A state of passionate, all-consuming commitment to collective liberation where organizers become so absorbed in the work that fear and self-consciousness dissolve.
Rabia spoke of ecstatic intoxication with love of the Divine—a state where the self dissolves into the beloved and ordinary concerns fall away. Applied to community organizing, this describes the transformative experience of becoming so committed to justice that fear of retaliation, failure, or personal cost diminishes. Activists throughout history have described this phenomenon: the moment when participation in collective action becomes transcendent, when the movement becomes larger than individual survival. This intoxication with justice can generate remarkable courage and creativity. However, it requires careful stewardship: organizers must help people access this transcendent energy while maintaining their material security and preventing burnout. The concept suggests that sustainable movements need periodic moments of celebration, ritual, and ecstatic gathering that reconnect people to the spiritual power of collective action. This is not recklessness but rather a deepening of commitment that moves beyond calculation.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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