Healing Cultural Trauma

Healing takes place when the human race begins to redevelop the mind, body and spirit. Americans must put into action what they have learned from history, through trial and error, as well as, be open to new experiences that will raise the potential of our existing in greatness together. One must be ready and willing to receive information that may not always be easy to confront. Sometimes our healing experiences come from confronting information that is painful. Likewise, most of the major decisions we make are painful. We do not remember the easy decisions; instead we remember the ones that helped us learn, grow and heal.

Some of the information may sound familiar and some may be new. The difference, as Iyanla Vanzant (1993) states, is that "now you are willing to see, hear and use the information to accomplish a goal: stress-free, peace-filled living." It is paramount that both Blacks and Whites start the healing process so that peace may come about within our nation. Stress is a sign of lack of completion and confusion. Peace, love and harmony are not the authors of confusion. Peace - and more important, healing - are found first within ourselves; healing then becomes most effective when it occurs as the result of a group effort. Hatred, confusion, and pain will continue to exist in America until Americans of every cultural background take a stand and declare that these negative factors have no place here among us.

One way African Americans might be able to heal, and in which everyone could potentially participate, is to do away with the concept of white supremacy, domination and oppression. Though African Americans did not create these things, they do play a part in perpetuating them. This is because many African Americans appear to believe in white supremacy just as much as, if not more than, Whites themselves. African Americans must rise beyond such thoughts. For only then can they realize the power of their own uniqueness,