I believe we are already healed and whole in the deepest part of ourselves but we have experienced things in this life that make us forget that. Sometimes remembering that tiny spark inside is what gets us through horrific situations. Personal trauma can make us feel shattered, more often than not, but it usually doesn't happen in a vacuum. The pervasive and trans-generational traumas of colonialism, capitalism, patriarchy, misogyny, war, and oppression is the soup we all swim in and impacts the ways we develop and relate to each other, as both perpetrators and victims of harm.
We are also are spectacularly resilient.
One of my deepest inquiries into the human experience: How can we practice being our full, authentic selves in the face of oppression, abuse, trauma, and illness, and also in the face of connection, care, community, activism, and love?
Wholeness, in my view, isn't an ableist attitude of having an in-tact, "perfect" (by society's standards) body or a new age, "positive" outlook on life. Its about our deepest self (highest self? best self? soul?) that was never broken and will never be broken, despite all of the losses. We do not need to be fixed. Systems of unfairness and oppression need to be dismantled and healed. As we do that in big and small ways, we can heal together. We gain incredible gifts and skills because of what happened to us and no one can take those away. Deep within us, there is a part of us that is longing for connection, spark, pleasure, and joy but that part doesn't always have a chance to come forward, for so many reasons. (See another blog post about that)
One of the keys to this is building mutually compassionate relationships. Can we practice really seeing each other? Really seeing ourselves? Expanding our capacity to be with the discomfort of it all without completely freezing or running away or fighting? If we can look deeply at ourselves in a very honest and transparent way, especially the ways we have caused harm, we can create a stronger communities that are inclusive and based on fairness and compassion.
We live in a culture (here in the US) that negates our natural, wild, animal selves and values intellect over body. Despite the fact that many of were taught to be disconnected from nature and therefore our bodies, and therefore our natural responses, we all have the capacity to heal from traumas, emotional suffering, and overwhelming experiences because we are wired for it. We are also wired for connection and community... not for separation and hate. But we cannot do this alone. Sometimes it feels impossible to remain authentic, open, trusting, and vulnerable but healing is possible, if we have the trustworthy help at the right time.
But there is no finish line!!! There is no point at which we can say "AH yes, I am now HEALED" and then life gets super easy and we don't suffer anymore :-P Its a process, a spiral, and it takes time. (See another blog post about that)
I am endlessly fascinated by and curious about what creates the conditions for humans to "heal" and how justice is linked with healing... across differences, generational traumas, oppression, and politics.
We are also are spectacularly resilient.
One of my deepest inquiries into the human experience: How can we practice being our full, authentic selves in the face of oppression, abuse, trauma, and illness, and also in the face of connection, care, community, activism, and love?
Wholeness, in my view, isn't an ableist attitude of having an in-tact, "perfect" (by society's standards) body or a new age, "positive" outlook on life. Its about our deepest self (highest self? best self? soul?) that was never broken and will never be broken, despite all of the losses. We do not need to be fixed. Systems of unfairness and oppression need to be dismantled and healed. As we do that in big and small ways, we can heal together. We gain incredible gifts and skills because of what happened to us and no one can take those away. Deep within us, there is a part of us that is longing for connection, spark, pleasure, and joy but that part doesn't always have a chance to come forward, for so many reasons. (See another blog post about that)
One of the keys to this is building mutually compassionate relationships. Can we practice really seeing each other? Really seeing ourselves? Expanding our capacity to be with the discomfort of it all without completely freezing or running away or fighting? If we can look deeply at ourselves in a very honest and transparent way, especially the ways we have caused harm, we can create a stronger communities that are inclusive and based on fairness and compassion.
We live in a culture (here in the US) that negates our natural, wild, animal selves and values intellect over body. Despite the fact that many of were taught to be disconnected from nature and therefore our bodies, and therefore our natural responses, we all have the capacity to heal from traumas, emotional suffering, and overwhelming experiences because we are wired for it. We are also wired for connection and community... not for separation and hate. But we cannot do this alone. Sometimes it feels impossible to remain authentic, open, trusting, and vulnerable but healing is possible, if we have the trustworthy help at the right time.
But there is no finish line!!! There is no point at which we can say "AH yes, I am now HEALED" and then life gets super easy and we don't suffer anymore :-P Its a process, a spiral, and it takes time. (See another blog post about that)
I am endlessly fascinated by and curious about what creates the conditions for humans to "heal" and how justice is linked with healing... across differences, generational traumas, oppression, and politics.
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