I've created this forum for those of us who would like to continue the dialogue taking place during the event planned for Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 12:00noon PT.
Below are some powerful articles that may hopefully stimulate more thoughts:
www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/magazine/the-condition-of-black-life-is-one-of-mourning.html
www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/magazine/white-debt.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/10/the-black-family-in-the-age-of-mass-incarceration/403246/
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
http://www.alternet.org/environment/indigenous-elders-send-stern-message-un-paris-delegates-preventing-2degc-not-nearly
http://mashable.com/2015/11/26/native-american-thanksgiving/#DKTxVp6Kqaq2
http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/114946-indigenous-peoples-rights-cop21
Replies
DEC 7, 2015 FIREKEEPERS:
Good afternoon Doreen – every since you commented that we could be “firekeepers,” I know what my 3 experiences, where I have been forged by “fire” are, and not sure what yours are, plus…I must admit I did not know the historic meaning of this newfound word... so, I went into Wikipedia and below is the brief information available:
Not sure if this is the place to post “fire” comments, but the subject title is about the souls of white folks. I have been fair skinned with white hair most of my life and have my own minority experiences. I experienced my first ‘cultural’ discomfort when my parents moved us out-of-the-poverty class community and into a middle class status community…bigger house, more of everything, however, the first thing I noticed is my new found peer group were rebellious, had little respect for authority figures and getting into trouble.
The next time I felt cultural discomfort was at my first undergraduate, university sociology class… watching a film about “impoverished” slums. I recognized and identified with many of the images and characteristics featured in of this film as representative of my childhood upbringing – the places were similar [a poverty stricken, post-WW2, multicultural, new immigrant community [1948 – 1960]. However, even though I spent my childhood in this poor, social class district; I never saw nor felt my family life or myself in those terms. For me, my childhood was good…and when I reflect upon it now, I would even say it was great for I was raised in a community where a strong sense of family belonging, ties and values existed and the old country ‘immigrant’ village ways of being and living just happened and flourished with my bloodline on this new Canadian soil.
I entered nursing instead of completing high school for Grade X Matriculation was all that was needed to get into the helping professions at that time. My grandparents had no formal education; my parents were launched into the adult world of work upon completion of grade 6 [Great Depression].
I entered the university scene as a mid-life [30’s] professional and do admit I was highly disappointed and shocked that this environment of supposed ‘higher’ learning showed a film containing such ‘shabby’ views [analysis, judgment] regarding the lower, working class [the poor] - my ancestors…my parents, my childhood… our family life and community living portrayed and tainted with much distain, doom and gloom or ‘negative’ light. Perception is everything...
My living truth and story remains that my childhood, family life was amazingly rich and I learned so much from my village community lifestyle [priceless not poor] where my ‘white’ folk soul was forged along with all kinds of different ‘skinned’ colored people. That was my societal upbringing norm.
Now that I bared my souls white skinned and haired humble beginnings, I will go on to read the suggested articles “Black Unlike Me” and “The View From Black America Psychotherapy” and then I might muster the courage to share my 3rd uncomfortable ‘clinical’ training experiences – my Masters practicum [the disability service world – group home] and my PhD internship [healing centre, native reservation].
Getting back to the “Firekeeper or flametender” insertions, it is interesting my Dad retired from his firefighting career and was my hero [good family man, worked hard]. According to Wikipedia, firekeeper describes a specific ceremonial role, common in the religious practices of a variety of cultures. A firekeeper or flametender tends the sacred fire in the manner specific to the religious traditions of that culture.
The open flame was a necessary and important part of ancient human civilizations, and often was invested with religious meaning. Similarly, those entrusted with tending this flame often held a sacral role in the culture. This role continues in many traditional cultures into the present day.
A sacred fire is often a place for the offering of prayers, herbs, food, and sacrifices of artwork. An eternal flame or perpetual fire provides hot coals for the smoldering of herbs. A sacred fire is usually kept separate from any cooking fire, and placed in or near a ceremonial enclosure.
In the past world of no matches, and no easy ways of making fire under wet conditions, it was necessary for someone to keep the flames or red coals burning for long periods of time.
Vestal Virgin - Roman flametenders
Peace + Love Linda
Dear Colleague,
Rich Simon, Psychotherapy Networker Editor In the November/December issue of the Networker, Fred Wistow writes, "Whenever a public outcry or riot's been triggered by yet another racially motivated assault on a black man or woman, politicians inevitably utter (and commentators then endlessly and faux-earnestly repeat), 'We need to have a national conversation about race.'" But how do we keep that conversation from just recycling familiar clichés and pieties?
