To clarify the title, some spiritual spaces do discuss politics. Yet, this article is meant to address what is underneath the silent boundary or the desire to keep politics and spirituality separate when, in fact, they are connected by way of morals, values, and the human condition.
So why does talking about politics in spiritual spaces trigger people so much? The obvious answer is that it brings up discomfort, anger, divisiveness, fear, and all the feelings that contrast the essence of “spiritual.” Yet, let’s get underneath this a bit more.
My intention is to explain what’s more in my area of expertise—the energetics underneath our human operating system through the chakra template. One of the reasons I love using the chakras as a framework for our spiritual anatomy is that they hold both spiritual significance and a deep connection to humanity.
Spirituality is the relationship between our human body and a higher power or higher consciousness. However, there’s often a fragmentation in the energetic system, with the upper chakras (from the fourth to the seventh) becoming disconnected from the lower three chakras, which represent our humanity.
In many spiritual circles, it’s common to hear terms like “awake,” “heart,” “love,” “forgiveness,” “oneness,” “God,” “Jesus,” and “consciousness.” These words describe qualities of the upper chakras, and when these chakras are excessively open, it can lead to disorientation, disembodiment, inflated spiritual ideals, lack of grounding, and sometimes psychological issues.
The lower chakras, on the other hand, are deeply rooted in our humanity. They are about feeling safe and secure, having a strong sense of self, being grounded, having rights, and navigating relationships with balance and confidence. When unbalanced, we can lose power, have codependent patterns, lose center, be overly empathic, dominant, stubborn, stuck in old ways, etc.
Many sensitive and empathic individuals often avoid politics because of the emotional distress it can cause. While avoidance might offer temporary relief, it doesn’t resolve the underlying discomfort. Instead, engaging with these difficult emotions and exploring what’s beneath them can be a path to deep healing. By processing these emotions, we reclaim personal power within the lower chakras—strengthening our sense of self and forging a stronger connection between the lower and upper chakras. This integration allows us to feel more grounded in our humanity and enables our spirituality to become fully embodied.
To achieve a holistic sense of reality, the upper chakras need to be balanced by the power of the lower chakras. We must be grounded in our lower body for spirituality to truly integrate into our human experience. Guruism is an example of losing personal grounding and seeking it solely through the upper chakras.
Let’s break this down further:
- Root Chakra (at the tailbone): This chakra governs our sense of safety, security, and trust in the physical world. It relates to how we care for our bodies, our financial security, our homes, and how we attach to the systems we were raised in. It also encompasses our experiences of race, gender, skin color, and the belief systems we absorbed in childhood. This chakra holds the consciousness of our humanity and our existence. Politics touches root chakra issues because politices thouches every “system” we are raised and survive in– from healthcare, to the economy, to our personal rights.
- Second Chakra: This chakra governs our feminine energy—not in terms of gender, but in qualities like creativity, emotions, intuition, sensitivity, vulnerability, and sexuality. It also governs our ability to soften and tune in to ourselves and the world around us. Unfortunately, this chakra has been collectively wounded for centuries by control, oppression, fear, and shame. Politics touches second chakra issues by way of gender equality, same-sex marriage, and women’s reproductive rights.
For example, in my religious upbringing, none of the second chakra’s qualities were seen as safe or acceptable. The messages I received led me to believe that God had no place in this energy center, and shame replaced the natural powers of femininity, creativity, emotions, and vulnerability. Over time, shame hardens us and fiercely protects this power center. As a result, even a moment of vulnerability can trigger anger, defensiveness or outbursts. As I heal this area of my body energetically, I may make political choices based on women’s rights and the value of owning their power in this area of their body.
Politics touches upon these chakras. In a democracy, “the people” have the right to vote for government officials, so the idea that a governing person or party might influence whether we feel safe and secure in our country will motivate our voting decisions. On a deeper level, that “breach of safety” feeling can stir up subconscious conditioning tied to personal and intergenerational trauma that resides in these lower chakras. We are not often shown how to dive into these personal issues that may stem from childhood beliefs and experiences. But in my experience, to rise and grow spiritually, we need to root down.
Rooting down means becoming more integrated and grounded as spiritual beings in human bodies. It can look like:
- Processing intergenerational wounds and fear-based beliefs
- Acknowledging that subconscious biases exist
- Confronting the “-isms” we may unconsciously hold—racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, fatphobia, and more
- Allowing yourself to feel and process stuck emotions
- Recognizing that becoming more grounded in your lower body might cause fatigue, dissociation, or disconnection and continuing to heal through those challenges
- Building self-trust and becoming a trustworthy presence for others
- Caring for your body and being mindful of what you put into it
In my experience, when spiritual spaces integrate personal responsibility in healing the history held in our bodies, it creates an environment of safety and connection. People feel whole when there isn’t an expectation to adopt beliefs that disconnect them from owning their shadow. Politics is shadowy. A lot happens that we never see, but the more we embrace our humanity through vulnerability, authenticity, and truth, the more grounded we become as souls in a body.
So when you vote, both in local and national elections, ground yourself first. Consider the areas of your body and well-being that need healing. No president or political figure can heal the issues within your body—that’s your job, and when you do get triggered, it’s your body’s way of giving you a doorway into your healing work or your advocacy. For example, when personal rites are taken away because of policies, inner work may look like advocating for yourself and the rights of others who are not able to advocate for themselves. Healing does not mean you go to sleep on advocating for what you value the most. Consider which candidates or policies align most with your core values and address the systemic issues that help people feel safer, more included, and more supported. Notice I said “most aligned” because, let’s face it, truth can often seem elusive in politics.
I hope this helps, and remember—be sure to vote! – I say from the “spiritual space.”
