Original Magic: The Rituals and Initiations of the Persian Magi - Michael M. Hughes 2018

Balance
Self-Care and Resilience

You can define yourself as an activist, but do not become an activist at the expense of being a friend, lover, child, parent, student, teacher, and someone who can have conversations about nonpolitical subjects. No one likes a zealot, no matter how much we are aligned with the zealot’s cause. Strive to have at least an equal balance of nonactivism in your life. That includes learning to compartmentalize your thinking and especially your conversations. Do not be the person who can only talk about civil liberties, feminism, racial justice, or environmentalism. Cultivate a diversity of interests, hobbies, and pleasures and make time for them. If you need to spend weeks working day and night on a political campaign, take time off when it’s over to relax, recuperate, and do things that give you pleasure and stimulate you intellectually.

Avoid dogma and orthodoxy in the political and spiritual spheres, too. Always be open to the viewpoints of others, and aim for respectful dialogue and kindness in discussions, even in contentious matters.

Balance will keep you healthy, ready, and fueled for when you are called upon to resist.

A number of specific techniques can help, too. Here are the most useful.