Image Description: Two cartoon birds (one red and one blue) are facing each other and looking at each other with three hearts flowing upward between them. Public domain image.
This summer, the Michigan Nones and Dones community is exploring spiritual values and practices, and we’re applying them to commitments of anti-racism. We’re also asking ourselves: As we think about our religious/spiritual upbringing, what did we learn about these values? What do we want to shed? What do we want to retain? What do we want to deepen or take on in a new way?
We recently held a conversation about the spiritual practice of worth. We asked, “How is worth a spiritual practice?”
With permission, I am sharing our answers.
As a spiritual practice, worth is…
1) Mirroring — reflecting the inherent value in people, honoring them, and participating in healing shame
2) the recognition that we are more than what we produce and create
3) the proclamation of value outside of what we do
4) intrinsic value that all people have
5) being voice-full instead of voice-less
6) self-worth and a value we have internally
7) a process of speaking up toward being our true selves in relationship with other people, needs, and commitments
8) choosing to be fully ourselves
9) care-work and the value of maintaining life
10) actions flowing from you rather than being valued purely from your actions
11) an intrinsic value we hold outside of a job description
12) the counterpart to shame
13) the occasion to choose good mirrors in relationship so that we don’t internalize blame and shame
14) vulnerability
15) clarity that we have value
16) community conditions where we can belong, grow, and contribute
17) common humanity
18) inherent human value that remains even when life changes, even dramatically
19) nonhierarchical
Smuggling Grace 