As most of you know, the was a curbside demonstration held outside of our church last Sunday, followed by a rally in which several people spoke.  We then all had the opportunity to share ideas about ways in which we could be involved in the efforts to work against racial injustice. The media was present and since the story was run there has been concerned commentary regarding how the media reporting represented what was said and how the event itself reflected white supremacy.  I share these concerns, including and especially about my own contributions.  I have regret about this and see it as an opportunity for growth.

The video I share with you today, A Mindful Approach to Race and Social Injustice, contains messages from Rhonda Magee and Jon Kabat-Zinn about how to mindfully approach social injustice, including racism.  One message particularly striking to me is heard around the 18-minute mark of this 37-minute video.  Here Magee speaks of how essential it is to meet ourselves with kindness when we recognize that we are out of alignment and have internal work to do in the area of racism.  She addresses the importance of engaging in mindful self-work about racism, given how woven into our culture and all of our experiences racism is.  And she underscores the importance of entering into this work without self-judgment so that openness and self-awareness work can meaningfully take place.

I hope you have the opportunity to listen and gain from her message. We’ll hear more about it on Sunday.
Lori