Christ Heart: Awakening As Holy Mystery - Part 3

Column by Kevin G. Thew Forrester, Ph.D. on 22 September 2022 0 Comments

Living with Holy Mystery is the spiritual schooling of the soul. The method of the schooling is the spiritual practices that teach us how to become embodiments of the Source: meditation; spiritual exploration; breath, body, and movement; and liturgy.

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Question

In your experience, what is most important when being in community with marginalized folks as a white person?

Answer

Dear Reader,

This one is easy. Listen. Listen. Ask questions and then be quiet and listen. Really hear them. Absorb what they are sharing with you. Believe them. Trust them.

Be quiet and listen. Do not tone police. Do not defend yourself. Do not try to talk them out of their experience. Do not get your feelings hurt.

This isn’t about you. And if it is, great! Here is the next most important step — learn. If someone shares with you that they have been hurt by you, or something connected to you like your community, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn something new, to grow, and to expand your awareness.

So hear them share their pain and their experience. And listen. Listen with an open mind and heart and a desire to learn and grow.

Believe what they share with you. Validate their experience. Apologize and say you will do better.

Then go educate yourself on what came up. Do not ask marginalized folks to educate you. That is what the library is for, and yes… google. Google it and go down the rabbit hole.

Read everything you can by marginalized folks, and listen to every podcast by them. Listen with a desire to see something in a new way. Practice empathy. Release your guilt, your shame, your fear of being wrong. And next time do better. It's fun to level up!

But most importantly, just listen.

~ Rev. Deshna Shine

 

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