3.2 Let's start with the rewards

A lot of books and blogs begin with the journey you have to take to get to the happy rewards, and then they tell you about the rewards.

I’m doing the opposite here. I’m going to start by giving you stories and dialogues so you can get a feel for the blessings of the DNOS. Then you can decide if this is something you want for yourself…

Do you want the power this OS can give you?

Because if you don’t, then you don’t have to spend time reading about the three disciplines that give you mastery of the DNOS. Disciplines which ask a lot of you. Even reading about them asks a lot of you.

The following four sections, then, are a kind of indulgence. So relax and enjoy!

And I hope that as you read, you’ll notice that what I mean by “deep nurturance” is not some compound-complex concept like the depth psychology of Freud or Jung or others.

When I talk about offering someone deep nurturance, here’s what I mean…

Nurturance: responding to what someone really needs.

Deep: going deeper than easy steps can go.

Our country is obsessed with easy answers for every different kind of problem.

But we activists know that transforming society is not an easy-step thing…

We can’t end racial hate with easy steps. Or the subjugation of women. Or the mistreatment of children. Or the attacks on LBGT people.

And there aren’t any easy steps we can take to end the mass suffering that’s produced by a society which runs on mass exploitation.

To deal with such problems we need to go deep.

And this is why I choose to put deep nurturance at the heart of my activism.

And why I would love to see deep nurturance become the operating system of our society.

There’s something so simple about deep nurturance. But to put it into practice, to live by it, is…

A gutsy thing to do.

Especially in a society where there are so many forces working against it.

With sacrificial activism, you get endorphin highs, that’s not in question. But those highs fade into disappointment and despair. Sacrifice hurts you, it’s hard on you, and it’s a hard way to live.

With the DNOS…

You’re nurturing yourself as you nurture others.

So now let’s dive into the stories. Then I’ll walk you through the disciplines that produce sweet stories. And finally, I’ll add in some extras that will help you round out your understanding of the DNOS.

3.3  Stories of nurturance