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Spiritual Exercises
Greetings Faithful Readers and New Friends. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. Someone attacked me on Facebook and brought up a blog post and referred to this humble repository as a little read blog. It has had its ups downs for sure, but I am working it more into my plans and you will see regular content through 2026. It promises to be a momentous year and I want to develop this leadership.
I’ve struggled a bit this year which curbed my joy and my productivity and my relationships more than I am comfortable with. I’ve taken a moment to reassess and identify what I’m bringing to the situations that are causing me trouble. To that end I am committing myself to 4 weeks of stoic spiritual exercises.
Two years ago, after stepping away from the directorship of a nonprofit I put together and implemented 4 weeks of spiritual exercises I developed while on an epic road trip through the Southwest. It cleared my palate of the stress I had been carrying and helped me develop the focus to both write and publish a book but also address my obesity and overall lack of physical fitness.
Two years previously, after completing my third term on the Columbia, Missouri city council I had gone on an epic road trip and completed a bastardized version of the spiritual exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, bookended by Crowley’s Book 4 exercises from part 1 (basically Buddhist meditation).
For those exercises they are completed 2-5 times per day with prayers and readings and 5 senses meditations (think visualization but with all 5 senses). Its ordered around the life of Christ as moral teaching and also involves colloquys (imaginary conversations with God, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary).
Most significantly it involves a conscience check. I used the time to work on my ego. Whenever I would note an egoistic thought I would touch my heart. Taking a month and focusing on the content of your heart and striving to be better is powerful. I see why the Jesuits do it annually.
I had tried them once before in the early 2000s while backpacking in Big Sur and was also profoundly impacted. That time I had powerful colloquys and I felt that if I continued down that path I would irrevocably break with consensus reality and that that was not being asked of me.
I wrapped them up after 2 1/2 weeks, called my dad and learned he was passing through Fresno and hitchhiked over to meet him for one last ride in the big rig. I correctly guessed it would be my last chance for a ride along with The Popster and it was. I’ve never regretted it.
The 2021 version wasn’t mystical at all. I’d had some of that during my COVID homelessness organizing and these exercises were more of an act of discipline and sober reflection. I “received” 2 messages: to get a job and live humbly and to make a small lifestyle change, which I did.
I came out of that a lot more keyed into philosophy and less interest in mystical experiences. I continued to deepen my study of stoicism and other ancient philosophies over the next couple of years.
I felt that I had gotten what I needed out of discipling myself to work humbly for a board of directors. I again thought a major life change should be road trip and spiritual exercises. I thought of reworking Ignatius’s system to stoicism.
I realized though that the stoics already had a system. Leaning heavily on Pierre Hadot’s What is Ancient Philosophy I organized them around the 4 virtues: Wisdom, Justice, Bravery, and Temperance.
I had morning mediations where I set goals for the day. Unread from primary texts: Epictetus’s Discourses and Enchiridion, Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, and Musonius Rufus and nothing else. I also memorized verses for each virtue and used the Ignatian conscience checks.
Wisdom involved a focus on study and reflection. Justice emphasized pro social interaction and philosophical conversation. Bravery involved physical exercise. Temperance involved vegetarianism and rigorous portion control.
I grew more focused and disciplined and kept that self motivation through writing The Practical Guide to Building a Better World. With setbacks and gear shifting I again am called to take on spiritual exercises. This time, no road trip but to be made real in my home environment.
I am also going to open them up to the public as a shared project with my community. I will be posting about it here and there will be an IRL version in Leavenworth and an online version available everywhere. More details to follow and I’ll be looking to start early in the new year.
If you are interested in my book it’s not too late to get it before Christmas direct from my publisher. https://breadandrosespress.com/products/the-practical-guide-to-building-a-better-world
Keep following for details as well as my traditional Holiday Letter coming soon.
Happy Interdependence Day
After a couple of hectic days at home we packed up and headed back to Columbia. We got a room at The Spa on Spruce, as the hot tub and backyard garden make it feel more like a vacation.
I did a podcast yesterday morning and had a campaign meeting with a Senate candidate yesterday. It’s exciting to open a second front on the war against authoritarianism with moving to fire a Kansas Senator who gutted Medicaid when he knows how devastating it will be to his constituents.
The podcast was heavy on CoreCivic, the troubled private prison we are working to keep from becoming an ICE detention facility back in Leavenworth. I’ll share the link when it comes out. Earlier in the week a story by the Marshall Project came out. The Guardian ran it so it was nice to get some national/international coverage. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/07/01/leavenworth-kansas-immigration-prison-fight
Today it was grocery shopping, hot tubbing, and off to the beach at Finger Lakes. Another family joined our picnic table while we were in the lake so we just made them part of our party. We’re going to catch fireworks tonight. We brought bikes to drive to the edge of traffic and park and ride in.
