A Politics of Love with Marianne Williamson

Meet Marianne Williamson

Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist, and spiritual thought leader. She has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles for over three decades. She is the author of 15 books, four of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Williamson founded Project Angel Food, a non-profit organization that has delivered more than 14 million meals to ill and dying homebound patients since 1989. The group was created to help people suffering from the ravages of HIV/AIDS. She has also worked throughout her career on poverty, anti-hunger, and racial reconciliation issues. In 2004, she co-founded The Peace Alliance and supports the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Williamson ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. And she’ll be running for president again in 2024! To learn more about how you can support Marianne, go to: Marianne2024.com

 

This conversation was one I’d been waiting to have for years. I became a fan of Marianne’s years ago when I read her book Illuminata and became interested in A Course In Miracles. Marianne is known for her brilliant wisdom, spiritual teachings, and social justice work based on the principles from A Course In Miracles. I recently read Marianne’s book, "A Politics of Love: A Handbook for a New American Revolution," and was overwhelmed by her visionary perspective on bridging the gap between spirituality and politics. We discussed the tenets in the book and how to start shifting our relationship to politics and ourselves through the practical application of love, well-being for all, and social justice. 

 

Love as a Transformative Force

Marianne Williamson asserts that love is not merely a personal or romantic sentiment but a powerful force for positive societal change. We discussed how politics devoid of love and compassion perpetuates division and suffering, while politics grounded in love can heal and transform. This is as basic as seeing a child who’s hungry and feeding them. We are wired for love and compassion, yet somewhere along the line lose this innate connection. 

 

Moral and Spiritual Awakening

Marianne calls for a moral and spiritual awakening among individuals and society, as a whole. This means changing our internal narrative of not being political, which I can relate to. She is urging us to take a stand for democracy, or we seriously risk losing our freedom. Marianne believes an inner transformation is essential for addressing the pressing challenges we face collectively, such as inequality, environmental degradation, and social injustice. This brings us to why we must all do our inner work to heal past traumas, resentments, and grievances. In other words, you must do your part to be your ‘You-est You’ before we can be our ‘We-est We.’ 

 

Politics as an Expression of Love

Marianne also encourages individuals to engage in politics to express their deepest values and spiritual beliefs. She emphasizes the importance of aligning political choices with personal integrity, empathy, and a commitment to the common good. Love in action is how we commit to greater social justice and economic equality. This means we do our inner work to address systemic injustices perpetuating poverty, racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression. I love that Marianne focuses on love-based politics that can bring about meaningful change and create a more equitable society. As she shared in this interview, let us not forget Abraham Lincoln’s poignant quote, “With malice toward none with charity for all.”

 

Taking Personal Responsibility 

Don’t underestimate your importance and power in creating greater change for freedom, justice, and joy for everyone. Marianne stands for putting "A Politics of Love" into action by embracing the question, ‘What is the most loving thing you can do here?’, and a commitment to social justice. She takes a holistic viewpoint toward transforming our society and country. 

 

It’s Time We All Do Shadow Work

Doing shadow work means meeting the challenging and triggering parts of ourselves that need, want, and require our compassion, attention, and love. What is needed on an individual level is also needed at a collective level. We discussed the necessity of our society owning that in addition to our inner shadows, ego-based judgments, and ‘attack thoughts’, we also have this work to do on a national and collective level. This is something that we can all strive to do every time we embrace a challenging situation or person with love, understanding, and true forgiveness. 

 

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