Further notes on Anti Racist Literature

Further notes on Anti Racist Literature

Our hope with this Anti Racist Literature List is that you are inspired to read one book. Read that one first.  Commit to that and see it through. And then ponder. Noodle. Sit with it. “White privilege has nothing to do with you being a good person or a bad person. It is from the fact that you have been raised in a racialized society that you might not have been aware of.” Christina Desimone After reading and pondering our hope is that you will choose to read another or maybe it will inspire you to go down a rabbit hole of podcasts or documentaries (lists to come).  But don’t wait on me. Google that shit and then do that. The thing is. Personal growth cannot be prescribed by anyone else. It is up to you to do it. You alone can cause the change. So as your own best expert. Look inwards. Push yourself to do this uncomfortable work. You will be imperfect and it will be awkward. Consider letting those mistakes become teachable moments. Remember those? Remember learning when you were young, how much repetition, how many mistakes, how many failures? It is only in agitation that we grow. IT is time. The time is now. I believe in...

Aromatherapy I Loveth You

There are several essential oils that act as natural balancers. These adaptogens, as they are called, will instigate a reaction in the body that is appropriate to achieve a state of homeostasis or balance.* If you have interacted with me in the last few months I am pretty sure I have waxed poetic to you about aromatherapy.  Recently I started to blend my own oils and have been reading about, researching the scientific literature, and playing with the actual oils pretty much daily. This week I stumbled upon the notion of adapotgenic oils. Adaptogens have a normalizing effect on the body so they can be both (and this is weird) a stimulant and relaxant. The oil “adapts” depending on your nervous system’s particular needs. Amazing, right? Adaptogenic Foot Rub: 1 TBL Vegetable Oil (carrier oil – I use Grapeseed) 3 drops essential peppermint oil 3 drops essential lavender oil 3 drops essential lemon oil Rub the oil all over your feet, breathe deep and smile. *Valerie Anne Woodward, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy,...

Summer Reading

I have always been a reader. Besides cooking, dancing and playing any sport that involved a ball – it was what I liked to do best when I was younger. My brother when we were little would say: “Bri doesn’t read. She eats books.” A weird little thing about me is that if you lend me a book and you get it back in the same condition then the truth is I didn’t read it. At least I didn’t read your actual copy. My books are used up when I am finished with them – they are like velveteen rabbits with bits worn off. I learned a while back, when I returned books to nasty looks, never to actually read someone’s book. I find that people get annoyed when their cover is peeled back and the binding is broken. I still read a lot – my typical average is one to two books a week. I love fiction but I LOVE reading more and my books span a variety of topics. This summer some really remarkable works have come into my life. Books that I know I will turn to again and again with time. Greg Bradden, Divine Matrix Brené Brown, Daring Greatly Brené Brown, Men, Women and Worthiness Gary Chapman, The 5 Love Languages Gay Hendricks, The Big Leap Each of these works pushed me in some way. Some provided a valuable insight into an issue one of my clients or myself was facing. Several of them blew my mind wide open and have literally rocked my beliefs. Within each of these works though is a very simple...