Sarah Palin: A Spiritual Thermometer

Huffington Post
Eli Davidson October 16, 2008

The hair on the back of my neck stands up straight as a Polar bear looking for her cub anytime I hear Sarah talkin'. How dare she whip up hatred based on unfounded lies when she tells so many lies herself? I yelped with glee when the bipartisan commission found her guilty of abusing her power. I watched Keith Olberman's show 3 extra times just to gloat. Ha! They are widening their investigation of her. All along I have been saying that she was unqualified, and I love that the Republican pundits want her off the ticket. Impeachment isn't good enough for Sarah. I want to send her to that little island so that she can look at Russia all day long. This isn't a side of myself that I am used to seeing.

My reactions to her are so vehement that they leap out before I know it.

Sarah Palin Is Bad For My Social Life.
Last night I slammed the door on a man. A guy who made me laugh and was willing to go to art galleries, scuba dive and salsa with me. That may be an easy find in your town...but I live in L.A.

His offense?

A luke warm defense of Sarah Palin. (I was right to give him the boot...right?) Up until she moseyed down from Alaska, I could continue a somewhat civilized conversation with those of the Republican persuasion. All that stopped when Sarah hit the tarmac. Standing in my living room being suddenly single - all because of Sarah - I knew that I was off track.

If You See It You Be It
There is a great phrase in 12 Step Programs. "If you see it, you be it." Translation: I can't see a trait that I don't have inside myself. Reality: Somewhere deep inside me there lurked my own Sarah Palin. How could I be like Cruella De Palin? She shoots wolves from helicopters and legislates against Polar Bears? My heart began pounding as I looked more closely. She had exposed me to the parts of myself that I had hidden the Arctic of my consciousness. My fury at her unleashed the 'Tasmanian Devil' of my own rage.

I want to live in compassion, kindness and unconditional loving. I watch the power of positive regard transform lives on an almost daily basis. My intention is to use everything for learning, upliftment and growth and upliftment. The "Palin Effect" has shown where I am falling flat in terms of practicing acceptance and compassion. I couldn't stand the intolerance of the Bush administration. There I was - being intolerant. I knew I needed to do something about it.

How could I use Sarah Palin to learn and grow? It just seemed too big a hurdle at first. What if I could use Sarah Palin to take my own spiritual temperature? What if I could use her to become a more compassionate person?

Spiritual Thermometer
I equate warmth with the glow of caring and cold with the chill of hate. The great spiritual teachers have had the ability to see past a person's ego and actions. A true 'guru' sees the great beauty of a person's spirit even if they disagree with their actions. They hold the warmth of kindness for a fellow human being regardless of the situation or circumstance. How could I use the example of Buddha, Jesus or Mohamed to raise the temperature of my compassion?

Looking at my hardened heart I saw I had a block of the ice of indignation and blame for Palin and her party. I don't have to like her or McCain. I don't need to become apathetic or stop speaking up.

Ron Hulnick, Ph.D. raised an incredible issue at a recent University of Santa Monica event. He proposed that I look closely at the statement: "I am upset because _______." Do I accept that outer circumstances have the power to make me happy or unhappy? Regardless of what is happening outside I am the one's in control of my reactions. As impossible as it seems these days, the outer world doesn't make me upset. My perception or inner filter or button is what makes me cringe.

The Soul of Sarah Palin
The more I can view Sarah and Company as spiritual being having a human experience the more I raise my spiritual temperature of loving. There is a place in me that can love her even if I dislike her and everything she stands for. I have more to contribute to our nation and our world if I can bring myself to let go of the blame and find that authentic place of unity where Ms. Palin and I are one. I may fail miserably, but I know that I will gain a great deal in honoring the divinity in me by looking for the soul of Sarah Palin.