Abstract
Mysticism has often been regarded as an esoteric, lofty occupation for the religiously earnest and those with spare time on their hands. Associated with gazing upwards and inwards, few have considered that it might also turn us outwards. This chapter, however, suggests that mysticism opens up possibilities for creative individual and communal responses to trauma—particularly collective trauma inflicted upon people through policies and laws—and that it can bolster resilience, spurring political and social resistance to the causes of pain. Drawing on the work of two contemporary feminist mystics, Dorothee Soelle and Gloria Anzaldúa, the essay explores the possibilities that a mystical path might open up for both the oppressed and their privileged allies to engage with trauma profoundly and hopefully.
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Snyder, S. (2016). “La Mano Zurda with a Heart in Its Palm”: Mystical Activism as a Response to the Trauma of Immigration Detention. In: Arel, S., Rambo, S. (eds) Post-Traumatic Public Theology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40660-2_11
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