Here are some steps towards abolishing the empire within and practicing accountability.
Becoming embodied
I want to start by saying that becoming more embodied is shitty. It’s joyful, it’s living in the miracle that we are. It’s living in the tragedies of the world.
When I see “somatic workouts” (?????) and wellness industries using the words somatics for absolutely anything (including an ab workout), I either laugh or get mad (depending on how much i’ve eaten that day =) and what I’ve seen on my screens that day. Being more embodied means becoming more in tune with absolutely everything. It’s about being in harmony with our environment, as in: if shit is maddening, we get mad. Somatics is never about building a nervous system that avoids, looks away, or just chooses to put sprinkles on everything just to make it “positive”.
Somatics is about honoring the relationship between all. It’s about centering reciprocity, mutual care, and replacing dignity in absolutely everything.
The "I think therefore I am" paradigm, emblematic of Western consciousness, has shaped a worldview where life is perceived primarily through the lens of the mind. Consequently, life is often viewed as a series of problems requiring constant intellectual solutions. When we live life through the lens of the mind, everything becomes a problem that needs constant fixing, including ourselves. We become reliant on our thoughts to attain freedom. However, when we recognize life as an expression of divine energy awaiting to be fully engaged with, we shift from thinking to embracing feeling. Emotions cease to be sources of fear and instead become wellsprings of wisdom. This transition allows us to embody our experiences more fully. If trauma happens to our body, this is also where liberation lies.
What is the point of our liberation movements if not living in our full, authentic aliveness?
The essence of our liberation movements lies in the pursuit of living authentically, embracing our full aliveness, and embodying our humanity without restraint. To truly encompass our full humanity within our politics, we must prioritize the practice of becoming embodied. This means grounding our political actions in a deep connection with our soma, emotions, and experiences, fostering a politics infused with compassion, empathy, and genuine concern for the being of all.
Choosing to believe that people are doing their best (including us)
You might find this perspective challenging, but it's crucial for dismantling the internal systems of oppression. Choosing to believe, consciously and intentionally, that people, including ourselves, are doing their best, even when their actions are unacceptable or harmful, is a fundamental step towards transformation.
Our decisions and actions are influenced by a myriad of factors, including the conditions we find ourselves in and the limited choices available to us. In other words, decisions are not solely indicative of our poor judgment, they also speak to the bad options we are given to begin with. Recognizing this doesn't excuse harmful behavior but rather acknowledges the complex interplay of circumstances that shape our actions.
It is important to consider who holds the power to shape reality and the options available to individuals within that context. This understanding helps us move beyond simplistic judgments of others' actions and fosters empathy and compassion in our approach to accountability and healing.
Believing in transformation…
It's a radical act to choose to believe in the possibility of transformation, even when it seems daunting or improbable. Transformation is not instantaneous; it requires time, effort, and dedication. By committing to the process of personal and collective transformation, we pave the way for a future rooted in compassion, empathy, and healing.
As a community, we must cultivate hope and actively work towards creating a world where cultures of care take precedence over cultures of violence, punishment, and domination. This means advocating for systemic change, challenging oppressive structures, and centering the voices and experiences of marginalized communities.
By envisioning a future guided by principles of equity, inclusion, and mutual respect, we sow the seeds for lasting transformation. It's through our collective actions and aspirations that we can create a more just and compassionate world for generations to come.
…Including our own
In holding space for others’ transformation, we collect evidence of possibility for our own.
Ultimately, the process of abolishing the empire within is not one that can be undertaken alone. It requires the collective effort of folks coming together to uplift and empower one another. By embracing vulnerability, curiosity, and a belief in our own capacity for transformation, we pave the way for a future built on empathy, connection, and mutual care.
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Wonderfully enthused within this short prose! Clarity in such a direct approach here!
It had me revisiting the thought-work of realizing (within my Chronic Healing Journey) the rising idea of... Healing happens when you know what your body is for.... that this Somatic Tool that is the direct-body-experience - as by being within it's own transformations - held within by traumas and Liberations!
I am in the 'business' of transformative healing for others - and it is absolutely true that when I am processing and integrating another's emotive/mental/somatic states - as I witness it it witnesses me in turn - and there is that collective connective healing that transfers between two bodies. And in those moments where 'we-two' can just sit in all the innate-awareness that comes from maneuvering in that vulnerability (as the Healing Practitioner also (or should) permit their own vulnerability of healing) -
eye to eye
we see, hold
BeHold
All that we need to be for One another.