This weekend has marked the first federal recognition of Juneteenth by declaring a federal holiday. The official, public celebration of the end of American slavery in 1863, is a powerful acknowledgement that goes beyond symbolic recognition of equality. It opens the way for the country to heal by a confession of slavery as a part of our history. It gives a reason to 'tell the story' for future generations. It demonstrates that healing comes through truth. It reaffirms mankind's capacity to repent, to grow in understanding, and bring the shadowy into the light. It has taken over 150 years to get to just this point and the turning point came in the pain of the Pandemic.
We all understand that prejudice and race-based injustices still foment here and across the globe. Yet, there is healing here. Here is a fruit of a spiritually-based movement that has pushed human consciousness to expand beyond primitive ideas and emotions to come a bit closer to our capacity for spiritual truth, truth that includes unity in diversity, individuality in inclusiveness, freedom in inter-dependency, redemption and forgiveness. I encourage you to take some time to reflect on the ways of collective consciousness--you are not left out. (Susan Nettleton)
This poem by Persian poet Hafiz (1350-1390) is a place to start. (From "The Soul in Love", ed. by Deepak Chopra, 2001, pg. 52.)
"Blessing"
We are all great rivers flowing to their end Swirling inside us is the silt of ages and creatures and lands And rain that has fallen for millions of years. All this makes us cloudy with mud. Unable to see God. As we struggle for clarity and the open sky The Lord keeps saying the same thing Come to me now and be blessed, Come.