Over the past 25 years Terri Karis has been studying Buddhism, racial identities and whiteness. She is a member of Clouds in Water Zen Center, a white mother of black sons, and a professor of couple and family therapy.
Beyond Being a “Good White Person”: Disrupting Unconscious Racist Identities: A 2-Part Workshop with Terri Karis.
** Please Note - This workshop contains group interactions and Q&A - only Terri's dharma talk sections are included. Also, there were issues with the recording so some of her talk was not captured. That said, what is here is very valuable.
A racially stratified culture is a culture of disconnection – disconnection not just from others, but also from aspects of ourselves and our own bodies. Buddhist teachings provide a means for exploring our embodied, self-protective strategies of disconnection, as well as a path for more fully inhabiting our bodies as the mooring and support for all our activities – including connecting across differences and disrupting whiteness. In this experiential workshop we will consider the historical and cultural circumstances that have shaped how we relate to our bodies, investigate our own strategies of disconnection, and engage in body-based practices of grounding and reconnection that will support action in the world to challenge racism
A racially stratified culture is a culture of disconnection – disconnection not just from others, but also from aspects of ourselves and our own bodies. Buddhist teachings provide a means for exploring our embodied, self-protective strategies of disconnection, as well as a path for more fully inhabiting our bodies as the mooring and support for all our activities – including connecting across differences and disrupting whiteness. In this experiential workshop we will consider the historical and cultural circumstances that have shaped how we relate to our bodies, investigate our own strategies of disconnection, and engage in body-based practices of grounding and reconnection that will support action in the world to challenge racism
Within a sacred space of stillness, spaciousness, and community we will explore how the habitual practices of whiteness keep us from embodying the freedom that is our birthright and from taking skillful action to address racism. In a spirit of “don’t know" mind we will investigate attachments to being a “good” white person, and how to disrupt white racial fragility and white silence.
Within a sacred space of stillness, spaciousness, and community we will explore how the habitual practices of whiteness keep us from embodying the freedom that is our birthright and from taking skillful action to address racism. In a spirit of “don’t know" mind we will investigate attachments to being a “good” white person, and how to disrupt white racial fragility and white silence.
Within a sacred space of stillness, spaciousness, and community we will explore how the habitual practices of whiteness keep us from embodying the freedom that is our birthright and from taking skillful action to address racism. In a spirit of “don’t know" mind we will investigate attachments to being a “good” white person, and how to disrupt white racial fragility and white silence.
