12/21/2022 0 Comments Elemental Rage and Elemental ActionElemental Rage and Elemental Action- Rebecca Lamar
Very recently, I was visiting one of my fav jersey beaches, and found the innate desire to meditate right there, on the beach towel, full sun, crisscross applesauce. (if you know, you know) And I did it, with no noise canceling headphones, and no timer, just a desire and action- and it was beautiful, and perfect. And couldn’t figure out why it came so easily, and then just flowed so well. Then it hit me. It was elemental. The wind, the earth, the water and the scorching sun, had all aligned in one spot, and I was centered, focused and mindful, like I have never been before. It got me thinking about the elements in general. That they provide some unseen, or rather unnoticed feedback or frequency on how we can be our best selves and how we can commit to action for humankind to be its best as well. FIRE In the sun rays, the scorching heat of a beautiful beach day, you can get consumed by the heat or fire. On any given day, beach goers lather, splash lather repeat, to protect for the most part, their porcelain skin. Don’t get twisted, we melanin blessed folk better be applying sunblock as well, because the scorch is no joke. The thing about heat, or the fireball in the sky we call the sun, is that it is intense, and it is everywhere. Unless you find sanctuary under an umbrella, or canopy- you got no escape from those rays. They are coming, and they are incense. Being black in america has a similar intensity. No matter where you are, or where you go, you are trying to ensure that if you need to find shelter, you know where to look. And by shelter, i mean safety. The safety of speaking your mind, standing your ground or acknowledging injustice or mistreatment. Safety can also refer to not getting shot at a traffic stop by law enforcement, advocating for oneself, or having the same opportunities as others. Finding shelter on a beach, requires the same strategy as finding safe spaces in america. You have to come prepared to pitch an umbrella, or borrow one, or risk full sun exposure. For me, I may include certain people in my squad to help with keeping me safe. I may also ask a lot of questions to really understand where we are going or who we are going to encounter. I choose my people wisely, and this is part of the reason. WATER The calming sound of the ocean so close to me, instantly catapults me in to my zen place. I realize that not everyone is a beach person, and quite frankly, I don’t fuck with those people- but, regardless, I can respect that everyone wants to find their perfect place of zen, quiet and peace. The water of the beach is so miraculous. Feeding and keeping tens of thousands of marine life, while turbulent, it is a are taker. Cleaning the floor and the flow with brash waves, and periodically churning up secrets and histories of our adventures, the ocean is a great mystery, and also a pretty explainable feature of our planet. While the water cleanses, it also pushes, pushes shorelines and storms through their cycle. Finding our balance in the society will mean that we definitely need a cleaning. Not of our race, but of our politics, conversations and everyday lives. We need to pay attention to language, it matters. We need to move storms of representation and celebration of different cultures and people to our foreground. We have a lot to offer one another, but we nee to be still and listen, watch and wait for an opportunity to sit by ourselves, in our spaces and understand what we want to see in our collective future. My other obsession with the ocean is the perspective it gives to me about my life, my effort and my purpose. Sitting in front of that big “pond” you can feel really small, but significant. And ass i watch the water, I also remember that the waves don’t ask me or anyone else to crash into the sand- it just happens. And no matter what I do, or what is going on in my life, the waves are still hitting the shoreline, not giving a lfuck about my actions, intentions or words. This is pretty symbolic of my attempt to control a lot in my life. I simply can’t. All I can do is take responsibility for my actions and decide how or if I want to respond or react. As we stare into the abyss of news featuring occurrences when allies showed up and when they didn’t- ultimately it is the choice of someone to interact, stop or redirect racism, it isn’t just going to be erased, it will keep hitting out people like the waves to the shore, unless a massive reconstruction happens. And my role is to carefully choose what and how I interact. I may not comment on social media posts, and i may not share my personal life as much, because I need to keep my peace and gain perspective, that my action while significant, is small and will rarely move the needle all by my efforts. WIND: The breezes that occur right near the water’s edge are absolutely some of the most refreshing movements of air I remember. They are just enough to move the granules of sand off my skin and carry them off into the abyss. The wind has this magical ability to be felt, but not seen. I can be a gentle push or a “fall back on my ass” kind of gust, but it can be quite mysterious how and when wind picks up. As I sit in a professional conference this week, I wonder where the “wind” will show up for social change, historic acknowledgement, an ownership of power and influence to make the change needed. WHile this is a conference that has given the gift of connection, I continue to find myself in the minority group of powerhouse women that are of color in this field, that try twice as hard, double up on workload, and are constantly asking what more we can do. The winds of change can be created from a gathering, an understanding and a confirmation of a collected effort needed to impact the world. The great thing about wind is that while you don’t see it, you can accept that it is there. I think this is the biggest truth that I find myself trying to “sell.” the idea that racism has been and will continue to be present, as long as we keep a system that was build on race-based value and power. Similar to the wind, you don’t get to receive an announcement or warning when it will show up, it just does. And similar to being a prepared beachgoer- you gotta prepare for it. You can’t waste time on a cheap umbrella, because you will replace it over and over again. You have to ground your stuff at the beach, or it will float away. And finally, you have to know when to pack it up and leave. These basic beach-goer concepts are critical for enjoyment t the beach, and just like when counteracting racism, we have to prepare. Know how to prepare, know how to sty grounded and know when to pack it up. EARTH: The grounds of the beach can be incredibly refreshing and frustrating at the same damn time. On the one hand, the silky, smooth, sinking sensation of the sand can be a little tricky when it gets hot. Then there is a reprieve of solid ground, right t the water line, where you can experience some elements simultaneously. The cool refreshing water lapsing on the shore, and the solidity of the wet sand allow for an opportunity to ground yourself, and have more control over your movements and walking ability. Often, on my sun soaking sessions at Ocean City Maryland, I would find myself with big dark glasses and a floppy hat fascinated by the people, couples conversations happening at this particular region of the beach. The earth of the beach is a metaphor for many things, but to me, what stands out about the land of the sea, is the stability that comes from different areas of the beach. Building sand castles will quickly teach you to know your materials, and to work smart not hard. Yeah, of course you can build a castle from scratch, but if you have been the adult supervisor in any sand-castle session, you quickly see that the strongest person usually gets the most work, and the worst work of crying and hauling water from the shore. AS a seasoned supervisor, I can tell you, go for the half-build space, or the already dug hole; every single time. It doesn't make sense to start from scratch when there are opportunities for you to expand on someone else’s work. It isn’t stealing, and it certainly isn’t bad to give credit and enhance someone else’s vision. I think the message here for our efforts is don’t reinvent the wheel, if your heart is calling you to make change, don’t think you need to start from scratch or raise something up by yourself, just join an existing effort and add your unique flare. We can be the change, without creating the change, get it? Finding space in nature and grounding myself allows for freedom for me to CHOOSE what and how I will engage in my contributions and efforts. There is something so simplistic about being in the elements that it requires me to be more authentic and seek more carefully for my truth, and the truth that should be shared. I see the opportunity of using the elements to fuel the efforts of radical huan love and acceptance. WHile not a small task to move forward, in an elemental way, the action required is minimal, but must be consistent.
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