Reconciliation is the process of removing barriers that hinder authentic relationships.
Removing Barriers: Barriers to relationships are anything that gets in the way of our ability to show up authentically. At the Center 4 Reconciliation we are focused on racial and cultural barriers, which can be present at the individual and systemic levels. Barriers can be internal (e.g., one’s own mindset, shame, or lack of self-awareness) or external (e.g., missing cultural knowledge, assumptions based on stereotypes, or communal policies that result in inequitable practices).
Authentic Relationships: It can be difficult to capture the essence of an authentic relationship because so often our relationships have been diluted - we have a tendency to curate a ‘self’ to show others and the world. Sometimes, we have lost touch with who we really are, what we believe, and what we value.
What if a better way of existing and relating was possible? What if we could be honest with ourselves and really name who we are and who we are intended to be? What if the choices we made to adapt or modify in a relationship were for the benefit of the other person and did not cause harm to oneself? What would it mean to be in a mutually reciprocal relationship where one’s whole self is honored and respected?
At the Center 4 Reconciliation, we are asking hard questions about what it means for you to be authentic with yourself, within your relationships, and as a spiritual being. We also explore what it means for people to allow others to show up holistically as they move toward relationships that are genuine, honoring, and whole.