By A Season of Nonviolence, I’m referring less to Christmas/Solstice/Hannukkah than I am to our engaged citizenship in the opening months of 2017. The energy we bring to our activism (our way of being) is much more important than what we do, and how we engage early on will set the stage for what’s to come.

Nonviolence is a powerful force. We use it because it works, but that working is primarily at the subtle level of awareness, meaning it invites clear seeing and a humanizing of people. With that level of awareness we then have the chance to humanize policies, structures, and systems in fundamental ways. Remember, Gandhi called nonviolence Satyagraha (literally “clinging to the truth”) and Soul Force.

As Gandhi articulated and practiced nonviolence, it’s a science. It’s a force that works primarily at the heart level. And if that sounds at all wimpy and/or irrelevant to the task ahead of us today, then think again. Think about what it really takes to transform belief systems, think about what it will really take to transform a life-denying society into a life-affirming society.

So the key is not the protest, but the energy we bring to it and the example we set. Are we honoring and inviting forward the dignity of everyone involved (by avoiding blame and shame)? Are we refraining from creating more false separation? It’s not necessarily easy in the heat of the moment, but we know that “othering” people is the first step toward violence.

Remember too that nonviolence is our basic nature as human beings. If it weren’t, as Gandhi reminded us, we would have already destroyed ourselves.

Our predicament is dire and way deeper than Donald Trump. Activism addressing the root cause is what’s most needed now. Action and creative energy that heals the belief in separateness is the way to make our activism count.

Let’s bring humility to the opportunity—to the great work of creating a nonviolent world. Let’s remember that we’re all healing, we’re all in recovery from the belief in separateness.

Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to practice, since strengthening our interpersonal muscles will support us in meeting the challenges ahead. We need each other now more than ever!

And let’s not forget Jesus, who in the words of Father John Dear, gave us the most perfect act of nonviolence in history with the dignity of his death: Forgive them, they know not what they do.