Focus of the Month: September 2024
written by Kim
In regards to the state of our capitalist and white supremacist society and
the incredible amount of separation and suffering that is embedded in it,
one question comes to my mind on repeat: how can we heal collectively?
Maybe a good pointer lies already in the question itself.
A known quote of Mahatma Gandhi is:
“There is enough in the world for
everyone’s needs, but there will never be enough for a single man’s greed ”
As long as we identify as the “single man”, our needs will always stay of
greedy nature, as our being cannot be truly satisfied in a state of
separation. Here lies a feeling of loneliness and by that threat, which
holds us in a state of fear that is feeding the ego’s selfishness.
The moment our identity becomes communal, we will automatically
harmonize our needs in relation to the bigger entity, as connection is
filling up our hearts and we can relax into trust, knowing that the
community is evolving and providing for the best of all. In yogic tradition, the communion is not limited to a people, a region, a planet or a galaxy, the communion is with consciousness itself.
But these are elevated teachings and we have to fight the battle where
we are standing, so way before we might come to the point to commune
with existence itself, we can ask the question: what keeps us in the identity of the “single man”?
The yogic practice offers us a large variety of techniques which, when
practiced, work miraculously in calming the fluctuations of the mind,
allowing us to become clear, centered and present, opening us to the
world around us, making us receptive and, by so, connected. Our imprints
that might tell us stories about rejection, neglect, abandonment, loss,
betrayal, aggression, manipulation, fear etc. are calmed and we can
perceive the world without the veil of our past.
In yogic tradition, union is seen as our true nature, but we have built up
many resistances in our incarnations, which hold us in a state of illusion
(maya) of separation.
Here I find it most helpful to regularly dedicate time for studying in what
ways separation and fear are rooted in ourselves and are creating
psychological imprints. By that we shine light onto our shadows. I won’t
lie, this is hard work, as our inner beliefs express in gross, but also subtle
aspects. Also the rational mind cannot access some areas deliberately as
our reasoning can be incorrect and limited, so to dive deep we have to
find creative ways, for example through somatic practices,
trance/hypnosis, responsible and respectful plant medicine etc.
But when we are serious about changing the state of our society, I think
that there is no way around sitting down with oneself, preferably together
with a group of lovely people (we do not need to go through this alone)
and face in what ways capitalism and white supremacy are embedded in
our own energetic field.
We need to travel down the timeline to our earliest relationships and find
out where we lost our trust, that we are perfect as we are, welcome in this
existence and that creation is rejoicing for us to be here; As those beliefs
of “not being enough” might be the root why the feeling of deficiency that
is the motor to our capitalist culture is underlying our emotions, thoughts
and actions as we are reproducing the status quo.
So the focus of the month is an invitation for deep and honest self-
reflection on our core beliefs. A practice of Svadhyaya.
For furhter inspiration on this path, here are some book recommendations:
“What It Takes To Heal” - Prentis Hemphill
“The Body Keeps the Score” – Bessel van der Kolk
“The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic
Culture” - Gabor Maté
“Eastern Body, Western Mind” - Anodea Judit
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