The human race is challenged more than ever before to demonstrate our mastery, not over nature but of ourselves.
— Rachel Carson
There is a better path. To find it, we must first recognize the path we are on and its inadequacies.
Call it what you wish, our collective trauma, brokenness, woundedness… pulls us to self-absorption and unplugs our holistic mind. Rightly so. When we perceive a threat, self-survival is top priority. This is exactly what a fight-flight survival defense mechanism that got us evolved this far is supposed to do.
If you encountered the term, species-preservation, given that we are currently on a trajectory to mass extinction, you might think it refers to an environmental conservation effort for endangered wildlife. Yet, two decades ago, in a published journal article on PTSD, Sheila Wang referenced it as a human mindset about other humans. It is what we lose access to when we feel threatened. The fight-flight activation unplugs us from the affiliative sense of being part of the whole. It gets replaced by self-preservation only.
Dr. Bruce Perry is famous for saying, states become traits. A defense mechanism designed for occasional use, to save our life in extreme situations, has become a normalized way of life for far too many of us.
As we look around and see the acculturation of hierarchy, oppression, and pathological narcissism, it points to our loss of healthy state of mind, and it is killing us.
We are not just ‘born this way’. We are not a world full of ‘bad seeds’. We are the product of life experiences across the generations. Within the healing of the collective, a foundational connection to goodness is affirmed and strengthened. At the intersection of our varied forms of oppression, there lies the key to transformation and increased compassion.
There is a better path and we must find it together.
We are hosting what we think will be an extremely powerful, interactive, intersectional, and engaging program. Our featured speakers include Gene Baur, Claire Kim and Katie-Jay Scott. We have assembled many additional speakers from the local area speaking from first hand experiences. While many serious topics will be presented, we will also have some fun and are starting the day by having a meal together.
Please join us for:
CONNECTING THE DOTS: Finding Compassion Despite Our Differences, (Sunday, April 15, 12p-5p) — DETAILS & REGISTRATION.
Scroll down for UPCOMING EVENTS.
In the spirit of Ubuntu,
Barbara English, LMFT, CBT, TRE® Certification Trainer
Co-founder and Executive Director, Living Ubuntu
livingubuntu.org | facebook | donate »
living vegan (facebook)
(949) 891-2005
[Ubuntu] n. We belong to the greater whole.
:::UPCOMING EVENTS:::
A Screening of “Human Flow” – GWC Peace Studies Program (a pre-conference event)
Thursday, April 12, 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Huntington Beach
An Evening with Gene Baur: Increasing Compassion, Sustainability & Equity in our Food System
Friday, April 13, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Fullerton
Connecting the Dots: Finding Compassion Despite Our Differences
Sunday, April 15, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Santa Ana
Peace and the Global Economy: Emerging Issues & Practical Solutions – 12th Annual Golden West College Peace Conference
Friday, April 20, 8:30pm – 5:00pm
Huntington Beach
An Evening with Carl Wilkens: Beyond Genocide, Respect-Empathy-Inclusion
Wednesday, April 25, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Fullerton
Intro to TRE: Connection, Compassion & Community
Saturday, April 28, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Irvine
***
GENE BAUR * CLAIRE KIM * KATIE-JAY SCOTT * JONI MARIE NEWMAN
Arthur Trey Carlisle * Jose Trinidad Castenada * Barbara English * Michele Martinez * Amina Mohamed * Piper Sample * Audrey Waight
Living Ubuntu Blog 