Tuesday morning I woke to find the #BlackoutTuesday movement going viral on social media. Before posting the blacked-out image on my Instagram account to show solidarity, I read a little on the origin of the movement by the music industry. As with other moments like this on social media, I knew it would have many layers of meaning for everyone who participated.
As a white woman, posting the black box wasn’t just about
showing solidarity for the black community and speaking up against social
injustice, it was about committing to be a better listener to the voices of
those in pain. To take a day or even a
few days to not post about myself or my own thoughts or ideas, but to just read
posts from those who are angry and grieving as well as those offering ideas on
how everyone can work to create sustainable change.
When I learned of the killing of George Floyd, the heaviness
came crashing down just at it had with Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in recent
weeks and all the other lives taken while worshiping, going to school or just simply
living, year after year after year.
Then there is the question of what can I say or do that will
make a difference?
Reiki, along with many other spiritual practices, can bring
you to such states of expanded awareness, bliss and connection to that unified
field of love that when you return to the heavy realities of the world, the
contrast can make times like this feel that much heavier. Because of this, I will often hear people in the
spiritual community say that they don’t like to discuss politics or even watch
the news because it’s so overwhelming for someone who is highly sensitive or
empathic.
At the same time though, the foundational Buddhist principles
in the practice of Reiki and Mikao Usui’s teachings are rooted in the idea that
we awaken to enlightenment in order to become a healing presence for others, to
operate as a human bodhisattva if you will.
Bodhisattva’s don’t go where there is light. Instead, they bring light to the darkness and
pull out of the shadows the power needed to heal the pain and suffering of all sentient
beings.
As I walked and meditated on the death of George Floyd, I
kept hearing a voice say in my mind over and over “Can you just listen?” As this question became my mantra, I realized
that it was silencing my inner empath which can take me down if it’s allowed to
be in the driver’s seat. Empaths are energetic
sponges, but when that empathy is kept in check, it can become a great resource
of compassion without overwhelming the nervous system.
I’ve learned that when empathy runs amuck, it’s not only
overwhelming, but it does a disservice to those we want to help. Taking on the energetic pain that another
person is experiencing in many ways diminishes the personal power that is restored
in the healing process. My Reiki teacher
emphasized from day one that it isn’t up to us as Reiki healers to “do” the
healing for another person. It is up to
us to be present and bear witness to the healing.
For those who are at a loss for words or action but want to
be a conduit for healing when it comes to social injustice, racism, antisemitism,
misogyny and any other kind of hate, the first step is to ask yourself, “Can I
just listen?”
Just listen.
After my meditative walk, I wrote the following words in my
journal asking myself:
Can you just listen not to evaluate
but to cultivate a presence of understanding?
Can you just listen to the pain and
suffering of another through the expansive lens of love without shrinking it to
fit inside the frame of your own suffering?
Can you just listen to the grievance
of another through the open lens of understanding even when it’s a grievance
you can’t relate to?
Can you just listen to one’s expression
of anger with the understanding that it is a sign of an unmet need?
Can you just listen to an opposing
opinion through the open lens of curiosity and not let it threaten your own
truths?
Can you just listen to another’s
suffering with the understanding that to be human is to suffer but each of us
suffers in our own way?
Can you just listen to bear witness
to the untangling of the yarn of suffering in another, honoring each tired and
frayed thread as it eventually weaves itself back to wholeness once again?
When you listen to another with a
beginner’s mind and unconditional presence, the power to heal is unleashed and takes
on a life of its own.
Half of the battle is showing up to
listen and then the other half is letting understanding lead to even deeper
understanding which will eventually inspire the right words and the right action.
If you find yourself at a loss for words and action during
this dark time, begin with listening.
If you find yourself overcome with grief, fear, anger, and
confusion, I am here to listen.
Just comment here and we can connect.
No comments:
Post a Comment