Koan practice.

Dag van de Dans CC2.0

Matthew Fox's Four Paths of Faith

Matthew Fox expands on the ideas of Via Positiva and Via Negativa and offers a holistic view of spiritual paths. His framework for understanding different spiritual orientations through his four "paths" of faith can help free us from binary thinking. These paths—the Via Positiva, Via Negativa, Via Creativa, and Via Transformativa—provide a lens for recognizing how seekers engage with the Sacred, whether through joy, mystery, creativity, or justice. Fox's work offers a broader vision for how spiritual companions can support seekers on their diverse paths.

1. The Path of Joy (Via Positiva): Like Cataphatic or traditional Via Positiva, this path celebrates creation and life itself as a reflection of the Divine. Seekers on this path often find the Sacred in the world—nature, art, relationships, and the beauty of life itself. This path aligns with world-embracing spiritualities, where the Divine is in all.

2. The Path of Absence (Via Negativa): Like Apophatic or traditional Via Negativa, here seekers are drawn to silence, unknowing, and mystery. The Via Negativa invites us into the unknown and to embrace the sacredness of absence, which is not necessarily a rejection of the world but a deep listening to the Divine beyond all images and forms. It is world-rejecting in the sense that it often moves away from attachment to the visible, tangible world.

3. The Path of Creativity (Via Creativa): Fox emphasizes that creativity is a path to the Sacred, connecting to both apophatic and cataphatic elements. The seeker on this path might find the Sacred through artistic expression or through experiencing life as a co-creator with the Divine. This path transcends traditional categories, embracing both world-embracing and world-rejecting aspects depending on how it is approached.

4. The Path of Transformation (Via Transformativa): This path focuses on activism and social justice, understanding the Sacred in the movement toward healing the world. It calls for a radical involvement in the world’s suffering and healing. Seekers on this path might feel the call to transformative action as a form of spiritual practice.

Spiritual Activities by InnerSpiritualAwakening CC3.0

Recognizing a Seeker’s Orientation

Now that we’ve explored these orientations, let’s look at how they manifest in practice. When accompanying someone, paying attention to their natural spiritual leaning can be helpful. Some seekers find great meaning in symbols, prayers, or encounters with the Divine (cataphatic), while others are drawn to stillness, paradox, or the unknowable (apophatic). Some feel closest to the Sacred through touch, movement, and community, while others find it in silence, emptiness, and retreat. One of the first ways of attending to a seeker as a friend or companion is to find shared vocabulary. These paths can help.

• A seeker in a cataphatic orientation might describe their relationship with the Sacred through metaphors, visions, or deeply personal experiences. They may connect through rituals, iconography, nature, or poetic language. You may have many rich metaphors, descriptions, and words for the sacred or divine.
• A seeker in an apophatic orientation might resist images of the Divine, instead finding meaning in silence, absence, or paradox. They may speak of the ineffable or feel closest to the Sacred in wordless contemplation. You may need to speak of the sacred or divine as "beyond words."
• A seeker used to stillness or solitary practices like silent meditation might start to feel a renewed longing for connection with others or a sense of wonder in nature. Their spiritual companion could gently guide them to explore rituals or artistic expression, helping them discover the Divine through engagement with the world. Or vice versa.

Some seekers are drawn toward world-embracing spirituality, finding the Divine in the sensuality of life, the joy of communal dance, or the cycles of nature. Others lean toward world-rejecting paths, drawn to solitude, simplicity, or stripping away attachment. Neither is more advanced or pure—each expresses a different way of being with the Sacred.

Holding Space for All Paths

A skilled spiritual companion can hold space for all paths, gently honoring when a seeker is drawn to one orientation and when they’re being invited into another. Sometimes, a seeker will experience a shift—what once felt like a rich, vibrant connection with the Divine may quietly fade into silence, or a long season of spiritual emptiness may unexpectedly bloom into new images and meanings.

Not knowing and surrender (apophasis) can foster humility and openness to multiple ways of being, beyond Western binaries. These two (or four) paths are not the only paths. They are also not just personal spiritual paths but are also ways to engage with a complex, uncertain world.