Tomorrow it’s a quarry lake party and a neighborhood festival. Sunday we make our way home. Things heat up at CoreCivic with the next hearing taking place at 10:00. Follow along for updates. Here’s a flyer on my book reading in CoMo. If you’re in the area you should come.
All Over the Place
When I read my old posts I mostly just gave a rundown on what I’ve been up to and how I’ve been feeling. With the book coming out, stopping CorrCivic opening a detention facility, running a PAC in a tough world of national democratic fundraising, cooking and eating food, the house and the yard I’m jamming all the time. I’ve sworn to stop that and embrace the puttering pace but that vow has been overwhelmed by events.
On to the good stuff and the victories. I had a nice profile piece done in an online Minnesota publication. https://voyageminnesota.com/interview/meet-mike-trapp-of-leavenworth-kansas/
The book is out and I have the official launch planned for Leavenworth at the Red Hibiscus on July 8th 4pm-6pm. https://facebook.com/events/s/ribbon-cutting-mike-trapp-book/696092123306330/
With all that I managed to insulate my cubby. Our historic home was a rental so first steps have been eaves, shoring up the crumbling brick and gaps in the retaining wall.
If you want to buy the Practical Guide to Building a Better World. See me and save postage. Today I’ll be in Columbia through Tuesday. Hit me up if you want to hook up with a book. You can also pick one up from my publisher.https://breadandrosespress.com/products/the-practical-guide-to-building-a-better-world
I also caught Pride and gave the governor of Kansas a book and told her to run for Senate. She said “hell no” so I met with another great prospect yesterday. Gave the Christian Nationalists some words at the County Commission on the dangers of Christian sectarianism and a little lesson on Jesus’s core message. It’s a lot and it’s all over the place and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Democrats and Direct Action
I cut my teeth in political organizing around direct action with a long term focus on building a community of resistance. I found it far more energizing than electoral politics, more immediate, and far more fun.
Speaking truth to power and engaging in active non violence shaped who I was. I also engaged in influence campaigns that worked within the system. As a young field organizer in Utah I helped gin up significant opposition to an inadequate wilderness prevention Bill generating thousands of postcards and turning out hundreds of students at a critical public meeting.
That shifted the Utah delegation and the bill was defeated. The next year a bill was passed that includes an additional 1.2 acres of mostly Red Rock desert permanently protected as wilderness. I thought about that 1.2 million acres a lot and how we freed the weed by petition gathering, voter registration, organizing a GOtV and passing the California Compassionate Use Act.
My support of electoral politics further strengthened as a three term City Council Member in Columbia, Missouri I saw a laundry list of progressive accomplishments and good government wins all through campaigning for votes. As I completed The Practical Guide to Building a Better World, I formed a Political Action Committee to support my national level local organizing.
After the inauguration we all witnessed the unconstitutional and illegal invasion of government systems and employee relations by unaccountable billionaire Elon Musk and his high tech goons. A spontaneous movement on Reddit called 50501 for national protests at state capitals.
I was intrigued but unavailable. I hope as also a little shocked by the general reception by Democrats and other activists not wanting to take part because they didn’t know who was organizing it. Folks who shared information were encouraged not to participate because of a lack of permits and no identified organizers and folks speculates it was a setup.
So most of the folks I know stayed home. But not all. I heard reports from Michigan where the crowd was robust and inspiring and I saw news reports on many other protests.
In spite of being 50 states, 50 protests, 1 day a President’s Day protest was called by the same network. In Leavenworth the local Democrats put out a call and on a frigid day 40 or so concerned citizens came out with signs and flags and it was beautiful.
When I got home I enjoyed seeing protest photos from across the country. We think protests need leadership and organization, and both can be helpful to win concrete victories but they are not necessary. During the Vietnam protest era the largest protests happened after the national leadership splintered and went silent. The protests kept growing.
We live in an era of increased suspicion and less and less trust. The more that we can rebuild our ability to organize together on a common cause the more effective we are going to be. The New American Community is embracing and promoting decentralized grassroots movements and we encourage others to do likewise.
We have to be wise. There are agents of chaos and misinformation that drive divisive activities. There are risks to trusting strangers. There are also risks from not trusting others we do not know. The risks of being isolated and powerless and having our cherished institutions destroyed without an effective public outcry.
We need to be wise and structure for safety. Do your homework, withhold judgement, make sure if you go to an action you have an exit plan and support. But please don’t stay at home out of fear. The next big action is the February 28th economic blackout.
