Mind Our Democracy

A Get Out the Vote Initiative from Mindfulness and Yoga Teachers Across the U.S.

Both individual and collective participation in environmental advocacy matter deeply, and voting is an opportunity for us to take collective action to express our care for the earth. Things may not be as we wish them to be: we may feel cynical about our system, we may feel distrustful. Some of us may be inspired by it. However we feel, voting provides an opportunity to practice acceptance and equanimity while exercising our collective voice. If you are in the United States, Mind Our Democracy is asking you to recognize that your practice demands action, and we encourage you to use your voice to inspire others to vote for elected officials, propositions, and measures that share your vision of ecological wellness and healing.

Mind Our Democracy - Image

From the Organizers

“Mind Our Democracy is a community of meditation, mindfulness, and yoga practitioners who recognize voting as an extension of contemplative practice. When we participate regularly and fully in our democracy, we protect its integrity and contribute to our collective well-being.”1Mind Our Democracy

“Voting matters because it’s an opportunity to express ourselves in service toward bending the long moral arc of the universe more toward beauty, safety, and justice for all.”2Reggie Hubbard, Mind Our Democracy video

“Voting matters because we cannot afford to sit around and abdicate our responsibility while hard-won freedoms are being lost. Our practice demands it.”3Rev. angel Kyodo williams, MOD video

“When we mind our democracy, we’re minding or caring for our collective well-being.”4Tara Brach, Mind Our Democracy video “It really is an expression of our love.”5Gullu Singh, Mind Our Democracy video

“We need to use fierce compassion. We can’t just be happy or complacent on our cushions.”6Kristin Neff, Mind Our Democracy video

“This is the moment. This midterm election is essential to American democracy. And together we are more powerful than we can even imagine.”7Konda Mason, Mind Our Democracy video

“Spirituality and politics are interconnected. Participation in the process of democracy, and politics, constitute a spiritual expression of care for our neighbors and contribute to greater collective well-being.

“There is collective wisdom that is harnessed in a fully functional democracy when everyone participates. So, when we Mind Our Democracy, we are doing our part to shape our communities through the electoral process.”8Mind Our Democracy

How to Get Involved

  • Vote in this upcoming election and beyond.
  • Talk to people in your life about voting and collective action, and share Mind Our Democracy’s video and website to inspire others to vote.
  • Check out VoteForward, a letter writing campaign to reach low frequency voters in swing states in a non-invasive manner.
  • Attend a DharmaVote session. DharmaVote works with Get Out the Vote organizations to help volunteers plug into letter and postcard writing, texting, and phone banking, candidacy and topical campaigns to encourage voter turnout and combat voter suppression. Learn more about their letter writing campaigns here.
  • Visit Mind Our Democracy’s Take Action page, where you can learn about your voting rights, check your registration status, find your polling place, learn about volunteer opportunities, and more.
  • Join Mind Our Democracy’s newsletter to get updates and stay connected.

References

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