Opening Prayer and Reflection Grounding: In Our State of Emergency for the Safety of #BlackLives
In the wake of the recent murder of George Floyd, People for Mobility Justice Advisory Board Member, Yolanda Davis-Overstreet, shared an Opening Prayer and Reflection Grounding to read and reflect on with yourself, family, friends, colleagues and community:
Opening Prayer and Reflection Grounding:
In Our State of Emergency for the Safety of #BlackLives
I thank each of you for Recognizing and Honoring #BlackLives, in this time, and into our history. When in,
1619, slave traders forced Africans to get on a slave ship and took them to Jamestown, Virginia - approximately 20 Africans were on that ship, originally from the present-day Angola. They were seized by the British crew from a Portuguese slave ship.
And in 1776, when the United States declared its independence at which debates erupted and Congress removed a passage in Thomas Jefferson’s draft that condemned the slave trade.
to December 1865, when the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, outlawing slavery. Yet, the horrendous white supremacy traditions of slavery forged on. Continuing to suffocate #BlackLives through its lethal and black-code practices. The reek of racism reached out from Sea to Sea in this America coercing its policies, laws, and poisonous venom into every #BlackLife – every Man, Woman and Child.
#JusticeforGeorgeFloyd symbolizes on a national level – that the sustainability and livelihood of #BlackLives have reached a level of crisis! The ‘ole negro spiritual saying My Cup Runneth Over implying an abundance of blessings in its time, but looked upon from the perspective of being Black in America in 2020, there is a definite river that runneth over of agony and oppression. Paradoxically there is too, a turning of the table that speaks to still reaching the Promise Land. Our psyches and being are flooded with a vivid summons on the systemic racism that George Floyd and #BlackLives have been born into, dating back to centuries ago, in this America. Born into a white supremacy construction that has oppressed and criminalized #BlackLives. Our Cup Runneth Over into America’s first sin, as described and discussed in this time, the known evidence OF SLAVERY, the blueprints of the erection of RACISM and the UNBEARABLE trails of death that continues to leave its mark on our streets and in our homes - with its undertakings of slaughtering #BlackLives.
“Breathe”
In this moment, “we” are still able to breathe and use our 5th Chakra, our Throat Chakra. In Sanskrit, the word is 'Vishuddha' meaning purification.
George Floyd can’t breathe.
The 5th Chakra is the first of the higher or spiritual Chakras on the "chakra ladder". This Chakra is located in the region of the neck and shoulders. Its color is blue.
The gift of this chakra is accepting our originality (George’s originality), expressing our authentic voice and speaking our truth. It is George, being able to express his authentic voice and speaking his truth!
The 5th Chakra, in its rawest state, is associated with higher discrimination and is associated with creativity and self-expression.
When the Vishuddha, the 5th Chakra, the Throat Chakra is shut down, knelt upon in broad daylight for 8 minutes and 46 seconds by a police officer, Derek Chauvin accompanied by three other police officers, - a person undergoes, George underwent DEATH.
A moment of silence.
“Breathe”
A viewing and “Saying Their Names #Together”
#BLACKLIVESMATTER - link (start at frame 5:32)
Thereafter - take a moment of silence
In this time of recognizing the need for local, national, and global protests to Eradicate Racism and to dismantle America’ first sin, aka, Institutionalize Racism and Oppression that has caged and murdered #BlackLives for centuries,
– we ask that we are given the strength, patience, resilience, and guidance to Expand and Evolve into the call of Eradicating.
Eradicating:
America’s Institutionalize Racism and Oppressive landscape forced upon on my / our Black Brothers and Sisters! Set them Free!
Eradicate the Knee and Chokehold on my / our neck, on my 5th Chakra, my Throat Chakra!
Eradicate the Multiple Bullets that have been Shot into my / our body
Eradicate the Cages and Shackles that America has continued to isolate us within! Hunting us down with the mission of shutting us down. Shutting down our livelihoods – thereby, blinding my / our #BlackLives – unable to see beyond oppression and death, it becomes my / our nearby companion.
We must Eradicate the lethal ills of RACISM, that only toxify and bring upon death!
Help us to BREATHE and get securely grounded in our efforts to move into New Life,
TO BREATHE INTO THE CALL OF JUSTICE – dismantling the old Constitution, its vast unjust legislation, and laws of a white supremacy America,
Help us to BREATHE SO THAT WE, THE PEOPLE, move forward CO-CREATING A NEW CONSTITUTION for Our Democracy, for a Renewal of #BlackLives,
For Safe Spaces,
To Live,
To Raise Our Families,
To Be in Healthy Relationships,
To Work,
To Walk,
To Bicycle,
To Breathe.
Let Us Breathe into A RENEWAL FOR THE Liberation of Life and Movement!
Let Us Breathe into Justice for all who have been murdered and unjustly accused of crimes they did not commit!
Let Us Breathe!
Let Us Breathe!
Taking Our concluding grounding Breathes (three strong breathes) into Intention, Resilience and Love.
-Namaste