The Spiritual Dimensions of Obama’s Leadership
© 2008 by Gordon Davidson and Corinne McLaughlin
There has
always been a higher, spiritual hand active in the life of the
United States, beginning
with its founding in 1776 by one of the greatest gatherings of
political geniuses ever seen on the planet. And throughout its 212
year life, at each moment of agonizing need, the
United States has seen an
inspired leader emerge to meet the crises of the times with vision,
strength and the gifts required. Abraham Lincoln saved the
Union and ended slavery, Franklin D. Roosevelt
acted boldly to help end the Great Depression and defeat the Axis
Powers. And now, in this moment of historical crisis, another great
leader, uniquely qualified to meet the needs of our nation and the
world, has come forth, overlighted by Spirit, as an expression of the
soul of the American people.
A Spiritual Catalyst
Obama signifies more
than the emergence of an inspired, gifted leader. He is like a
catalyst dropped into a supersaturated solution, that builds a
crystalline structure around itself based on its innate pattern, and
then transforms the whole solution. The supersaturated solution is the
collective spiritual awakening that has for years been calling out for
a leader to unite our nation and establish right relations with the
world. Suddenly, it has crystallized around Obama. His ideas and
presence among us, speaking to the “better angels of our nature” as
Lincoln did, has crystallized a
movement that says, “Yes we can!” We can be better than who we have
been, both as individuals and as a nation.
With his gifts of oratory,
his self reflective spiritual awareness, and his proven commitment and
effectiveness in serving people, Obama is a major catalyst for change.
He has come with great spiritual support behind him, not only from the
spiritual powers who always guide and support true, inspired leaders,
but also with precipitating power. He catalyzes into action all that
we the people of the
U.S. and the world have
achieved in our inner spiritual unfoldment at this time. He recognizes
this when he says, “We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are
the change we seek.” He affirms us and we affirm him in a mutually
empowering circle.
Obama has come forth as part
of a large inner group, larger than the group working on his campaign
or his transition team. All over the world, tens of thousands of
people were praying and meditating, asking for spiritual help and
support for Obama to be president. This vast network of organized,
meditating groups is also part of his group, and one of the reasons he
was able to be elected.
A leader of Obama’s stature
comes into the world with a destiny that is assisted by the spiritual
forces who guide and guard human evolution, actualized by the
radiation of his own soul and by the collective consciousness of the
people who call him forth and prepare his way. The Divine hand can
open many doors, which is why so many seemingly uncanny events aided
his easy election to the U.S. Senate--in addition to all his hard
work. As he mentions in The Audacity of Hope, “Later, some
reporters would declare me the luckiest politician in the entire fifty
states.”
All that has occurred in the
life of the
U.S. since the Kennedy
era, and especially the last eight years, could be seen as building a
portal for Obama to enter into national prominence. A great leader
emerges as the right person, at the right place, at the right time.
This is a result of the interaction of spiritual energies descending
on the planet, humanity’s awakening consciousness, and our free
choices as citizens.
Obama’s election has been
heralded as the beginning of a new era because he is our first black
president. However, this new era is actually an interaction between a
steadily more enlightened citizenry and the leaders they call forth.
Obama is part of a wave of wiser, more enlightened political leaders
who have long been predicted in many spiritual teachings. Such leaders
are emerging steadily in every field of human endeavor, and Obama now
brings this emerging light into the
U.S. political realm.
Setting a New Spiritual Tone
Through their presence, the
words they speak and what they do, every leader sets a tone for all
within an organization or a nation. The reason people have supported
Obama with such fervor is that they sense a new vibration, a new tone
that he is resonating.
America and the world
knows this is needed. He sounds the note of unity within diversity,
respect for all, honesty, plain speaking and fulfilling the highest we
know we are capable of. After his election, a palpable shift took
place throughout the
U.S., as everyone
recognizes that a new vibration, a new tone is being sounded for our
nation and our people.
Spiritually advanced leaders
like Obama follow an inner, spiritual compass and they lead from the
inside out. Obama has been very open about his inner spiritual life,
as quoted in a remarkable 2004 interview with the Chicago
Sun-Times before he was elected Senator. He told the
interviewer, “The biggest challenge, I think, is always maintaining
your moral compass. Those are the conversations I'm having
internally. I'm measuring my actions against that inner voice that for
me is audible, is active. It tells me where I think I'm on track and
where I'm off track.” He continually asks himself, “How does this
connect with a larger sense of purpose?”
He also said in the
interview, “The most powerful political moments for me come when I
feel like my actions are aligned with a certain truth. I can feel it.
When I'm talking to a group and I'm saying something truthful, I can
feel a power that comes out of those statements that is different than
when I'm just being glib or clever.”
Obama is comfortable
reflecting on his inner life and choices, yet he’s also detached and
cool, not responding with fear or anger to attacks. He adds, “I think
Gandhi is a great example of a profoundly spiritual man who acted and
risked everything on behalf of those values but never slipped into
intolerance or dogma. He seemed to always maintain an air of doubt
about him. I also think of Dr. King, and Lincoln. Those three are good
examples for me of people who applied their faith to a larger canvas
without allowing that faith to metastasize into something that is
hurtful.”
