The Paramis and the Prosecutor: Her Spiritual Gumbo of Leadership
In the cesspool of our American politics, integrity often evaporates quicker than the morales of a preacher at a P Diddy party. Kamala Harris emerges as a beacon of hope. I liken her leadership to a melting pot of poise, brilliance, power, and joy; and is infused with the essence of Buddha’s Paramis (the pathway to enlightenment).
As a student of the Paramis (generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness, equanimity) and life, I am acutely aware of how Harris embodies these ten perfections, creating a spiritual gumbo that can nourish the soul of our democracy.
Generosity, the first Parami, flows through Harris’s veins like a lifeblood. Over thirty years as a public servant, the nature of her presence serves up diversity, equity, and inclusion. With the warmth of a Southern host, she intends to ensure that everyone gets a slice of the American dream. Her ethical conduct stands testament to her moral compass. In a world where power often corrupts, Harris’s integrity shines like a lodestar that is guiding us through the murky waters of political expediency.
But it’s in the awkwardness of the Presidential debate between the other candidate where Harris’s mastery of renunciation and wisdom truly sparkled. Remember the moment of tension, words poised like daggers hung at the tip of her tongue. Lesser politicians might succumb to base instincts, but not Kamala. With the grace of a seasoned yogi, she renounces the urge to verbally eviscerate her opponent, instead choosing the high road of dignity and professionalism she leaves it up to us to complete the sentence “this …” Was the silent homegirl neck-twisting shade that echoed louder than any expletive could, a masterclass in restraint.
Harris’s persistence in her efforts to unravel the Gordian knot of systemic …isms (racism, sexism, colorism, otherism…) is a strong example of her vision for growth in the mindset of America to ignite societal transformation.
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Her patience, as she navigates the treacherous waters of a presidential campaign, is giving Shirley Chislom bush-whacking the very first pathway to feminine power in the highest seat in Government. She faces off against an opponent whose maturity rivals that of a fruit fly (no disrespect to the fruit fly). Yet she manages it all with the composure of a woman who knows the ancestors are standing by, smiling, and clearing the pathways that have already been worn down for her.
Loving-kindness! Her love for this nation is palpable. But it’s in her relationship with Doug and their family that we see the full bloom of this Parami — a real-life romance novel, complete with policy discussions and plot twists that would make Shawnda Rhymes pick up her pen.
Let us not forget about equanimity; the quality of ease and balance. This, I pray, we all experience as the reward for leaning into our perfections to preserve this Counties collective humanity.
As we stand at this crossroads in American history, with our freedom teetering on the brink, Kamala Harris offers us more than just political leadership. VP Harris presents a paradigm of governance infused with sacred wisdom, a beacon of hope in these turbulent times. In her, I see a leader who is not only committed to guarding democracy but nurtures the very humanity that gives democracy its purpose.
So, my fellow yogis, as we navigate this electoral vortex, let us recognize the rare alchemy at work in Kamala Harris’s campaign. It is more than politics; it’s a spiritual revolution, a gumbo of leadership simmering with more flavor than a Walker family summer barbecue. A feast for the soul we would be foolish to miss.
Kimberlli Joy, 10/23/24
