Just a friendly reminder to us all that oppression thrives on disconnection
When we disconnect from ourselves, then we get stuck in our heads and we can’t heal the trauma that’s stored in our bodies. We become more susceptible to gaslighting and even start gaslighting ourselves (a big hint that this gaslighting is present: when you hear the word “should”). When we disconnect from each other, toxic […]
Honoring Juneteenth as Not-Black People
Juneteenth is a celebration of Black freedom. However, the legacy of Black enslavement is still alive and kicking in many ways *cough*prisonindustrialcomplex*cough*. However today, I’d like to focus on anti-Blackness, and I’m specifically talking to those of us who don’t identify as Black. I want to invite not-Black folks into conversation, to reflect and take […]
Generative Conflict as a Practice of Liberation
I recently did something that felt risky and a bit scary – I called in a friend. And though White Supremacy Culture showed up (as it always does), I’m grateful that we managed to move into practices of liberation, together. We were in conversation last week and she was trying to be helpful by giving […]
Lessons in Privilege
Many of us are really good at identifying when we are being oppressed, but I wonder if we can notice when our privilege is showing up? Personally, I hold a lot of privilege. I grew up/currently am middle class, I am highly educated, cisgender able-bodied, neurotypical, and I am a US citizen. When my privilege […]
Original Sin vs. Innate Goodness
I was raised in a Protestant Christian family, and one of the most harmful beliefs I internalized was that I was inherently sinful. It wasn’t until I studied a bit of Buddhism that I realized how deeply embedded this belief is in our culture. Buddhism teaches that our essence is inherently good, but this goodness […]