The Liberatory Reconnection Framework: A Pathway to Wholeness

Disconnection is one of the most effective tools of oppression. When we are cut off from ourselves, from each other, from the Earth, and from our ancestral wisdom, we become more susceptible to systems that exploit, extract, and control. Capitalism, colonization, and all forms of supremacy thrive on this disconnection, isolating us from the relationships that offer us grounding, clarity, and collective power.

The Liberatory Reconnection Framework is a response to this crisis of disconnection. It offers a roadmap back to wholeness by centering four key areas of reconnection: Self, Others, Earth & Non-Human Relatives, and Spirit & Ancestors. By intentionally practicing reconnection, we disrupt the forces that seek to keep us fragmented and reclaim our capacity for liberation.

Disconnection is not an accident—it is an intentional byproduct of systems that benefit from our alienation. It shows up in various ways:

• In the Self: Internalized capitalism teaches us that our worth is tied to productivity, and that we need to ignore our emotions and our body’s signals for rest – leaving us burnt out and disconnected from our own needs. This results in exhaustion, self-doubt, and a constant feeling of unworthiness, fueling cycles of overwork and depletion.
• In Relationships: Toxic individualism tells us to prioritize competition over community, making it difficult to trust, collaborate, and build deep relationships. We’ve normalized ghosting, rather than having the hard conversations that allow us to repair ruptures in our relationships. As a result, many experience chronic loneliness, fractured communities, and an inability to engage in meaningful collective action and/or engage across differences.
• In Our Relationship with the Earth: Extractive economies teach us to see nature as a resource rather than as kin, leading to environmental devastation and climate crisis. This disconnection is literally creating a world that is uninhabitable for the human species and leading to a critical loss of biodiversity. 
• In Our Connection to Spirit & Ancestors: Colonization erases cultural and ancestral wisdom, severing us from the guidance and resilience that comes from lineage and spiritual connection. This leaves individuals feeling lost, spiritually unmoored, and detached from the ethical and moral grounding that ancestral knowledge provides.

Disconnection weakens us. When we are fragmented, we are easier to manipulate, exhaust, and control.

So what’s the answer?

It’s so simple, and yet a difficult practice: Reconnection

1. Reconnection with Self

• Why It Matters: Our bodies and emotions are sources of wisdom, yet we are taught to override them in service of productivity and external validation. Reconnecting with the self allows us to restore trust in our intuition, honor our limits, and reclaim our inherent worth.
• Practices for Reconnection: Somatic awareness, mindfulness, deep rest, self-compassion, journaling, setting boundaries, and practicing emotional regulation.
• Outcomes: Greater clarity, confidence, creativity, compassion, curiosity, and a sense of wholeness and worth that is internally rooted (rather than seeking external validation or retail therapy to fill the inner void).

2. Reconnection with Others

• Why It Matters: Oppressive systems rely on division—when we are isolated, we are less capable of collective action and mutual care. Strengthening relationships allows us to build trust, create supportive communities, and engage in collective resistance.
• Practices for Reconnection: Vulnerability in relationships (with the people who have earned it!), active listening, conflict resolution, community rituals, communal art (like dance, singing, chanting), collaborative leadership, and practicing interdependence.
• Outcomes: A deep sense of belonging, trust, and the ability to build meaningful, justice-centered relationships that help groups communicate and navigate conflict well.

3. Reconnection with Earth & Non-Human Relatives

• Why It Matters: Extractive economies have severed our relationship with the Earth, leading to ecological harm and loss of Indigenous land-based knowledge. Recognizing the Earth as a living relative shifts our perspective from ownership to stewardship.
• Practices for Reconnection: Learning from Indigenous ecological practices (I highly recommend Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer), developing a relationship with the land, and honoring seasonal and celestial transitions.
• Outcomes: A world where humans and all life forms coexist in balance, supported by regenerative practices that honor ecological interdependence and sustainability.

4. Reconnection with Spirit & Ancestors

• Why It Matters: Colonization and supremacy have severed us from our ancestral and spiritual traditions, leaving many feeling unmoored and disconnected from deeper meaning. Reclaiming these connections provides guidance, resilience, and a sense of purpose beyond capitalism’s narrow definitions of monetary success.
• Practices for Reconnection: Rituals, ancestral storytelling, meditation, prayer, honoring lineage, and reclaiming cultural traditions.
• Outcomes: A deepened sense of purpose, spiritual grounding, and intergenerational resilience. A moral and ethical code, and a world where integrity matters.

The Liberatory Reconnection Framework is more than a theory—it’s an invitation to shift the way we relate to ourselves, each other, the Earth, and our spiritual traditions. Reconnection is a daily practice and an ongoing journey.

Where are you noticing disconnection in your life? What steps can you take to move toward reconnection today?

If you’re interested in exploring this work more deeply, let’s connect. Together, we can build a world where healing and liberation are the foundation of how we work and live.