Community Healing
What is community healing & how does it work?
What caused a top Psychology student to choose another path, one lined with not-so-certain economic opportunities given the system & institutional structures we live with today?
Mainstream Psychology is focused on the individual. It is rooted in a paradigm that separates mind & matter, yet tends to reduce all emotional and psycho-spiritual happenings to the causal level of chemicals, molecules, and hormones. Made into a handmaiden of modern allopathic medicine ("Western medicine"), it doles out pharmaceuticals like sweeties on Valentine's Day. Its experiments are founded upon the staunch belief & age-old assumption that it is truly possible to be objective about something–to observe it under strict experimental conditions and act as if the very act of observing it does not already change it. Its treatments tend to isolate the individual & treat them as if that's what they really were–trees standing alone...no forest, no other animals or plants, no vast network of root systems connected to other trees. And most students and professors pursue & propagate these biological & reductionist models of Psychology because this is where the money is to be made (e.g. –> Big Pharma) and by extension, where the most institutional support is to be found.
Community healing is about the health of the whole forest, as the primary determinant of the health of the one tree.
It comes from Old English hælan, Proto-Germanic hailjan, Old Saxon helian, Old Norse heila, Old Frisian hela, Dutch helen, German heilen, meaning literally "to make whole." Further, these words stem from the even more ancient, Proto-Indo-European word kailo meaning "whole."
Thus, healing refers to the process of becoming whole or remembering our wholeness, the integration of our many aspects, longings and losses, the beauty and the shadows into oneness, cohesion, integrity. From one perspective, this means seeing and feeling the individual self as a whole. From another and often neglected aspect, this also means the recognition and integration of the self as a part of a greater whole...and on and on it goes, everything is both a whole and a part depending on the direction of the looking.
We are not made to be standing alone against the elements and the forces of nature. And since when did our relationship to the forces of nature turn into a war, anyway?
We are social creatures by nature–our strength lies in our togetherness. Everything about our brain, from the vast networks of little tree-like neuron connections to the emotional and hormonal centers, is made to be in ongoing reciprocity and relationship with 'Other'. Our learning, from the time we are able to learn at all, exists within the context of relationships and the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual exchange therein. Some even go so far as to say, that individualism itself is an illusion or at the very least, wrongfully separated from the whole of what we are together. In other words, the weave of relationships in which we exist and the unique constellations of those relationships is what makes up our individuality to a large degree.
Mind you, you are in a relationship with everyone and every "thing" around you, in each moment. Observe next time you go outside, how your relationship with the weather changes your mental or emotional state. Do you rejoice at the rain or sigh with exasperation? Why? Observe how your relationship with this Earth that you are walking on and the other living beings around you changes the way you are walking upon and through it. Do you walk upon an inanimate object floating through space, or a life-sustaining Mother? Observe how people's relationship to Water changes when the well dries up in mid-Summer. Have you known true preciousness before? We are connected and related, directly or indirectly, to everything in existence. This is getting at what some Indigenous peoples mean when they include in their prayers and ceremonies, "all of my relations" (see 'Aho Mitakuye Oyasin' from the Lakota Nation)
Community healing is the cultivation of wholeness through relationships.
It is the process of building, repairing, and sustaining strong & healthy relationships in both our immediate circles and the wider circles of community that encapsulate them. It is also the process of cultivating fertile space for the individual to flower into their own unique gifts and passions. Those gifts in their fullness are also gifts for the community, as the health of the individual & the group is reciprocally, intimately interwoven & interdependent.
Below is a brief example of what can happen when a community of people actively engages in the principles of community healing–when the culture itself recognizes, utilizes, and reaffirms the power of its own innate wholeness. Click the drop-down box below if you'd like to read the story. ~
EXAMPLE: cross-cultural analysis of community responses to the onset of "Schizophrenia" in young people.
