Healing the Wounds of Racism – a daylong workshop at the Zen Center of NYC

March 05 · Retreats, Sangha News · Beyond Fear of Differences, BFoD, healing, Healing The Wounds of Racism, oppression, People of Color, PoC, racism, women of color

On Saturday, January 5th, ZCNYC held its first retreat just for people of color: Healing the Wounds of Racism with Valerie Brown and Marisela Gomez. This program was the result of changes in the Programming Committee that brought people of color from the Beyond Fear of Differences Planning Group into the decision-making process around programming. With their help promoting this program—even with a cold rainy day—turnout was excellent, indicating a clear need for these programs going forward.

Remembering Love

October 09 · Beyond Fear of Differences, Essays · bullying, healing, Resilience, sexuality, Summer / Fall 2018

An Informal Contemplation on Healing

by Lama Rod Owens

You’ve got to learn to leave the table when love’s no longer being served.

—Nina Simone

Are you sure, sweetheart, that you want to be well?…Just so’s you’re sure, sweetheart, and ready to be healed, cause wholeness is no trifling matter. A lot of weight when you’re well.

—Toni Cade Bambara, “The Salt Eaters”

When people ask me how I’m doing, I feel a little confused and pause for a moment. In my mind I want to talk about this deep sense of heaviness and despair that feels like mourning with and for the world. I want to say that a part of me doesn’t feel good enough, that this was a feeling I was born into, trained in, and encouraged to accept–that I do not remember experience before this.