Whiteness In Wellness
As we get to grips with the global chaos and the massive wake up call we have all had to racism, we have been dedicating our platform to engaging in some incredibly important conversations with BIPOC members of the global wellness community.
By Light Watkins
These conversations kicked off with words from Light Watkins on the state of ‘whiteness’ in the wellness community and how we can all work together to change the environment so it is an inclusive and safe space for all. After listening to Light, it became exceedingly apparent at how un-diverse the wellness industry is. It’s weird because we don’t often refer to it as an industry, but a community. However, it doesn’t feel all that communal if there is a distinct under-representation of minority groups within it.
He gave us great insight into what we all should keep in mind when trying to create space for talking about race with people that may not quite get it. Here are three important things that we need to remember…
1. Don’t look for a quick fix, be patient
We need to remember that racism has been present in our society for hundreds of years. Yes, it has come to a head in the past few weeks, but while a lot of us may have only just woken up to that fact, countless others have been living that nightmare for their whole lives. Don’t expect a quick fix like a couple of Instagram posts or the signing of a petition to be the whole solution. Don’t get me wrong, they are a start, but they are not going to eradicate the problem entirely. We need to be patient.
In order to have productive communication and these sorts of conversations with your friends, family members, and/or colleagues, you need to approach the subject delicately and slowly. What becomes quickly apparent when you start having these discussions is that everyone has a different idea of what racism is, what white privilege is, police brutality and the many other issues that BIPOC experience every day.
It is about listening to one another, listening to everyone’s experiences and from that opening up the opportunity to diversify perspectives. We need to keep plugging away, doing the work on addressing our own privilege and biases, having those uncomfortable conversations with those around us. It is through this consistent communication that we will all grow into better human beings, into a better community.
What we do now to instigate change may differ from how we take action in a few months' time, but know that as long as you keep learning, listening and committing to the cause, we will make good lasting change.
2. Don’t fall into the trap of putting our problems onto the shoulders of the BIPOC community, it’s not theirs to fix.
While we may have the best intentions and desire to make a difference, when we turn to our BIPOC friends and ask them if they’re doing okay, or what we can do to help, we are often unintentionally putting the problem on their shoulders, unconsciously expecting them to give us the answers to something that we need to work out for ourselves. I mean, the problem was never theirs in the first place, it was ours. Now don’t take this the wrong way - reaching out is kind, asking what we can do to be better is important, but there is a way to go about these things.
Rather than asking them to point you in the direction of resources or tell you how it is, do a little bit of research on your end, and when you come across something you’d like to discuss, have the conversation from there. Starting a conversation on a heavy subject such as racism is far more productive and mutually beneficial if it comes from an informed and proactive place.
Another great way to instigate change in a loving way, like Light suggested, is to use wellness spaces such as yoga studios or festivals to host events like screenings of informative documentaries or inspiring talks about the eradication of racism. Creating safe spaces for people to listen, learn and discuss are key to sparking real change.
It is important to keep in mind that we are not perfect, and we will get it wrong sometimes. What we do now to instigate change may differ from how we take action in a few months' time, but know that as long as you keep learning, listening and committing to the cause, we will make good lasting change. As Maya Angelou once said “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
3. Not everyone shares your truth, and that’s okay. Don’t let this deter you from trying to make change.
We are all autonomous beings and what we think to be true, others might not. The same goes for racial inequalities - if you’re having a conversation with someone and they don’t think what you’re saying is true, chances are it’s because they’ve personally not witnessed it happen or experienced it themselves. Again, it is about being patient and not feeling disheartened if people shut down and disregard what you’re saying. Keep trying to have these conversations, and know that you are doing good work.
light watkins
Light Watkins, is a Vedic Meditation teacher, his passion is to provide us all with simple tools for increasing happiness within. He is the author of Bliss More, Founder of The Shine Movement and The Daily Meditator.
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