Are philanthropic leaders ready to embark on the spiritual journey required in order to truly lead?
I threw myself out there first. I resigned and embarked on a deeply transformative journey that took me to the pits of hell - I got a divorce, I was estranged from my family, I was bedridden ill for two months, I was nearly in financial ruin, I launched a war with the nonprofit industry, and I had no idea what was next for me considering I pissed a lot of people off, but still I persisted.
I kept the faith, went on daily walks, stayed in prayer, and expressed more gratitude and it all drew me closer to the Source, which was exactly God’s plan all along.
I needed to see the connection between God and the work I was doing, providing mothers and babies with support before, during, and after birth. I always gave credit and all the glory to God when asked how I was able to build a successful organization so fast. I would reply with, “It’s all divine. I can’t explain it any other way.”
I was working hard to reverse that Black infant mortality trend, but the more I worked, the less improvement I saw, and it wasn’t just me. I worked with so many people across the city, state, and country on this issue, but it seemed to persevere despite all of our best efforts rolled up at once.
Millions of dollars have been spent on Black infant mortality and a countless number of other issues that plague everyday people, families, and communities. Cleveland (where I live), is ranked one of the cities with the highest giving in the areas of health, human services, education, and societal benefits according to Fidelity Charitable’s 2023 Geography of Giving Report.
Yet Cleveland and other major cities suffer a similar plight - little to no evident progress, despite all of the racial equity or decolonizing wealth efforts.
"There's a spiritual solution to every problem" - Wayne Dyer
There are untapped spiritual solutions in philanthropy. We've approached philanthropy as a one-sided coin, where we give to organizations doing surface-level work and meeting the immediate needs of communities such as a housing voucher, food assistance, or a doula service, and this is very necessary.
What we have not yet integrated is the other side of that coin, where the deep, soul-level work exists. This spiritually transformative work begins with philanthropic leaders, who are then able to encourage and fund this same level of inner work.
So, are philanthropic leaders ready to embark on the spiritual journey required in order to truly lead?
The truth is, we’re already on a spiritual journey, whether we acknowledge it or not. We are, after all, spiritual beings having a human experience. It is important for us to understand that fact as our foundation, no pun intended 😏, so we remember the lens we ought to approach our giving from, the other side of that coin.
Up until now, our giving and decision-making has provided immediate relief for immediate needs, which is necessary. We are now evolving and challenging ourselves to think about all we have done in the past, and if we’re happy with the results we’ve yielded. Are we truly witnessing transformative change that we can see with our own eyes, and not on a data report?
No. We’re not.
If you don't believe me, stop reading this blog right now, and go take a walk around the roughest neighborhood in your city.
I doubt that you will.
And that’s ok. No judgment from me. My point is that surface-level work will keep people housed and fed in that rough neighborhood but it won’t stop the neighborhood from being rough - high crime rates, high infant mortality, high poverty, etc. To solve these things takes deep, soul-level work that heals from within and blooms out loud.
This is not a call for more mental health or trauma-informed care. This is a call to treat the spiritual aridity that exists in all of us, including our philanthropic leaders.
We have to do this level of work, and if we aren’t willing to do this level of work, then we aren’t ready to call ourselves true leaders because leaders lead by demonstration.
Your path does not have to look like my path and on God, I do not want it to, which is why I am writing this to help you grow on your journey in a more peaceful way than I did.
All of my experiences led me to my true self, a healer. I am now rebirthing myself and my businesses - teaching, writing, coaching women; Consulting with philanthropic organizations willing to explore the other side of the coin with me, teaching and advising from a faith-based lens. My mission is to assist in advancing our consciousness for the purpose and greater good of all.
We have nothing to lose.
We’ve tried everything under the Sun and spent billions of dollars. Let’s try a nontraditional approach led by Spirit and see what happens. Leadership is about taking risks to improve our circumstances. It’s time for us to learn our hearts, integrate them into our work, and let our growth as a community speak for itself.
To book a consultation with me, email: christinthemystic@gmail.com or schedule here.
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