For example:

• If a seeker who leans toward immersion in the material feels dryness or a loss of imagery, they may start to feel like they’re “losing their faith.” A companion can gently affirm that this might be an invitation into deeper mystery rather than a loss, a call to rest in the unknowing.
• If a seeker with a more detached or ineffable orientation suddenly experiences a presence or vision, they may feel unsure, even resistant, thinking it’s a distraction. A compassionate companion can help them explore whether this is an unfolding of grace rather than something to fear.
• If a seeker feels pressured to follow a renunciative path because it’s often seen as the “higher” or “more spiritual” way, a companion can affirm that laughing with friends under the stars or dancing in the full moon are just as sacred as sitting alone in a cave.
• If a seeker feels out of place in a tradition that embraces joy and embodiment, a companion can hold space for them to trust their longing for solitude, stillness, and simplicity. It’s all part of the sacred journey.

A spiritual companion might ask questions like, “What is drawing you into silence right now?” or “What is your soul longing to express today?” These open-ended questions create room for reflection, helping seekers discover where they are on their journey and how they might move toward a balance or integration of both world-embracing and world-rejecting elements of their spirituality.

(See also this post on early ascetics' influence on spiritual direction: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-roots-of-spiritual-direction-desert.html)

Some seekers need permission to explore the other orientation when their usual approach no longer serves them. Others might feel deeply rooted in one and find great spiritual nourishment there.

Try It: Exploring Your Own Orientation

• Names for God: Reflect on a time you felt most connected to the Sacred. Did it involve images, words, or presence (cataphatic)? Or was it marked by silence, unknowing, or absence (apophatic)? Journal on these experiences and notice what words you use for the sacred, divine, deep meaning, or holy. These names (or lack of names) are not written in stone, but may help you to talk about what is most important to you with others as you explore what fits best for YOU.
• Playing with Paths: Consider experimenting with a practice from the other orientation. If you are drawn to imagery and words, try sitting in silence. If you prefer stillness and emptiness, try engaging a sacred symbol or text. If you are accustomed to cerebral spirituality, try celebrating something physical. If you are accustomed to complexity, tangibility, creativity, and action in spirituality, try sitting with emptiness. What do you notice? Journal about your feelings or challenges when trying a practice from the opposite orientation.

No matter where we find ourselves, whether in silence or in the celebration of life, we are always invited into a deeper connection with the Divine.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

————-

For Further Exploration

• The Cloud of Unknowing (14th-century apophatic classic) Christian Classics Ethereal Library: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/anonymous/cloud.html

• Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love (cataphatic mysticism) Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/revelationsofdiv00juliuoft

• Meister Eckhart (bridging both orientations) The Eckhart Society: eckhartsociety.com

• John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the Soul (navigating shifts between these paths) Christian Classics Ethereal Library: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/john_cross/darknight.html

• Starhawk, The Spiral Dance (world-embracing mysticism) Starhawk's Official Website: https://www.starhawk.org/

• Ramana Maharshi, Talks with Ramana Maharshi (world-rejecting mysticism) Sacred Texts: https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mr/index.htm

• Matthew Fox, Original Blessing (For an introduction to Creation Spirituality) Matthew Fox's Official Website: https://www.matthewfox.org/

• Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ (A further exploration of Creation Spirituality and the four paths) Matthew Fox's Official Website: https://www.matthewfox.org/ Video https://youtu.be/bRAQlK8tdus

• Applying Via Negativa to daily life and connection to Hindu Theology: https://raviraman.com/via-negativa-the-ultimate-un-happiness-hack/

• Bayo Akamolafe, a philosopher with Yoruba background and social justice lens- see esp. section in the middle on apophatic/cataphatic. He's a beautiful and deep thinker. https://forthewild.world/podcast-transcripts/dr-bayo-akomolafe-on-coming-alive-to-other-senses-300?format=amp

• Drawing from the work of Gerald May, and applying the concepts to prayer and spiritual practice: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/carlmccolman/2024/05/the-difference-between-apophatic-and-kataphatic-spirituality/

