American fascism is as American as cherry pie. It is not an aberration but a recurring pattern woven into the nation’s history, appearing as a backlash whenever democracy expands. Like the interplay of breath and stillness in meditation, democracy and fascism exist in a feedback loop, each fueling, resisting, and shaping the other.
However, meditation enlightens us that what seems to be an inescapable cycle is a pattern perpetuated by conditioned responses—patterns we can observe, comprehend, and ultimately disrupt.
Using Meditation as a Mode of Investigation
Through meditation, we embark on a methodical investigation—systematically observing the mind, its habits, attachments, and the illusions it creates. When we apply this investigative approach to history, we gain insight into the mechanisms perpetuating the cycle of democracy and fascism—not just as abstract political forces but as deeply ingrained psychological and social patterns.
A core principle of meditation is observation—not just of breath or body, but of the observer itself. We practice:
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- Locating a focus (breath, mantra, sensation).
- Observing distractions (thoughts, emotions, judgments).
- Returning to focus—again and again.
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The Feedback Loop: Democracy, Fascism, and Consciousness
History tells us that an authoritarian response always follows democratic expansion. One provokes the other.
We see this in:
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- Reconstruction (1865-1877) → Black political agency rises → Jim Crow laws and racial terrorism follow.
- Civil Rights Movement (1950s-60s) → Voting rights and desegregation expand → Mass incarceration and voter suppression intensify.
- Obama presidency (2008-2016) → A symbol of multiracial democracy → Trumpism, white nationalism, and voter suppression surge.
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Breaking the Cycle Through Meditative Insight
The key insight from meditation is this: a pattern only continues as long as it remains unconscious.
Through observation, patterns that once seemed inevitable lose their power:
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- Liberation: Recognizing the Constructed Nature of the Loop
- Freedom: Creating Space Between Reaction and Response
- Empowerment: Using Awareness to Transform the System
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Breaking the Feedback Loop: Moving from Awareness to Resistance
If democracy and fascism exist in a feedback loop, then our job is not just to fight fascism—it is to understand the forces that sustain it.
What does this mean?
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- Observing history as we observe the mind—seeing the patterns, understanding the reactions, and refusing to be controlled by them.
- Training our awareness to move beyond reaction into clarity.
- Building movements that are not just resistant but deeply intentional—grounded in meditative insight, not just urgency.
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The Feedback Loop Is a Teacher—But Only If We Pay Attention
History repeats itself only when we overlook its more profound lessons.
Meditation trains us to observe, investigate, and refine our awareness. When applied to democracy, this practice allows us to:
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- See historical cycles for what they are—patterns, not inevitabilities.
- Create space between reaction and response, allowing for a deeper strategy.
- Move from resistance to creation, using insight to build something new.
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If we engage democracy with the same discipline that we bring to meditation, we begin to see what has always been true:
The loop is only a loop if we keep following it.
Ask Yourself:
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- What conditioned responses keep us locked in reaction cycles rather than enhancing resistance?
- How does meditation train us to break patterns, and how can that apply to fascism?
- What happens when we shift from seeing democracy as a battle to seeing it as a practice that deepens with each challenge?
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Meditation is only the beginning. Making liberation, freedom, and empowerment happen is next.