Solidarity is holy work. This speaks to me. Reading your words made me think of how we can link our arms together; sit at the table together; embrace each other. . . because at the end of the day, the truth of human life is that we are One. As a young woman I read and loved "Autobiography of a Yogi," and have always remembered this particular lesson: When we meet each other, we place our palms together and say, Namaste, which means I honor the place within you where the entire universe resides. For if you are in that place, and I am in that place, then there is only one of us.
Namaste, Vicki. Sending you goodwill. I am with you and my other Whidbey sisters in spirit and in solidarity. ~Stephanie
Namaste, Stephanie. I notice now a tension at this place of meeting soul to soul. The unrecognized power dynamics when we say Namaste. Call it the Animal Farm tension. We are all one, but some are more one than others. It is easier for the insider - in whatever system - to Namaste the outsider than the outsider to Namaste the insider. *Within* our sub-cultures, there's all sorts of alienation and judgement to overcome, and there's plenty of sandpaper to work our souls. Between sub-cultures I think there is a strangeness, a wariness, even with all our melting pot. It's hard to acknowledge. Judgements and fears are surfacing. "Othering" is rising. In the US, as part of the hegemonic power (former hegemonic power) we've had background privilege and thus have foregone so much of the ceremony needed between strangers to set a table of safety. I am becoming aware of the nexus of oneness and otherness, of generosity of soul and the wounds carried in our personalities. I am "namaste-ing" hidden and fearful parts of myself. It's a time of inner work - a thrill and chill a minute as the political roller coaster whips us around.
I resonate with what Valerie Kaur claims out of the struggles of her own lifetime
"Revolutionary Love is the call of our times.
It is to look upon the face of anyone and say: you are a part of me I do not yet know."
Beautiful... AND... my wise friend Lillian always said we have to not fight/run/act/stand against something negative but FOR something positive. So to me, the solidarity we are building on Whidbey is not just against protecting the weakest among us against the cruelty of this regime, but about building something much bigger. Which ties beautifully into your work with local food and housing and aging. All of your work and statements just fit together beautifully. Thank you (:
Vicki!!! My favorite of your writings so far! Yes a call to our humanity, our compassion and generosity. Thank you. Gorgeous. I will share this widely.
What an inspiring vision, your poem is! Thank you once again for sharing your beautiful heart and your amazing mind.
Solidarity is holy work. This speaks to me. Reading your words made me think of how we can link our arms together; sit at the table together; embrace each other. . . because at the end of the day, the truth of human life is that we are One. As a young woman I read and loved "Autobiography of a Yogi," and have always remembered this particular lesson: When we meet each other, we place our palms together and say, Namaste, which means I honor the place within you where the entire universe resides. For if you are in that place, and I am in that place, then there is only one of us.
Namaste, Vicki. Sending you goodwill. I am with you and my other Whidbey sisters in spirit and in solidarity. ~Stephanie
Namaste, Stephanie. I notice now a tension at this place of meeting soul to soul. The unrecognized power dynamics when we say Namaste. Call it the Animal Farm tension. We are all one, but some are more one than others. It is easier for the insider - in whatever system - to Namaste the outsider than the outsider to Namaste the insider. *Within* our sub-cultures, there's all sorts of alienation and judgement to overcome, and there's plenty of sandpaper to work our souls. Between sub-cultures I think there is a strangeness, a wariness, even with all our melting pot. It's hard to acknowledge. Judgements and fears are surfacing. "Othering" is rising. In the US, as part of the hegemonic power (former hegemonic power) we've had background privilege and thus have foregone so much of the ceremony needed between strangers to set a table of safety. I am becoming aware of the nexus of oneness and otherness, of generosity of soul and the wounds carried in our personalities. I am "namaste-ing" hidden and fearful parts of myself. It's a time of inner work - a thrill and chill a minute as the political roller coaster whips us around.
I resonate with what Valerie Kaur claims out of the struggles of her own lifetime
"Revolutionary Love is the call of our times.
It is to look upon the face of anyone and say: you are a part of me I do not yet know."
Beautiful... AND... my wise friend Lillian always said we have to not fight/run/act/stand against something negative but FOR something positive. So to me, the solidarity we are building on Whidbey is not just against protecting the weakest among us against the cruelty of this regime, but about building something much bigger. Which ties beautifully into your work with local food and housing and aging. All of your work and statements just fit together beautifully. Thank you (:
Vicki!!! My favorite of your writings so far! Yes a call to our humanity, our compassion and generosity. Thank you. Gorgeous. I will share this widely.
Thank you so much cat! I never have any idea what will not the mark, but this is big stuff and complex and so worthy of contemplating