Our History, Our Healing

One reason why I post about Black history so much on Ancestral Energies is that the more we understand our history, the better equipped we are to create a better future.

Black people, like many oppressed groups, sometimes have a tendency to blame ourselves and each other for our problems.

Difficult and painful images of Africa flood our TV screens, but the historical context for these issues is seldom given.

The more we understand the history of Africa under colonisation, the more we can begin to understand why African people are in the position we are in - both on the continent and all over the Diaspora.

We need to understand that wherever we are in the world, African people are facing many of the same challenges.

And we need to understand why - this is an essential part of our healing process.

Click here for my blog on the Black history film The First Grader, which explores the history of British colonisation in Africa.

See also: Why We Need to Heal.

Why We Need to Heal

I was recently asked why people of African heritage need to heal and transform ourselves, our families, our communities and our world.

I thought the answer was obvious. We need to heal physically, psychologically, emotionally and financially.

The damage that has been done is all around us, and inside of us.

To read more, see: Why We Need to Heal. This is the first part of a series.

For practical ways we can heal, see Success Strategies for Black People.

See also: Join Us on the Radio Again.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Black Women, Men and Self-Hatred

I’ve been reading an article in “Essence” on Black women and self-hatred. The article states that our negativity towards each other is due partly to our conditioning, i.e. Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome. I couldn’t agree more.

But this negativity does not just affect sistas. It damages brothas too. It damages our children. Its toxic effects seep into our families.

This affects people from Africa as well – witness the use of wigs and skin-bleaching creams.

What can we do about it? My work is all about practical solutions.

To read more, see Getting Past the Hate, to Have More Love.

Connecting with Our Feelings and Needs

Click here to read about Nonviolent Communication.

This is a repeat and update of an earlier post.

I read about these killings of young people, by other young people. It surely cannot be natural for children to kill.

We need to find more love in our hearts. Sorry if this sounds airy-fairy. I am talking in purely practical terms. We need to find more love and learn how to express it better or, I fear, our species is not going to survive much longer.

We can find more love. There are methods that work. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a highly effective method. I have seen the effect it has had in my own life and I am determined to help make it available as widely as possible, particularly within African Diasporic communities.

We can use NVC to help improve our communication at home, at work, at school, with partners, loved ones, and with ourselves. Nonviolent Communication is very practical and its results are exceptional. It is used by children as young as four. It is used by people all over the world, including places where there is a history of extreme violence, such as Rwanda and Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Israel and Palestine.

Click here to find out more about Creative Communication.

Click here to read about Nonviolent Communication.

See also: How to Get Our Needs Met, NVC vs. Anger Management. These are both old posts, so the links are probably out of date.