This Heart of Spiritual Direction series is ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. You may freely reprint any blog post, website, or print resource. Simply include the following attribution, and if you print online, make the link at the end live:

Article ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. This article and hundreds of others, along with other free resources are available at http://www.AmyBeltaine.info

Supporting Souls in Shadows: Spiritual Care Under Oppressive Regimes

In times of political oppression, the role of spiritual caregivers, and spiritual direction work, becomes both challenging and indispensable. The weight of authoritarian rule presses heavily upon the human spirit, making the need for compassionate presence paramount.

Understanding the Context

Fascist regimes thrive on control, often employing tactics that instill fear, suppress dissent, and erode individual autonomy. Such environments can lead to a collective sense of hopelessness, moral confusion, and spiritual desolation. Understanding oppression through the lens of liberation psychology helps caregivers recognize that distress is not merely individual but deeply tied to systemic injustice. Spiritual care and consolation in such settings is not just about personal healing—it is an act of resistance against forces that seek to diminish the sacredness of each soul.

The Holocaust Memorial in Berlin (2005, Germany) – Peter Eisenman

The Role of Spiritual Caregivers

Spiritual caregivers serve as beacons of commitment and resilience. Their roles encompass:

• Providing Safe Spaces: Creating environments where individuals can express fears and doubts without judgment or repercussion. [See also this blog post on ethical spiritual direction work.]

• Affirming Individual Worth: Counteracting dehumanizing narratives by reinforcing each person’s inherent dignity and value.

• Guiding Moral Discernment: Assisting individuals in navigating ethical dilemmas that arise when personal values clash with oppressive laws or norms.

• Fostering Community Solidarity: Encouraging connections among individuals to build supportive networks that resist isolation.

• Recognizing Collective Trauma: Oppression affects not only individuals but entire communities. Healing is often best undertakentogether, through practices of shared reflection, ritual, and storytelling.
• Encouraging Practical Self Care: Just as religious leaders need to encourage congregants or coven members to make end of life plans, we need to offer resources for making self-care plans. (See also this blog post on making an escape plan: https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/have-plan-for-when-disaster-strikes.html?m=1)

Strategies for Effective Care

1. Deep Listening: Prioritize active and compassionate listening to understand the unique challenges faced by each individual.

2. Cultural Sensitivity: Recognize and respect cultural, religious, and personal nuances that influence how oppression is experienced and interpreted.

3. Empowerment Through Knowledge: Educate individuals about their rights, coping mechanisms, and historical instances of resilience to inspire commitment to love.

4. Ethical Vigilance: Maintain unwavering commitment to ethical principles, ensuring that the support provided does not inadvertently endanger those seeking guidance.

   
   

Collective Care: Draw from traditions of communal healing, particularly those rooted in Black feminist, queer, and disability justice movements. Support groups and shared practices can be lifelines amid systemic injustice. [See also these blog posts on peer support and group spiritual direction.]

Plaatsen "Guernica" van Picasso in Stedelijk Museum

(Depicts the attack on a Basque village by Germany in WWII)

Moral Injury and Trauma-Informed Spiritual Care

Oppressive regimes often force individuals into actions—or inaction—that violate their deepest values. This rupture of conscience, known as moral injury, can manifest as guilt, shame, or spiritual despair. Chaplaincy and spiritual care models that integrate moral injury healing emphasize not only personal reconciliation but also communal support and meaning-making. [See also this post on moral injury and spiritual direction.]

Additionally, trauma-informed care teaches that suffering is held in both mind and body. Practices such as EFT (tapping), bilateral stimulation, and creative rituals help seekers process emotions that cannot always be spoken. While spiritual caregivers do not replace therapists, they can integrate trauma-sensitive approaches that honor the body's wisdom in healing. [See also this blog post on trauma-informed care and spiritual direction.]

