Today I read some parts of a book addressing intergenerational trauma and presenting Buddhism as a path for healing trauma, especially in a racial context. I noticed an aversion towards accepting a single religion or philosophy to address one's trauma. That aversion is partial to my experience, as I came across several religions before landing on Buddhism and was even welcomed to Hindu practice (an honor) in an informal setting. I was raised Christian, but the religion never landed for me. That didn't sit well with many in the belly of Georgia. The journey to find relief, spiritual rest, and a higher self was fun.
Eventually, the search became more of a hunt as free time waned and met more struggles. The trauma I experienced is through the lens of a black woman or girl. It's burned in my brain: "You're African first" my father told me. And I'm a woman first, I quickly believed about myself. These views are simply formed though by the way people have categorized me, day to day and throughout history.
My history is forever with me, and as I learn where I come from I realize a certain freedom and empowerment. Did I learn it through Buddhism? I don't think so. I experienced this freedom through music and reading, and Buddhism is a great reminder and articulation of the concept: the concept of continuation. The continuation of time, history, and ourselves. The meaning of our legacies is magnified as the Buddhist teachings tell us that we exist not only in ourselves but also in those around us. And those continuations of ourselves also have the power to health in their new manifestations.
Did you water a flower? Watch it grow and bring a small to your face.
Had a fight with a partner? They may return with love and forgiveness in their heart.
Similarly, the people in our lives and the world we interact with can impart joy and wisdom to us, even under circumstances of intergenerational trauma, even if the interaction is negative. Take a break, rest, and walk in nature. It's amazing what touching the soil, hugging a tree, or wading in the ocean can do for you. Descendants of slaves in the U.S. marched to freedom. We can make the journey to liberation from our traumas. My particular practice brings me comfort and strengthens my belief system and my faith.
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