[Thespiritexpress] Book recommendation

Fri Jan 22 08:28:42 PST 2021

> Thank you Taylor for clarifying this, you said it so beautifully. And
also Mary for your words about Othering which is so inherent in the way we
think. And of course Riantee for your enlightening words.
Having lived, grown up and worked side by side for many years in the black
communities in Chicago and St. Louis, I saw first hand how differently my
black friends were treated by white society and the police. Parents had to
train their children, especially boys, how to deal with police if they
were profiled and treated with disrespect so that they would not get
arrested or killed just for being black: pulled over while driving for a
broken tail light and put in jail, and then treated badly or even killed.
Going into a store in a white neighborhood or downtown and watched closely
so they don't steal, etc. Not being able to get a good job because of the
color of their skin. Not being able to get good housing, poor schools, and
the list goes on.  BLM was coined by a black person last year because of
all the police killings of black people over the years, and then the
George Floyd murder that all the world could see that created such an
outcry. Even after that, there were and still are more police killings. 
It is true that all lives matter, of course, but in this country it has
been the experience of the black community that their lives do Not matter
as they have been killed by police for no good reason. This has been the
history of our country since the beginning. We live in a predominantly
white world here and it is difficult to relate to the true experience of
the black community. We can live in cities where there are black people
but if we stay in our white neighborhoods and do not mix with black people
at school or at work, we don't really know how it is for them.

I agree with you that black lives inspire, black lives uplift, energize
and bless, and that is beautiful and inspiring, and we must remember how
the this slogan came to be and what it means to black people. Sadly, this
slogan has become emotionally charged and misunderstood. I feel that it is
up to us as white people to take the time to understand it more fully from
where it originated.