Schizophrenia in the West carries with it a dark hanging cloud of mystery wrought with doom-filled connotations...hearing voices, the horror movie you saw last week about the psycho killer, etc. It is seen as a life-shattering mental illness, beyond hope for a cure, and even dangerous & destructive to surrounding social & familial structures.
A simple way of explaining this not-so-simple "condition" is that a Schizophrenic person has a very difficult time maintaining an encapsulated sense of self, keeping the natural boundaries of "self" & "other", and distinguishing between what is real and what is illusion or hallucination. Its initial onset is usually a painful process for the person mentally and emotionally, accompanied by episodes of psychosis–an often terrifying rupturing of the self. As a result of this boundless, borderless self-perception, Schizophrenics usually struggle with social interaction. This puts them at even higher risk for addiction and substance abuse and makes it difficult for them to maintain close relationships or hold down jobs.
Once they break from the socially constructed script of reality, the course of treatment for Schizophrenics in the West is bleak & disheartening. First, it is important to consider how these individuals are named & framed by "experts" and then by their families and communities: they/their brain is severely malfunctioning, they are sick, crazy, possibly even dangerous. Next comes the standard treatment for said diagnosis in modern Western countries: heavy, antipsychotic drugs with a plethora of side effects such as weight gain, numbed emotional sensitivity, nausea, digestive issues, etc. And finally, the repercussions of said treatment & related cultural assumptions...stigma, increased isolation, negative self-image, anxiety, etc.
One may argue that there is not much else to hope for as an outcome considering the devastating nature of this "disease."
But that's simply not true.
Take, for example, a study that compared Schizophrenic's subjective experiences of 'auditory hallucinations' (hearing voices) in individualist cultures (most modern Western societies) and collectivist cultures (cultures who afford more weight to context and social interdependence). The people from traditional and collectivist societies (Africa & India in this sample) most often reported that the voices were entertaining, playful, reminding them of friends and family. Some attributed the voices to be a special connection to their ancestors. In contrast, not one American participant registered positive experiences. Instead, the voices they heard were most often violent, hateful, and downright scary–evidence of a sick condition.
My favorite example of the power of community healing, however, is given by West African shaman, Malidoma Some, from the Dagara healing tradition of Burkina Faso. When an individual’s psyche begins to break down in this tradition (AKA psychosis), the entire community undergoes a collective effort to restore wholeness. This involves celebratory singing, dancing, and rituals in which the person is placed at the center of the circle. The whole experience of the person is framed very differently: they dance to celebrate the "birth of a new healer"; this person is a "gift for the whole community" because this person is seen as having a special connection and ability to interface between spiritual dimensions. Like healthy cells surround a weakened or struggling cell in the body–reminding it of its true nature by virtue of their being whole and present–the people don't stop until the person emerges again from the initial terrors of psychosis.
The new healer is then sent to live and study under the guidance and mentorship of the local traditional healer, where they undergo initiation and training. Learning how to interface with symbolic, imaginative, or psycho-spiritual stimuli via altered states of consciousness (ASC) may have a canalizing effect on schizophrenia. In other words, a passageway is constructed within an otherwise very fragmented and otherwordly experience, and they are given the tools how to navigate it. This is a radically different approach to and perception of suffering: the creative expansion of the field of self.
Finally, they return and are re-integrated into the community as a man or woman of Spirit, earning the deep respect of their family and friends through the insight and services they provide.
A great result of this transformative journey is a massive shift in how one sees oneself, supported symbiotically by a shift in how the community sees the individual. Supportive community and fellowship with others who accept the person as they are are vital for successful outcomes of schizophrenia (and many other conditions of the human mind & heart!). This also asks us to open our minds to alternative constructions (& deconstructions) of reality to allow a more expansive conceptual framework, within which the person has sufficient space to grow, be of service, and find purpose in their life.
If you would like to read the full academic text that I wrote on this topic, complete with citations and more in-depth analysis, you can email me at mujercitadelagua@protonmail.com & I will send you a copy.