In this issue, we featured two remarkable articles that not only get at the heart of what makes such conversations so difficult, but also provide an opportunity to take them to a different level. In my view, they're two of the most important articles we've ever published.
The first is "The View from Black America," Ken Hardy's unforgettable evocation of his personal experience as a black therapist and what it's like to grow up in the wall-less prison of our country's inner cities. The other is Wistow's "Black Unlike Me," his devastatingly honest account of growing up white in the racially segmented world of the presumed melting pot of New York City.
If you haven't already done so, we invite you to read both of these articles and share your reactions in the comments section---the more direct and personal the better. Together, let's see what kind of model our profession can offer for how to talk about the hard and uncomfortable realities of the power of racism in our society.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Best,
Richard Simon
Editor, Psychotherapy Networker
PS, Here are the links again to full articles: The View from Black America by Ken Hardy: http://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/daily/posts/ethical-issues/th...
and Black Unlike Me by Fred Wistow: http://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/daily/posts/ethical-issues/bl...
Bonnie, hi:
Wonderful letter, thanks for sharing that and the articles. BTW, here is the quote from Dr. King that Jennifer Selig referred to during the discussion on Saturday:
"If the Negro needs social sciences for direction and for self-understanding, the white society is in even more urgent need. White America needs to understand that it is poisoned to its soul by racism and the understanding needs to be carefully documented and consequently more difficult to reject. The present crisis arises because although it is historically imperative that our society take the next step to equality, we find ourselves psychologically and socially imprisoned. All too many white Americans are horrified not with conditions of Negro life but with the product of these conditions-the Negro himself."
And here is a link to the complete speech, given to the APA in September of 1967:
http://www.apa.org/monitor/features/king-challenge.aspx
All the best,
James
Awe James - how awesome and humbling today has been…and the synchronicity just keeps flowing...tonight the movie "The Giver" was on [seen once before], however and thanks to today, I watched it – in depth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJNNugNe0Wo
Many relevant soulful messages involving many of the themes that emerged in today’s conversation jumped out. Thank you James + panel for gathering and bringing us into this sacred place/space. Peace + Love Linda
I found this panel very interesting- first time I ever 'attended' an online event. and I did so with a Choctaw friend who had had the 'boarding school' experience which was mentioned...a way in which children were deprived of their language, their hair, their clothes, their culture, their very identity as human beings.
I enjoyed the introduction of the various themes, such as projection of the shadow, the power complex, American myths of innocence vs reality of complicity/guilt, colonisation and displacement, colonisers as terrorists to the native population, unconscious grief, dubious diagnoses of mental illness in cases of normal grief, criminalisation, and the significance of the fact that whites are a minority in America and the world. Really it needed more time, each theme could have been a discussion in greater depth. Introduced me to some books I would like to read, also.
I very much liked when people spoke of their own direct experiences growing up, and their dreams....
Glenda, hi:
So glad you could be there with with us with your friend.
Yes, I agree that each one on the panel and the points they raised could have kept us in discussion throughout the afternoon! Hopefully we will be able to follow up soon with another and continue to explore and discuss.
All the best,
James
I think this is very relevant to our dilemma and our discussion: if only people would heed it.
http://www.alternet.org/environment/indigenous-elders-send-stern-me...
Absolutely spot on! Thanks for finding and sharing this great piece.
Oh Dorene could it be that we can add "ice" and get into that space, place where ice [NDE] meets fire [burning passions] and somehow get more of the numinous folks in your group sharing more [my dream since joining DPA]???
Oh, my goodness, I was just at this astonishing discussion, and I am knocked out! The level of compassion and transparency blew me away. My vote is to begin a regular discussion (perhaps every two weeks?), maybe facilitated by different individuals, so the conversation will continue. Throughout the 90 minutes, I was particularly aware of how the words and care of all those on the phone were affecting me in my body. It was an electricity that was so pure. I can't help but think that all the ancestors, black and white, who are committed to eliminating racism were present, cheering us all on. Anthropologist, Angeles Arrien, has said that when we take courageous steps to reverse or break through habitual ways of being that enslave our souls, that the ancestors are lined up behind us saying, "Maybe THIS one will break the bonds that bind us all." Thank you to everyone on the call today who was a compassionate witness and participant. Thank you, James Newell, for making it all possible. I am a better human being for having had the experience.
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