He leads by example

My heart is so full.  After experiencing a spiritual or personal milestone, I must retreat to a quiet place and process all that has happened.  

To sit quietly with the monumental reality.          

To allow the joy of the moment to soak into my soul.    

To pray and express my gratitude to the Eternal Source of Love. 

Thursday, I needed to reflect upon why things unfolded as they did.  What was it about the choice of a hunger strike that made this amazing change actually happen?  Why was I drawn so strongly to accompany Bryan on this journey?  Why was it so important to me to be present to him, to be a witness of his humanity and sacrifice as he put his life on the line for the common good?

It is because Bryan exemplifies spiritual humility and therefore embodies spiritual power.

Political power is the power to influence others through coercion.  It is the power to hire and fire, to punish, to imprison, even to kill.  Or to threaten such things.  Political power has nothing to do with wisdom or benevolence.  It resides solely in money or position.  This is why it is often referred to as temporal power, because these things are temporary.  They can be stripped away overnight.

Spiritual power is the power to influence others through one's own being -- by example, by kindness, by humor, by wisdom and love.  It is exercised at least as often by the poor as the wealthy, by the lowly as the high and mighty.  Indeed, its hallmark is humility.  The more spiritually powerful people become, the more aware they are that their power is a gift from God and has little, if anything, to do with their achievements -- that it is not theirs, but God's power acting through them.  And usually they are surprised by the extent of their influence for the good.

                                                               ~ M. Scott Peck,  A World Waiting to be Born

Political power is not inherently bad, it is just temporary; it can be given, it can be taken away.  Political power is a matter of externals and spiritual power a matter of what is within.  Spiritual power it can never be taken away.  

This is why CDCR moved the 11 representatives, their 2 cellies and Bryan to Ad Seg.  The representatives are examples of spiritual humility and power and they also hold political power, bestowed upon then by the men who chose them as representatives.  It was important for CDCR to separate them from the others, to cut off that tie.

But why Bryan?  Bryan is not a representative, he has no political power.  However, he is the embodiment of humility, commitment and willingness to sacrifice.  It was his ability to lead by example that made him so dangerous to CDCR.  And it was important that he also be separated from the others.  I don't know if CDCR knew why they needed to separate him from the men, but I did.  I knew exactly why he was moved to AdSeg, he possesses the ability to influence because he has spiritual power.

People are drawn to those who are like Bryan, it is his pure example that draws us to him.  Bryan doesn't use the construct of God to express his spirituality, I do.  Nevertheless, what I saw in him is a universal truth.  I was drawn to be with him and ease his suffering in any way I could from behind glass and in letters.  And in being present, I was a witness to all that I have described above...what a blessing.  Thursday, I witnessed a miracle.  Through out this entire hunger strike, we were all witnesses to a miracle. 

oOo