I believe, with enough devotion and faith so as to abandon the paradigm of mental health I inherited in the process of obtaining my Bachelor's degree, that community & relationship-centered modalities of healing and strengthening the psyche are what humans are most inclined and designed to benefit from. The ongoing cultivation of Wholeness through relationships is, in the purest sense of the word, organic; it grows from and sustains itself as a natural part of life. It is so prevalent, in fact, that despite any efforts to displace its primacy or overshadow it with med-tech arsenals and scientific complexities of mythical proportions...it continues to work within us and around us, often so unassumingly that we do not even realize this is what is happening.
It is happening, indeed, every day, as you are naturally attracting those people, places, and situations that bring lessons, feelings, and aspects of yourself in need of integration and understanding.
EXAMPLE II ~
An old acquaintance recently started a podcast project interviewing people for their life stories and reached out to me to ask if I'd like to share mine. His self-appointed mission is to be a faithful witness that people may freely & clearly share themselves, be listened to, and hear themselves speak. Somewhat taken aback, I reflected on the invitation and felt a YES. Through this initial encounter, I recognized that yes, I do have a desire to SHARE my experiences.
The depth & degree of our listening is significant for every form of relationship we can and will experience. To the extent that you are listened to, is the depth with which you will be able to share yourself, your word, your story. To that same extent, you will also be able to fully hear & feel yourself speak, able to receive the medicine of your own expression or perceive the gaps & lies within your own story. So when I’m talking listening here, I mean the kind of listening that provides a deep silence & empty space for something to unfold in its own rhythm, pace, & logic. The kind of listening that is a true witness & neutral observer–one ear directed to the outside and one ear to the within. The true listener is one who listens with the Heart, as with their mind & ears. Everything has a voice if you have the power of deep listening.
So, I went to visit this friend and the hours flew by as both of us were able to share our stories, experiences, pains, dreams, & insights. Truly understanding each Other may not be present at all times (if it’s even possible)…but maybe that's not the point anyway. I left the exchange renewed in my spirit & my path, my heart opened wider, feeling all the more supported by my People, my friends & family, and having more understanding & appreciation for myself. Thus, for me, the aim of communication lies more in the Heart than in any words exchanged. And while I am a lover of the Word and its power to move, destroy, heal, awaken...I do not attribute this power to concepts of thought but rather the spirit with which something is spoken or said. Communication is more all-encompassing than we remember to realize!
To share a good Word with someone is to build a solid pathway for Love to flow between & beyond, a bridge between hearts & minds, both within ourselves & to and from others.
In listening to more of my friend's motivations, I also learned that his interviewing project was directly related to his desire to be listened to–and from the experience of what it feels like to not be heard. I recognize this as another occasion among countless others, in which a person was brought into my life & vice versa with the potential & opportunity to bring healing/greater wholeness for both parties. The essence of his request and the 'call' of his Heart & mission resonated with my own experience of Life in that moment, however unique the individualized & context-based content of those feelings & processes manifested in either of us. And so it happens again and again, that I get the feeling with people in my life that we have in some way “called each other”, based on...vibratory state of being? The universal infinite-G inter-connected-net? Some angels sitting in a heavenly call center connecting lines? Who knows...but, here we are.
However you explain it, this calling and responding, learning & healing brought forth through exchanges between people and the flow of life is happening every day, so obvious and natural that we hardly recognize it. All the time, we are attracting that which is in resonance with the rhythm and melody of our heart and usually interpreting what follows through patterns of the mind or various lenses put upon our sight.
At the essence of the matter and the most Heart-full truth I know, we are all in service to each other. We are in service to each other simply by being ourselves authentically in each moment, being true to what we feel, riding on the waves and ripples of emotions that we give & receive in each moment. We are serving each other as witness-bearers to the expansion and contraction of the soul, as doulas for the birthing pains of life & death, as gardeners to the flowering of our awareness...
