Читать книгу My Grandmother's Hands - Resmaa Menakem - Страница 11
ОглавлениеAs you experience this book, you’ll learn to pay attention to your body.
If you have a white body, there will be times when it will reflexively constrict in order to protect you from some of the truths you’ll encounter. This constriction will be followed by a thought such as “I’m not like that; I’m a good person,” or “White-body supremacy has nothing to do with me,” or “This isn’t about me because I don’t belong to a racist organization.”
When this occurs, just notice what you’re experiencing without doing anything about it. Don’t try to undo the constriction. Don’t try to hold onto it, either. Just watch your body closely and notice what sensations, impulses, and emotions arise.
Don’t take the reflexive thoughts seriously, either. Don’t try to support them. Don’t debate them. Don’t act on them at all. Just observe them as they arise, and note any images or other thoughts that may follow.
If you have a Black or other dark body, there will be times when your body will experience a sudden shock of recognition or understanding. Things you hadn’t fully grasped before may suddenly become clear. This might be followed by a rush of energy in the form of joy, or anger, or outrage, or a felt sense of clarity and rightness. Let yourself experience these sensations fully, but don’t hang onto them. Let them move into and through your body like a wave; then let them go.
If you’re a public safety professional, you may experience both sets of sensations and thoughts. When one appears, allow it to flow fully into your body and mind, without doing anything about it. Then let it go, like a steadily shrinking image in your rear-view mirror.
Whatever your profession or skin color, as you read this book, at times you may sense profound hope, relief, or both. Let yourself fully experience these as they arise. Then let them go as well.