I don’t know who is planning it. I know it makes sense. I know I want to do it. I know it’s safe. Now more than ever we need a mass mobilization to protect our democracy and our way of life. When the call to action is just and proper and good I am acting, whether I know who made the call or not.
Rolling with Resistance
To be in opposition to authoritarianism is right and proper and good. Trump pardoning the January 6th insurrectionists raises the chance of street violence by both sending a message and releasing violent empowered organizers back to the street.
We are moving into dangerous times. I see the punching Nazi memes spread widely. I see the don’t just say you see Proud Boys but say how many, engaged in what tactics, armed how, and exactly where.
This preparation for street fighting seems reminiscent of the German socialists street fighting the fascist youth. It played into Hitler’s hands to see more power. Street violence plays into the hands of the authoritarians.
I would call for other tactics than street violence. In a counseling technique called motivational interviewing it talks about rolling with resistance. We don’t engage directly with the unhelpful bullshit but allow it to pass by.
Undermine the authority of the dominant paradigm through the simple act of telling the truth and not buying into the gaslighting. Humor and mockery and pointing out the absurdity of their actions. Being reasonable and unperturbed and not taking their bait is in order.
We need to remember our audience. Those folks who don’t follow the news, have little factual information and have real issues that were not addressed by the Bidenomics of rising prices, housing costs, and lack of opportunity.
Trump is at his highest approval underwater at a little less than 2% negative. If he can be brought down to 10% negative the Supreme Court and Senate may set some limits to this lame duck would be authoritarian.
Or we can engage him in rhetorical battles of his choosing where our complex truths are less compelling than his simple lies and we lose the middle. His hurting his voters by ending $35 insulin is lost in the culture wars and his executive orders trump the constitution because no one who can will hold him accountable.
The choice is ours. To be strategic and disciplined, true and right and shape what comes next for justice or be reactive and right and lose it all but the boot smashing in our face for all eternity. Or something entirely different, I don’t know, I just need to do my best to build something good.
Last days of democracy?
What makes a good leader?
A good leader promotes democracy. Democracy is our commitment to each other that we respect each other and we respect fairness.
The pro-Democracy Alliance Pledge
We, the undersigned, pledge our unwavering commitment to the principles of democracy, justice, and equality. In an era of profound challenges to the foundations of our republic, we affirm that:
1. Democracy is Worth Defending
We stand resolute in protecting free and fair elections and political activism in all its forms, ensuring every American can participate in their democracy without obstruction or fear of reprisal.
2. Truth and Accountability Matter
We commit to fostering transparency, combating misinformation, and holding leaders accountable to the people they serve.
3. Unity is Our Strength
We reject divisive politics of cynicism and seek to build bridges across communities, celebrating diversity as a cornerstone of our democracy.
4. Justice and Equality are Essential
We champion policies and actions that promote fairness, safeguard rights, and empower all citizens to have a voice in the political discourse.
5. Action is Required
We will not remain idle in the face of threats to democracy. We commit our resources, energy, and voices to advancing democratic ideals and combating anti-democratic forces.
By joining the pro-Democracy Alliance, we vow to work towards our common goal to uphold these values, protect our shared future, and leave a stronger democracy for generations to come.
If not us, then who? If not now, then when?
The pro-Democracy Alliance won’t form itself. Being born into a democracy won’t ensure you get to stay one. Democracy is under threat and dies in the darkness. All of us need to take action, speak out, and participate.
Towards the end of another busy day my fiance said, “boy it’s been a season, hasn’t it?” That led to some reflection on all that we’ve done: Moving, holiday travel, recovery from surgery and other medical stuff, her busy season at work, shepherding my book through the publishing process, and launching the New American Community’s County Outreach Project.
If you’re a regular reader you know I’ve sworn off jamming all the time to the puttering my way to happy destiny phase of life. Nonetheless, I have started early and jammed all day pretty much all winter. Managing the blizzard and follow up cold snap has complicated the final part of the move and clean out of the old apartment.
Yesterday we strapped a couch and dresser to the rack of the Toyota Yaris to haul them to the dump. Large item collection was suspended. I wish I would have taken a picture, we got more than a few points and laughs as we drove across town. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I also forgot to mention we got the 18 yo off to the dorms. Seeing this young man take a big step towards independence has been a thrill but also a series of one more thing we have to do.
Through it all though we’ve kept our good humor. I was grimly focused on packing and the day of the move but after that period of hard work and focus I dialed it back a bit. My dad hauled furniture and doing that work brings him up in me. I appreciate the technical expertise but the curt authoritative communication style creates problems as useful as it is.
Spraining my foot did slow things down and probably was overall a good thing. It’s also fun and meaningful to be organizing again. Getting my office and desk stop set up was a great feeling as I have been working out of a messenger bag for a year and a half.
