By D. Killian — 2003
It sounds simple, yet it’s more than a technique for resolving conflict. It’s a different way of understanding human motivation and behavior.
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CLEAR ALL
In the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minneapolis, dharma teacher Larry Ward says we have to “create communities of resilience,” and offers his mantras for this time.
There is this thing that happens, all too often, when a Black woman is being introduced in a professional setting. Her accomplishments tend to be diminished. The introducer might laugh awkwardly, rushing through whatever impoverished remarks they have prepared.
The entrepreneur and community leader on healing, boundaries, and tuning into yourself.
“Vulnerability is scary. I associate bravery with vulnerability because it takes bravery to be vulnerable,” the Brooklyn wellness expert says.
The last few weeks have made it impossible to hide from the truth that Black and white people have fundamentally different experiences with law enforcement in this country.
Diversity can be a great strength, but it is susceptible to manipulation when not accompanied by community leaders from all backgrounds willing and able to bridge across difference.
Several queer Black Buddhist authors have showed me how spiritual practice can be a liberating force in the face of challenges as huge as racism, sexism and queerphobia.
“The greatest social movements in history were rooted in the ethic of love,” says Valarie Kaur.
“Being Black overrides everything for me. Nothing is as thunderous in my life as racism. It seems to eclipse everything. It’s the repetitiveness of it. And the fact that it comes from every corner and nook.”
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