With love and respect,
Roz

Dear Viktoria, Riantee, Mary and All,
> Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.
> Viktoria I feel moved to clarify briefly what I am learning about the
BLM
> movement and white supremacy.
> Black Lives Matter was created to address and shed light on the
inequality
> and injustices that exist for black and non-white people in our country
and globally. To deny that racial profiling exists, especially by some
in
> law enforcement, only perpetuates the injustice.
> That’s why I believe it’s important for white people to recognize how
differently they are treated in our culture and to recognize white
privilege. I believe it’s important to listen to non-white people about
what their experience is like living in a world of white imperialism,
colonialism and domination.
> Deep listening and understanding is being called forth at this time so
that true healing can take place and true equality and justice can
occur.
> Rather than continuing to divide us, understanding the system and
insidious nature of white supremacy can help us move beyond it and
embrace
> our true one race - human.
>  I owe it to my non-white friends to understand their experience and see
> how they are treated differently than I am, simply because they have
more
> melanin in their skin.  This recognition and understanding can help to
heal the racial injustice that sadly exists in this country and in this
world.
> I agree with you that black lives inspire, black lives uplift, energize
and bless despite the fact that throughout history they have been
marginalized and told that they were inferior.
> Their collective human spirit is truly remarkable, against so many odds
and such ignorance.
> I like your word “Othering” Mary. That seems to be what our egoic
structure is hard wired to do. As we evolve, both individually and
collectively, and loosen our identity with our egos, we can see othering
for what it is and dissolve it into the truth of our connection. On the
surface we may look differently but underneath we are all the same and
are
> all interconnected, riding the mystery. It’s a beautiful thing. Love
heals and healing is being called forth now, both individually and
collectively. I’m grateful to be doing this healing work with all of
you.
> Thanks for listening.
> Taylor
> Sent from my iPhone
>> On Jan 21, 2021, at 3:46 PM, Mary Melkonian via Thespiritexpress
<thespiritexpress at lists.mcn.org> wrote:
>> Beloveds, I want to suggest another word for the zeitgeist of the
moment that has been forever: OTHERING.  I became “the other”in my own
family(White RC) when I married a “foreigner” , Armenian, Lebanese.
(BTW, Armenia as the first country to take Christianity as an official
religion. ) and I was automatically was OTHERED when I was married to
Vahe’ Minas Melkonian.  When my mother-in-law got to know and like me
she said to my face: “I like you, Mary; you are pretty and smart BUT
you
>> are not Armenian”. DUH?
>> My beautiful black new bestie, Mylene, from Burundi, tells me that they
have their own version of OTHERING and amazingly, they discriminate by
NOSES!  Who knew?  Know you know. PROJECTION, INDEED!!! Mary   BTW, I
am
>> always ready to say that there is only ONE of us here.  Only ❤️ MM Sent
from my iPad
>>>> On Jan 21, 2021, at 2:11 PM, Viktoria Zaita via Thespiritexpress
<thespiritexpress at lists.mcn.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Thank you Taylor for bringing up the topic, and Riantee, for your
enlightened perspective , you are such a breath of fresh air to me,
always.
>>> I just would like to add, what I  learned in Mastery , and from all of
you,
>>> that thoughts, and words literally create reality into existence! I
learned the importance of putting the right pebbles into the pond, and
dreaming accordingly  into manifestation.
>>> When I heard "black life matters" the first time , and every time, I
felt deeply outraged. As if somebody would say to me a Hungarian,
that
>>> "Hungarian lives matter"! Single me out on  the  basis of my genes,
and
>>> condensingly approve , that  I have a right to live!!!   How dare you?!!!
>>> "Black life matters"  is a deeply racist slogan, so is "white
>>> supremacy."
>>> What they seem to be  against for the innocent benevolent  onlooker ,
on the surface,  the very same  things  they are creating  into
existence: racism, anger, violence, guilt for sins, one never
>>> committed.
>>>   Repeating these  slogans , over and  over again, until collectively
>>> we solidify it into our shared  reality.
>>> I cannot  utter these words, and sorry, I cannot  listen to them either.
>>> But if we have to make a distinction based on race, I   am willing to
say with full gusto:  Black lives inspire, black lives uplift, black
lives energize, black lives bless!
>>> These are my pebbles into the pond.
>>> Viktoria
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Danleigh via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress at lists.mcn.org>
To: thespiritexpress at lists.mcn.org
>>> Sent: Wed, Jan 20, 2021 8:15 pm
>>> Subject: Re: [Thespiritexpress] Book recommendation
>>> Yes.  Thank you Taylor for opening this up .. and thank you Riantee
for
>>> opening the door even wider.
>>> Dani
>>> On 1/20/21 7:27 PM, Riantee Rand via Thespiritexpress wrote:
>>> Dear Taylor.
>>> I thought a lot about what you brought up at Mastery. Thank you for that.
>>> For years I have been uncovering all the small forms of racism hiding
in the recesses of my psychy under different names, often not
>>> recognizable as such.
>>> You say: "I personally plan on spending the rest of my life unpacking
all the layers of everything she so clearly addresses in this book.”
And it would probably take a life time to do that (quite a chase!),
but
>>> for myself, especially after the lesson we read on Tuesday I have been
reminded of  a much easier way to do it. I just have to remember,
every
>>> time I encounter another, when I learn about their lives, easy or
burdened, that IT IS THE PERFECT LIFE FOR THEM and that they called it
to themselves because it is designed to perfection ‘just for them.’
When I truly and totally understand and trust this, TOTAL EQUALITY IS
ESTABLISHED. I just have to remember when I feel sorry for the
unfairness of some situations, or when I am in awe of another’s
accomplishment, or when I compare myself to others, that MY LIFE IS
PERFECT FOR ME. In this way we are all equals and there is no room for
victimization.
>>> Much love and gratitude from me also for all of you who share their
wisdom during Mastery.
>>> Riantee
>>>> On Jan 19, 2021, at 19:31, Taylor Slevin via Thespiritexpress
<thespiritexpress at lists.mcn.org> wrote:
>>>> Dear Toni and all who were in the Mastery Class today,
>>>> The book that I highly recommend is called “White Supremacy and Me”
by
>>>> Ayala F. Saad
>>>>  and working for equality for All.
>>>> Sending much love and gratitude to You and Everyone on this path of
awareness,
>>>> Taylor
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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