We are in service to each other here as mirrors; everyone is a piece of yourself, a reflection of your path, potentially representing an aspect of YOU! Pay attention to the affection & words of the children in your life, pay attention to your partner, your family, your animals—those who are especially bound to & reflective of your emotional states. Pay attention, too, to that irritating co-worker who finds no meaning in their job, to the angry lady who yells at you on the street, to the homeless person that you see on the corner of your coffee shop every week.
You may ask now, how in the world would any of those random people have anything at all to do with me and who I am??
Well, without getting into too much psycho-spiritual deep-diving, we can say with certainty that they all grew from the same proverbial "soil" as you– the same air and the same sun, too. So too, are they at least partially a product of the same system, society, and culture which has more or less shaped you and your way of moving in the world. Corporate got a big raise, but all those people down on Easy Street lost their jobs and one guy, his home. There is balance, even when there is none. And justice, too.
Well, we are talking about healing here...Why on Earth would I feel more whole by getting yelled at by an angry person?
Gifts don’t always come as sweet treats packaged in shiny paper. Our prejudices, conditioning & belief systems often stand in the way of truly realizing the gifts, small & large, of daily life. Gifts of healing often appear more clearly after a little fermentation and ripening of those experiences, combined with sincere self-reflection & a certain level of willingness to grow & be transformed. They are made a lot swifter through the practices of keeping an open Heart. If they still remain unapparent, then perhaps they will come as we gradually learn to step into our creator-ship and to cultivate greater consciousness. Maybe you become the giver as well as the receiver of the gift as you learn to weave a meaningful message of when & why that outburst of anger appeared in that way, and how and why we responded to it or were triggered as we did/were. Perhaps that angry lady is your personal trainer in disguise, teaching & pushing you to claim your sovereignty over your own inner state or to cultivate a stronger sense of inner peace.
Rigid prejudices, pre-conceived judgments, and victim mentalities also block the natural emotional state that would come with accepting each experience & exchange as a gift—GRATITUDE! Gratitude, in turn, paves the way for further & greater fulfillment of what you truly want to create in your life. I can almost guarantee that there are experiences in your life that are actually gifts to you but have not been accepted as such. Perhaps you are not willing to see them this way, or they simply need more time and sweetness to ferment properly. And I feel that if you were to see whatever experience from a higher perspective, from the perspective of Grace, of the Wholeness of all across space & time, then you would be deeply and sincerely grateful that life happened to you in this way. I know this is a strong statement–don't kill the Messenger! This Word (the whole post) is also intended as a gift, but it's up to you to receive it as such.
Please! There is no more time to spend wasting energy on thinking of how things could or should have been, regretting and brooding, blaming & shaming, feeding negative emotional states such as anger and depression through negative judgments and interpretations of self & other…we must choose, now. Proceed with the trust that this, too, is a gift. This moment & everything that happens to you today, in exactly the manner it has happened and will happen to you, is a gift.
I humbly recommend to you & hope to be reminded myself every day...to pay attention with all of our senses and our whole Heart. Let us use our mental & emotional energy to transform what needs to be transformed and to investigate why situations & people are relevant to us now–from the perspective that they/we are here to help us grow...and vice versa. We can be in service to each other as the stray angel who brings more light to the Heart & encouragement on the path, or we can be in service as the demon who shows where they/we do NOT want to tread. May we exercise wisdom in our choice...not choosing is also a choice. May we ask & listen, give & receive in balance–knowing that our actions, feelings, thoughts, and words are affecting One an Other beyond what we may see or think to know.
There is a lot at stake, consequences that are so far-reaching that you will run out of seeing-power long before they finish their domino-ing through space & time. In a sea of uncertainties, let's look at who & what is here before us now and do the best we can with what is given. Let's see to it that our ship is in fine order and we the crew members are working together well enough to keep it sailing true.
