I could not let January slip by without sharing some step one racial sobriety recovery in the first month of this year. The adapted step 1 from AA translates to us as, ‘We admitted we were powerless over the impact of racism (white supremacy), that our lives had become unmanageable.’ To break this down, I am thrilled to be sharing the space with my sista in recovery Rineya who agreed to join me to share her experience strength and hope on this first step as a black women healing from addiction. We explore the pain and powerlessness of living under the system of white supremacy, her rock bottom moment, tokenism, racism in the rooms, and the power of black spaces which bring hope in taking this first step. You don’t want to miss this! You can connect with Rineya at www.myblackexperience.co.uk or follow her on instagram @Rineya_Umran_ka
Month: January 2020
The Opposite of Trauma is Play.
In this podcast June shares the importance of play as part of our healing, recovery process. Living under the oppressive system of racism is traumatic, and if we were raised in homes that also were chaotic, play is going to be something the can feel foreign to us because these environments will consciously and unconsciously keep us on high alert. Play is the opposite of trauma, so grab a tea and a pad to take notes as June shares how to bring more fun into your growth process. For details about the living in love programme go to www.love.juneallen.net
Forgiveness V Acceptance.
In this weeks live stream, June shares a beautiful example of forgiveness and what to do when the person you are trying to forgive is in denial about how they hurt you and are stuck in repeating their hurtful behavior. For more details about the offers in this session go to www.heal.juneallen.net
Gentleness.
With recovery and healing comes pain. Sometimes it hurts more than the original hurt because we now have to deal with the years of using the dysfunctional survival behaviors that helped you cope. I know it’s not what you want to hear but that’s the reality. I say this not to scare you but to let you know that despite the pain, you are not alone and there are tools you can use to be more gentle. This work is deeply spiritual, so in this episode I empower you to focus on the peace and not the pace.
What is Racial Gaslighting?
I have been feeling really angry the last couple of days and after a mammoth yoga session and some reflection I now know why. With all the stuff I am seeing about #harryandmeghan and so many white people denying racism is part of it, I thought this would help those of you that are also tired.
Racial gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where white supremacists (consciously and unconsciously) seek to maintain power and control through manipulation and bullying of non-white people. This is acted out through sowing doubt around the definition, experience and impact of racism (white supremacy) with an individual or as a group, making it difficult for them to trust their instincts, feelings and core sense of self.
Examples include, pretending not to see or understand racism, refusing to listen to those impacted by racism, minimizing our experience and the traumatic impact of racism. Verbal examples include:
‘It’s not that bad.’
‘Not everything is about race’
‘That happened along time ago’
‘There’s only one human race.’
‘You’re imagining things’
‘You’re to sensitive.’
‘ Why are you always so angry?’
‘ You have a chip on your shoulder’
This list goes on and on, I’m sure you have others. When your ability to trust yourself has been broken down, you are more likely to experience shame and put up with this type of abuse. Tools for wellness include setting verbal boundaries around what and who you choose to talk about racism with, then focus on taking care of yourself with these 3 principles of racial wellness.
1.Release. Racial stress can leave you feeling angry and frustrated so use physical activities on a daily basis to transform the trapped energy and emotion inside the body.
2.Reflect. Self-reflection is a crucial part of emotional literacy so schedule quiet time to observe and understand your feelings and reactions to the events. Use safe spaces in therapy, recovery and support groups to reduce isolation, shame and miseducation.
3.Renew. Use self-soothing behaviors and cultural nourishment to reset the balance and maintain your sense of self. No matter how small, these are powerful revolutionary acts inside a system that feeds your self hate.
You deserve peace so take the time to make these rituals part of your daily practice.
What is racial sobriety in recovery?
In today’s episode, June shares about racial sobriety within the context of recovery. She talks about the history, the blocks to racial sobriety and how to include it in your recovery process. For more details and tools about racial sobriety in recovery go to www.heal.juneallen.net
New Year, New Rock Bottom?
It’s been a while since I’ve done a podcast but its good to be back! In this session I share about what to do when you’ve been in recovery a while and experience rock bottoms with each new layer of growth. I also share what’s been happening in my recovery around realignment as I level up around the women I’m stepping into in 2020. Enjoy!
10 New Year Checks for Black Girl Bliss.
Happy New Year! I hope 2020 finds you well and ready for more healing, empowerment and abundance! In today’s live, I share 10 important self checks to nurture your black girl bliss! Enjoy!
For details about the Living in Love program got to www.love.juneallen.net