Additional Frameworks for Spiritual Care

In navigating oppressive contexts, spiritual caregivers can draw insight from various therapeutic and social action models:

• Liberation Psychology emphasizes understanding individuals within their sociopolitical and historical contexts. It encourages addressing the root causes of distress linked to systemic oppression rather than viewing suffering solely as an individual issue. This perspective aligns with the spiritual work of bearing witness and resisting dehumanization.

• Psychotherapy and Social Action Model (Sue Holland) integrates personal psychotherapy with collective social action. Recognizing that distress is often shared among those who are marginalized, this model moves from individual healing to group support and systemic change—mirroring the communal aspect of many spiritual traditions.

• The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) offers a holistic approach to trauma care that combines contemporary psychotherapy with culturally appropriate healing methods. Their methodologies provide valuable insights for spiritual caregivers working with communities facing extreme violence and oppression.

• Collective Care Practices rooted in queer, disabled, and Black feminist movements emphasize emotional well-being as a shared responsibility. By fostering supportive networks, engaging in political education, and encouraging honest communication, these practices help maintain resilience amidst oppression.

Challenges to Anticipate

• Surveillance and Reprisal: Operating under regimes that monitor and punish dissent requires caution to protect both caregivers and recipients. You may choose not to take notes, ensure that your meeting space is private (from electronic eavesdropping as well as from passers-by,) and emphasize confidentiality.

• Resource Limitations: Access to materials, safe meeting spaces, and communication channels may be restricted. You may choose to communicate through secure devices and use referrals more heavily than broad advertising.

• Emotional Burnout: Bearing witness to continuous suffering can lead to compassion fatigue among caregivers. Engaging in spiritual practices of renewal—whether through prayer, nature, or communal support—helps sustain the work.

You Are Not Alone

In the shadows of oppression, spiritual caregivers illuminate pathways to vision, resilience, and moral clarity. By steadfastly affirming the sacred worth of every person, we challenge the very foundations of authoritarianism, nurturing the seeds of eventual liberation. When we witness suffering with courage, hold space for healing, and cultivate communities of care, we become part of the great, ongoing work of justice and restoration.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy

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Resources for Further Reading

1. Guidelines for Ethical Conduct – Spiritual Directors International offers a comprehensive guide to ethical conduct, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity, confidentiality, and maintaining healthy boundaries. These guidelines can serve as a foundation for caregivers operating in challenging environments. https://www.sdicompanions.org/ethical-guidelines

2. The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide – This guide provides insights into the dynamics of authoritarian regimes and offers strategies for individuals and communities to maintain autonomy and resilience. Understanding these dynamics can help spiritual caregivers offer informed support. https://www.nonsite.org/the-authoritarian-regime-survival-guide

3. Spiritual Direction in Context – This compilation explores the practice of spiritual direction across various settings. It offers perspectives that can be adapted to the unique challenges posed by fascist environments. https://www.sdicompanions.org/spiritual-direction-in-context

4. Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) – CVT provides trauma-informed care for survivors of torture and severe oppression, integrating contemporary psychotherapy with culturally appropriate healing methods. Their insights can inform spiritual caregiving in oppressive contexts.
   https://www.cvt.org

5. Liberation Psychology and Social Justice – A resource exploring how liberation psychology applies to healing work in oppressive contexts. https://www.apa.org/international/global-insights/liberation-psychology

6. Shay Moral Injury Center – This center offers research, resources, and practical tools for understanding and addressing moral injury, particularly relevant in authoritarian regimes where individuals face ethical and spiritual crises.
   https://www.voa.org/moral-injury-center
   
   

7. Building Spiritual Strength (BSS) – A spiritually integrated group therapy approach designed to address moral injury and trauma. Research on BSS can offer guidance for spiritual caregivers working with individuals suffering under oppressive systems.
   https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319747506
   
   

8. Collective Care Practices – Rooted in queer, disabled, and Black feminist movements, collective care emphasizes emotional well-being as a shared responsibility. This resource explores ways to create sustainable networks of care in difficult times.
   https://www.collectivecare.tools

9. Collective Care Toolkit – A guide to building resilientcommunities through shared care and support. https://www.collectivecare.org/toolkit