I went to see comedian Richard Herring recently. He’s doing a controversial show about reclaiming the ‘toothbrush’ mustache for comedy: Charlie Chaplin used it first before it became known as ‘Hitler’s mustache’. It’s a very sophisticated show in which he tackles race and racism head-on.
I found parts of the show challenging but completely necessary. Recently I find myself being told by ‘white middle-class English’ people “race isn’t an issue anymore”. Well it may never have been an issue if you are white. I live in the most liberal city in the country, but I recently worked in small town in Sussex, where I got called a ‘n*gger’ in the street, a colleague referred to Obama as ‘coloured’ and I was asked ‘why did your parents come to this country?’. This is a town that despises Catholics, so I’ve got no chance.
Racism is subtle. It’s about having a preconception of someone based on their race or religion. It’s about stereotypes: hardworking Poles, shoplifting black girls, Asian drama queens. Is a black man ‘trouble’? Herring gives an example of how the Police restrained the wrong man when he called for assistance after his iPhone was stolen. If I tell this story by saying ‘a man’ you might assume he is white. If I say a ‘black man’ all sorts of connotations run through your head.
I remember in primary school, I was never touched by the white teachers and not allowed to bake cakes with the other kids as the teachers thought there was something unclean about me. I was 4. (Don’t worry, I’ve got over the trauma of this now). I know that Asian kids, a generation younger than me have had a completely different experience growing up in England. Racist words and stereotypes may affect them differently. They don’t remember in the 1970’s and early 1980’s when there were hardly any black people on the TV, when we’d get over excited when an Asian family was introduced on Eastenders. I remember when MTV and commercial radio refused to play black music, when hip-hop, soul and even Michael Jackson was considered unsuitable for mainstream audiences.
Herring has a whole debate with himself onstage about the word ‘Paki’. For me listening in the audience, it was like scratching on a blackboard. I am a bright person. I know he is making a point that to a racist we are all ‘pakis’ if you have brown skin. A racist doesn’t care about whether you are from South America or the Middle East, India or Pakistan - we all look the same so we are all treated the same - with contempt. But of course, these feelings I have about the word, that maybe doesn’t affect my 16-year old cousin or my 50-something mum - make me and my (white, middle-class) friends uncomfortable watching it. Especially as Herring is a big white man, saying it with such venom (If I was up there, doing the same act, no-one would care).
These issues should not be brushed under the carpet. Herring rightly says people should have voted in the European election, it was by not voting that England sent 2 fascist BNP representatives to the European parliament. Racism should be laughed at, talked about and challenged. Herring is a brave man to get up on stage and clobber us over the head with it. Wake up Britain!
Last weekend I attended a 2 day Shamanism workshop with Leo Rutherford. He’s in his 70’s now, he’s written loads of books on shamanism and he runs the Eagle’s Wing centre in Forest Row. He studied in San Francisco - all good signs. I went on a shaman weekend about 4 years ago with Howard G Charing, also a member of Eagle’s Wing and despite my scepticism I had some very powerful experiences. I’d been waiting for some time to go on a course with Leo and the time was obviously right last week.
Shamanism is a term used to describe the rites and rituals of ancient cultures around the world, usually referring to Native North and South American Indians. The Shaman serves the community as healer, priest and adviser. Common elements may include rites of passage, ceremonies and festivals, use of herbs and crystals, use of dance, drumming and chanting. There are meditative practices, which involve releasing the mind to ‘travel’ or ‘journey’, meeting spirit guides, deities and accessing other realms. There is always a strong connection to Mother Earth and the cycles of Nature and the elements.
All ancient cultures share these elements: Australian Aborigines, the Maoris and Polynesians, the Tibetan people, native cultures in Siberia, as well as Wiccan and Pagan practices. As shown on a recent BBC documentary the Incredible Human Journey - all of these practices have their roots in ancient Indian and African cultures. All of these cultures also use symbols and healing practices as a way of life - which is why Reiki (universal energy) is so strongly linked to shamanism.
The aspect I enjoyed most on the workshop was ‘journeying’. It’s similar to a guided meditation but instead of someone talking to you, it’s the rhythmic drumming that sends you into a semi-hypnotic state. You ‘dream’ an alternate reality which represents your authentic self. You ‘meet’ various guides or animals who can give you answers or guidance. I dreamed of a 3-headed dragon which represented the 3 negative qualities I would like to get rid of (or at least dampen down!): anger, greed and envy. I also dreamed of my various power animals, which I have met on other journeys, such as Dolphin, Owl and Peacock. This time I merged with all of the animals and became a huge being, rather like the Nightwalker in Princess Mononoke. I whizzed off into space and looked back at the world and gave it a big hug.
The message was loud and clear: You are called upon to help with environmentalism. What more can I do? I don’t have a car, a dishwasher or a tumble dryer. I use Ecover cleaning products and I rarely eat meat. I try to conserve fuel and water at home - no ordinary lightbulbs in my house. I have cut down on the amount of flights I take and the amount of stuff I buy. I am also making a move to using better toiletries, usually found in holistic clinics and health food shops such as Infinity. I recycle and donate clothes, books and CDs to friends, Freecycle and local charity shops. (Traid in Brighton sell good quality recycled clothes, and Magpie collect unwanted furniture). I am planting bee-friendly plants in my little city garden. And every day I send distant healing to the whole Earth. Any more tips on how I can help the environment are gratefully received, add a comment below.
On the spur of the moment, I booked a flight to San Francisco and spent 12 days with very good friends. It was an amazing trip, where everything fell into place. Sometimes logistics can be a nightmare, but I’ve learned that if you go with flow, things usually work out for the best, for all concerned. This is by working with not against the flow of energy. For example, my friends were already planning a break to Oregon, the beautiful state above California with magnificent beaches and stunning countryside. Instead of thinking this was a problem, I changed my flight and tagged along with them on their camping trip - taking in a stop at spiritual town Mount Shasta and a overnight stay in trendy Portland. It was obviously ‘meant to be’ as we also met up with another couple from Brighton, now living in Vancouver: celebrating a milestone birthday by a open fire on a Pacific beach can’t get much better.
In the past 6 months, I have tried to stay positive and open to opportunities, despite being affected by the recession: not as many people coming for treatments and workshops and not as much freelance project management work. As it’s been quieter, I have spent the time seeing more of my close friends and family, going on courses for self-improvement and to improve my professional skills. I have been fitting in some volunteer work and getting back into networking for business. But I still felt as if I was scrimping: not spending money sometimes creates a stagnant energy and a feeling of resentment. So the trip to the US felt like an opportunity I had to grasp with both hands.
The lovely couple I stayed with, represent the two aspects of my life: the digital/creative world and the complementary/spiritual life. Sometimes it’s not a course or a book that can be inspiring but the good friends that are around you. I felt so nurtured by the good healthy home-cooked food, I loved watching how they work as a team, and we also debated new digital developments. I gave them both Reiki treatments and also completed their Reiki training.
I came back with my head, heart and suitcase crammed full of gifts and ideas. There were so many great places I visited, but among the most memorable was the vegan raw food Café Gratitude. ‘What are you grateful for?’ we were asked by the waitress. I am so grateful to my good friends and I appreciated every moment of my trip.
Highlights:
De Young Museum
Nightlife at California Academy of Sciences
Mount Shasta
Ace Hotel
Powells book store
Cannon Beach
Bandon Beach
Alloro Restaurant
The Redwood Groves
City Lights book store
Chinatown
Spectrum Festival
SF Pride
SF Museum of Modern Art
Café Gratitude
News | rifa | 
July 31, 2009 1:28 pm | 
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