That translates to the health of whatever structures and vehicles are given (and waiting to be created) within the communities we are now inhabiting. ~
꩜ What kinds of tools do we have available to cultivate greater cohesion and conscious reciprocity between members of our Community? ꩜ What kinds of tools & practices are NOT serving? ꩜ Who are the stakeholders here? The different Peoples, yes, but what of the future generations and our ancestors, the plants and the animals with whom we share our territory? ꩜ Where does "my" community end and another begin, considering the extent to which we are nowadays, on some level, directly & indirectly tied together with all other territories and Peoples of the Earth?
Now, I am sorry if you came here expecting answers because it seems to me now that all I have raised, even for myself, is more questions. This is a BIG topic with many different threads, which I will surely continue weaving in future posts. Here are more of what I consider to be the most pressing questions surrounding this topic and for our time as a whole.
꩜ Take the following questions and cook them up with plenty of sweetness, some herbs & nutrients, and a good Word (or maybe a few)...drink immediately or let ferment for some sure-to-be fine medicine. ꩜
~ Where is our community? What is Community?
~ Where are our traditions, what kinds of cultural practices do we have that can help us create a passageway as a whole People through these challenging times?
~ How & why have our natural community structures been dissolving in the last centuries? What are the main obstacles to the work of healing, creating, and/or sustaining community?
~ How can we heal our communities so that our communities can heal us?
~ How may we re-build & cultivate structures or maps of relationships that will sustain & protect the wholeness of our children ['s children]?
~ How do we create spaces and occasions for real connection and trust-building in an increasingly digital and isolating world?
Well, it seems something's got to give, folks. And it won't be me unless it's a hug that I'm giving...because I run on the most renewable and self-sustaining energy source there is: LOVE. When I think I can't go on anymore, when I start feeling like the last tree facing up to the bulldozing machine, I change the frame and remember all of my relations.
I stand on the shoulders of the shoulders of the shoulders of my father's fathers and my mother's mothers, whose Love has woven the Way through time and space despite the greatest odds against it to be...to make me.
I remember the future of the tree that is me in the form of ancient memory & intelligence within every seed I carry and give to the Wind. I remember that I am now the weaver, making the Way for my children's children.
I think of my Community both here now & scattered across time and space, everywhere & with whom I have traveled and been received as family and ally.
And I allow the great Love inside my Heart to swallow in one insignificant gulp all of the fears, doubts, disappointments, and resistances to what is here now, what has been, and what will be.
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin!
꩜꩜꩜꩜꩜꩜꩜꩜꩜꩜
This is what my Heart has been singing of the last days, months, years. If you've made it this far, I would suppose that your Heart is singing it, too ~
꩜ COMMUNITY ꩜ BALANCED RECIPROCITY ~ AYNI ꩜ CONSCIOUS INTERDEPENDENCE ꩜ RESPECTFUL, LOVING, RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH SELF & OTHER, LIFE & DEATH, LAND & SPIRIT ꩜ UNITY & STRENGTH OF HEART & MIND ~ OF WE THE PEOPLE ꩜
If that's true, I've been waiting for you. Reach out or simply stay tuned. Sign up for the newsletter–it's free if you want it to be! This blog is as much part of my self-expression, exploration, & self-healing journey as it is intentionally and directly an offspring of the prayer to build and strengthen networks of people who want to create together life-sustaining, regenerative systems of living together on Earth.
Your gifts are unique and beautifully individual, but they are not just for you! Don't be a gift hoarder–didn't you know anyways that a gift given is a gift three times received? 😊 We, your community (be it of heart, spirit, or physical and social proximity), need you, exactly the way you are. Your crumpled and shredded parts are medicine, too! Share your stories, share your visions, share your medicine.
In deep gratitude,
Beannachtaí,
~ Ness
꩜ ꩜ ꩜ ꩜ ꩜ ꩜ ꩜ ꩜
P.S. ~ If you'd like to get in touch with my friend who is making interviews in order to share your story or simply listen in to other folks, hop on over to his website at walkntalkradio.com!