Democratizing Healing

I was specially moved by this post shared by Swarn Leung, one of the most empathic listeners I have ever met. I loved it because it resonates with my own experience of the power of deep listening. But I was also moved because it points towards the possibility of democratizing how we heal.

We all need healing. But when you commit to working with historically oppressed communities you also commit to dealing with communal trauma that has often been held for generations. I love counselors and therapists, we need more of them! But we can’t wait until we have that access.

Reading about An Indigenous Approach to Healing Trauma I was inspired by he possibility of developing a communal discipline. Imagine living and thriving in spaces where being part of the community also means becoming skilled in the healing art of listening. What would it be like to co-exist in spaces where part of being in movement together includes the discipline of listening to each other in ways that can truly heal? What becomes possible when healing is democratized?

We can all learn how to listen. I believe it gets us closer to the freedom that we seek.