To launch our County Party Outreach Project we created a database of all the County Democratic Party organizations. We sent out a survey and I have been following up with state party leadership.
We have been well received and the survey is getting a good response. Early results show Messaging is the biggest need area. We are starting on a technical assistance manual on the topic. It validates the book as messaging is a consistent theme in a lot of chapters. Now it’s off to clean the old apartment and hopefully get it done today and have that behind us.
The Secret of Overwhelm
There are a couple of secrets to dealing with feeling overwhelmed. Our fast paced modern life often feels like far more is expected of us than we can actually deliver. Overwhelm can result in frenetic activity that doesn’t bring results, like spinning your wheels, shutting down and not doing anything, or perhaps worse yet getting the “fuck it’s”, where we start doing behaviors we ordinarily would never do.
Learning to handle overwhelm with grace has been a skill I have been forced to develop. I remember when I was leading a multidisciplinary team working with hard to serve individuals in a behavioral health program and my Manager said: “You look like you feel overwhelmed”.
I said: “I don’t feel overwhelmed, I am overwhelmed.” The issue was not my emotional regulation it was the material factors of the job I was assigned to do.
My first tip is differentiate, is this a feeling or is it a situation that truly exists? If it’s a feeling we use our reliable feelings management skills of taking a moment to slow and deepen our breath. Note any tense areas, I carry my stress in my neck and shoulders, so stretching and relaxing those areas are a must for me.
Note your thinking. Question and challenge any thinking that is contributing to the feeling. Can we look at something differently to get a different result? In addition to challenging negative self talk launch some positive self talk to encourage and soothe yourself. If those helpful and comforting thoughts don’t immediately come to mind, think about what you would say to a friend.
If it’s an actual situation of being overwhelmed then prioritizing and strategically addressing the confounding issues is the key. I rank what I have to do and mostly tackle the most important things first. When you’re taking action you focus on that task with your whole attention and let the rest go until it’s their turn.
We can only do one, or sometimes two things at a time. Don’t try to tackle more than that. Make your list and work through it, most important things first. That’s it. Manage your feelings and strategically work your way back to control.
That one was for me today friends. Time to get back at the immediate concerns of the day. Thanks for reading.
Jimmy Carter – National Day of Rememberance
Jimmy Carter lived a life of service. Coming on the heels of Watergate he prized honesty and integrity above all. He put the needs of the nation ahead of his own reelection. He had hard conversations with the American people about addressing our unsustainable energy consumption. He asked for sacrifice and the American people chose the comforting lies of a Morning in America built on debt and inequality.
There is no doubt in my mind that if Jimmy Carter had caught a break and there was no Reagan Revolution we would be living on a cooler planet with far less disasters with a much smaller national debt.
He was not a strict liberal. He ushered in an era of deregulation for good and Ill. Enjoy a craft beer, thank you Jimmy Carter. I thought of JC when I had a local brew last night.
His deregulation of the trucking industry combined with the rise of OPEC led to the financial ruin of my owner operator truck driver father. I might have shared the bitterness and blame if Jimmy Carter hasn’t spent most of his post-presidency building houses for poor people.
Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center are why President Carter is widely seen as the greatest ex-President in American history. His tireless work for peace from his modest home in Plains Georgia was simply amazing.
The New American Community is compiling a virtual thank you and condolence for his family. Please consider sharing your personal thoughts with the Carter family here: https://zfrmz.com/ljHvjD51SP8hZnF4QSJq
Report from Blizzard Country
I had planned to write about stoic virtue and what it means for the good life today but shoveling snow and a long walk in the snow took it out of me.
If you’ve been reading you know I just moved into a new house. I had been pushing to get everything moved before the snow but that didn’t happen. We did get all the big things moved and I managed to get the canoe moved right as it started to spit yesterday afternoon.
Our piece of Snowmageddon began as sleet and freezing rain and everything was covered in ice by dark. It made for an exciting last load of stuff. I went to pick up the 18 yo at work and stopped by the hardware store for a dryer vent. A big dually was side ways on the hill leading the hardware and I ended up turning around and going to Home Despot.
We made it home on the ice and I made Swiss steaks that came out well. It was cold enough that when it switched to snow it absorbed with the ice and there doesn’t seem to be a coat of ice below the snow.
I walked to the old house to let the water drip as the temps drop but forgot the key. A four mile walk through the snow was still an adventure. Tomorrow it drops to single digits with negatives in the forecast. Our 10″ of snow is blowing. I might shovel the van out again to take the 18 yo to work or on an errand.
Hopefully I’ll get some work done and write a more substantive blog post. Until tomorrow faithful readers.
Multiconstruct 
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