The popularisation of the term “the personal is political” originated from the feminist movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was popularised by the American feminist Carol Hanisch in a 1969 essay titled “The Personal Is Political,” which was published in the anthology “Notes from the Second Year: Women’s Liberation.”
In her essay, Hanisch argued that personal experiences of women, such as domestic labor and gender-based oppression, are deeply connected to broader political and social systems. She emphasised that the personal experiences of women should not be dismissed as complex but should be examined within the context of systemic power structures.
The phrase became a rallying cry, highlighting the importance of connecting individual experiences with larger social and political issues. It helped drive awareness and action on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, and gender discrimination, encouraging women to share their stories and advocate for change. Since then, the phrase has been adopted by other social justice movements to uplift the connection between individual experiences and broader systemic challenges.
Sacred Activism
Sacred activism is a form of social or political engagement that integrates spirituality with the pursuit of justice, compassion, and transformative change. It involves combining the values, principles, and practices of one’s spiritual or religious beliefs with activism aimed at addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.
Sacred activism views the pursuit of justice and the healing of the world as a sacred duty, and it seeks to bring about positive change through love, empathy, and collective action.
Ultimately, sacred activism seeks to create a just, equitable, and sustainable world by bridging the gap between spirituality and social action, fostering a sense of purpose and mission in the pursuit of a better world.
Reflection, Integration, Action
With that said, here are some guiding questions for your own self-reflection within your spiritual practice.
What are the spiritual communities that you’re a part of? How are they engaging politically, socially, economically amidst injustice?
Whom are the marginalised and vulnerable communities within your network? What are their stories? How are you inter-being with them? (Please be aware of any saviorism, and aim for listening, and supporting, rather than saving!)
What is an action of care for the earth that you can integrate as a spiritual practice?