Lincoln
has been a major inspiration for Obama, as he reads many books on
Lincoln and quotes him often. When
he was a
U.S. senator, he’d often
take a run in the evening to the Lincoln Memorial, sitting and
reflecting there. He seems to have many of the same spiritual
qualities as
Lincoln, such as practical wisdom,
humility, and a dedication to healing divisions and uniting people.
Obama is attractive to people
because of his unaffected, direct manner. He called himself the
“improbable candidate with the funny name,” yet he is a gifted orator.
The creative power of his lighted, inspired words sounds an inner note
that people recognize and respond to. Intelligent and visionary, he
brings deep change, as revealed in his birthchart. Aquarius is his
rising sign, the sign of his soul, so he is naturally identified with
the people collectively and resonant with universal
brother/sisterhood. He says, “My politics are informed by a belief
that we’re all connected…I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s
keeper, we are all children of God. Or I can express it in secular
terms.” What is most captivating about him is that he models a new way
of being: self-reflective and relaxed, yet focused, disciplined and
organized.
Obama’s spiritual nature is
recognized by leaders on the right as well as the left. For example,
Frank Schaeffer, one of the founders of the Religious Right, wrote
that Obama will be one of “our greatest and most beloved presidents,”
by virtue of his quiet reason and wisdom, personal humility and spirit
of service. “Speaking as a believing Christian, I see the hand of a
merciful God in Obama’s candidacy,” he said.
Obama’s generosity years ago
to a perfect stranger in the airport, giving her $100 to pay for extra
baggage weight, when he barely had money himself, speaks volumes about
him. And when it was discovered that his opponent’s 18 year old
unmarried daughter was having a baby, he didn’t see this as an
opportunity to attack, but rather graciously pointed out that his own
mother had him when she was only 18.
The Significance of Obama’s Name
For those who understand how
to read the Book of Life, formulations of names are no coincidence.
Obama’s name carries great potency and good within it. Barack is
derived from the African Kiswahili word baraka, which means
blessing. In Arab influenced languages, baraka also means
“spiritual wisdom, or a blessing transmitted from God.” His last name
begins with an “O”, a circle, that is the symbol of wholeness or
completeness, and it also includes the two syllables “ba,” and “ma.”
In multiple cultures “ba” signifies father, and “ma” mother. His
middle name, Hussein, generally means in Arabic, “good, or good
looking.” Thus we have a name that means a good and handsome man,
carrying spiritual wisdom and blessings from God -- empowering
wholeness and balance as father and mother, or masculine and feminine
energies.
An immediate impact of his
name is seen in the Arab/Muslim world, and its relationship with the
West, which is arguably the most significant political/military issue
of our times. The very fact that he has a Muslim middle name, and a
first name of Arabic derivation, has already had a large impact on
Muslims the world over, who thought the
U.S. would never elect a
black man with a Muslim name. The Iraqis have already said they would
trust Obama to keep
U.S. agreements with them
more than Bush, and some Taliban leaders were quoted in a Pakistani
newspaper saying they would be more willing to negotiate with an Obama
- led administration. This is a result of more than his name, but it
very much adds to the openness that the Muslim world now has to the
U.S. and soon to be
President Obama.
These are additional
indications of a higher power at work, strengthening and supporting
Obama’s appearance out of seeming nowhere in a few short years, as the
right man, in the right place, at the right time, and even with
the right name, all of which is extraordinary.
Transforming Adversarial Relationships and Creating Empowerment
One of the more subtle, yet
very transformational aspects of Obama is how he is creating a new
type of relationship with the American people, as well as the people
of the world. He treats people as adults, assumes their intelligence
and speaks to it, by explaining complex issues in relatively
straightforward language. He speaks at a deeper level than usual to
complex and emotionally difficult issues like race, which he did
brilliantly during the campaign. He draws out the best in people by
speaking to the highest in us, and refusing to play to fear and anger.
He doesn’t create separation with those he disagrees with, because he
listens to their point of view, and is clear about the distinction
between the person and their ideas.
He recently thanked the people
of
Illinois, saying “It was there that
I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise
while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised;
and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst.” He is
a very disciplined and focused leader who expects results. He has
created a “no drama Obama” group culture-- meaning that big egos,
drama queens and leakers will not be welcomed in his administration.
He refuses to fall into the
trap of polarities, but rather emphasizes what unites us, rather than
what divides us as a people. One of the keynotes of his campaign was
“Respect, empower, include.” This is a message that the American
people were hungering for, and the election showed that he has a
vision that we know in our hearts we need. He doesn’t gloss over
differences, but acknowledges divisions, affirming he will be the
president for all the people. He said we have to …“admit the
possibility that the other side might sometimes have point.” He has
the capacity to listen to the truth on all sides, and find a higher
truth that includes us all.
Obama doesn’t promise to do
everything for us, but rather helps us organize ourselves and invites
us to do great things together. He promotes a partnership approach
with his staff and with the American people, building a team spirit.
When he was mobilizing voters with his famous “fired up, ready to go”
speech, he often would end with the statement, “Together we will heal
the nation and transform the world.” People described this as a bolt
of electricity going through the crowd.
And with millions of hours of
volunteer time and focused dedication to the vision and purpose,
ordinary people did indeed change the world. In his
Berlin speech, attended by over
100,000 people, he said, “I’m an American who views myself as a fellow
citizen of the world.” He seems destined to lead the world through the
sheer power of his vision, oratory and practical, common sense
approach to issues.
Opening the Door to a Multicultural World
Obama has been recognized by
the younger generation, as well as by people of all races and cultures
worldwide, because they sense he is a leader who will further open the
doorway into a more harmonious and beautiful multi-cultural world.
This world where cultural and racial differences are enjoyed and
celebrated is already emerging, and Obama’s ascendancy stabilizes and
affirms this new world for all of us to see.
There is also a deeper
subconscious level of world relief that his ascendancy has brought.
For people of color all around the world, who have been exploited and
oppressed by the white race for a very long time, there is a new
psychological feeling of safety in the world. They now have less to
fear and even something to hope for from a person of color in the
White House.
The emergence into young
adulthood of the Millennial generation, the largest in U.S. history,
and their demand for real solutions to the multitude of problems we
face, is a potent spiritual energy which has been crucial to the
success of Obama’s campaign, and will be for his presidency. The
dozens of music videos created by young grassroots activists as well
as major stars, chanting Obama’s name like a spiritual mantra,
symbolized the call of the younger generation for a truly inspired
leader.
Even up to the final hours
before the election, many people could not believe that a black man
could be elected. Many were holding their breath to see if the
election process would be tampered with again as in previous
elections. Others thought that when people got into the privacy of the
voting booths, some hidden, subconscious racism would rise up and
prevent them from voting for Obama. But Obama believed that white
Americans were ready to go beyond racism, and vote based on the
“content of his character, not the color of his skin,” as Dr. Martin
Luther King said. And in one, great collective act of mass redemption,
white
America did so, to the
seeming amazement of itself and the entire world.
Obama’s belief in the best in
us, offering the opportunity to transcend ourselves and be greater
than we have been, is the sign of an inspired and even a
transcendental leader. We have heard much about what this election has
meant for black people, and all who love humanity are rejoicing for
them. Yet Obama has also brought a great gift to white
America, and we all stand
taller and feel better about ourselves because “we have overcome.”
After the election, many people remarked how people of different races
were making more eye contact and smiling at each other, as if seeing
each other for the first time. African Americans feel seen by whites
in a new way, because one of their own has been recognized and
accepted by the larger society.
A Practical Visionary and Brilliant Organizer
Obama has emerged as a
brilliant and inspired orator, gifted strategic thinker and champion
organizer. It is interesting to note that in the early days, when
people would ask, “Well, how do we know you are competent to be
president?” he would say, “Watch how I run my campaign.” The world has
watched and been awed by what he has accomplished, starting with
nothing but a clear vision of what he wanted to share with the
American people, and then building the most innovative and powerful
campaign in modern political history. He brought millions into the
electoral process, and was supported by small donations from millions
of people. He said he began with “little more than faith in the
American people, and that faith has been justified.”
A brilliant organizing
ability is one of the signatures of the new, spiritual energy that is
flowing into the world in this cycle, which grounds idealism in
practical solutions. This energy, calling forth Spirit from within
matter, reorders the world to allow for a greater circulation of
resources, love and creativity to every part of the planet. The
economic cleansing currently underway paves the way for an eventual
reordering with greater integrity and fairness in our financial
systems. As a prime example of a “practical visionary,” Obama is the
one most qualified to carry this forward because he thinks outside the
box, sees whole systems, and is pro-active, focusing on opportunities
as they arise.
How We Can Help Obama
As Obama says, this will be a
long journey, and it will not be easy. Like all of us, he has personal
flaws to overcome. But we can all help him by supporting his
initiatives when they are moving in the right direction. As President
Franklin Roosevelt famously told labor leaders who were trying to
convince him to support the Lehman act, “Gentlemen, you have totally
convinced me that you are right. Now go out there into the world and
force me to do it.” Obama needs the movement that elected him to stay
supportive and keep up popular pressure so he can enact his agenda.
We need to continue to
meditate and pray for him, seeing him, his family and all of his team
surrounded in light and protected. We can ask that he align more fully
with the Soul of our nation so that his work will express the
spiritual purpose of The United States and fulfill its higher destiny
as a beacon of wisdom and compassion to the world.
Corinne
McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson are co-authors of Spiritual Politics
(Foreword by the Dalai Lama), and Builders of the Dawn and
co-founders of The Center for Visionary Leadership, based in California
and North Carolina. Corinne coordinated a national task force for
President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development and Gordon was
formerly the Executive Director of the Social Investment Forum and of
The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES). They
are both Fellows of The World Business Academy and The Findhorn
Foundation. (www.visionarylead.org;
gordond2@visionarylead.org
corinnemc@visionarylead.org)
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