Kaira Jewel Lingo, an author and community nurturer, discusses her transformative journey from communal living with Thich Nhat Hanh to exploring racial identity in spiritual practice. She beautifully integrates mindfulness and meditation, guiding listeners to connect with their skin's stories and their ancestry. The conversation emphasizes the collective healing needed in communities affected by racism and how essential it is to foster genuine relationships. Kaira’s insights inspire hope as we navigate the complexities of identity and seek supportive spaces in a fragmented world.
Kaira Jewel Lingo emphasizes the importance of community in nurturing spiritual growth, particularly for BIPOC individuals navigating personal and collective healing.
Through guided meditation on self-acceptance and honoring one's skin, Kaira fosters a deep connection to personal and ancestral history, promoting self-love and community sharing.
Deep dives
Kyra Jewel Lingo's Background and Journey
Kyra Jewel Lingo shares her journey from an interracial upbringing steeped in communal living and spirituality to her current role as a Dharma teacher and author. Growing up in a community that valued service and spiritual practice, she learned the significance of purpose and collective involvement in aiding those less fortunate. After a significant shift in her life when the community dissolved, she sought meaning and spiritual grounding, leading her to explore mindfulness and meditation under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh. This journey deepened her understanding of personal happiness and community connection, ultimately guiding her back to communal living and spiritual practice.
Creating a Meaningful Spiritual Community
Kyra emphasizes the importance of intentional community in nurturing spiritual growth and personal healing. She describes the challenges faced when transitioning from the monastic life back into a more individualized Western society, where individualism often overshadows communal support. By establishing regular practices with friends and creating supportive groups, she underscores the need for connection to navigate the complexities of modern life. Her experiences illustrate the significance of fostering community spaces that allow for collective healing and collaboration, emphasizing that true transformation arises from shared engagement.
Writing 'Healing Our Way Home'
The collaboration on the book 'Healing Our Way Home' stems from a desire to amplify the voices of Black women within the spiritual and mindfulness communities. Kyra, along with her co-authors, shared personal stories and collective experiences through intimate conversations that became the foundation of the book. This process allowed them to explore their diverse backgrounds while also addressing the challenges faced by BIPOC individuals in these spaces. The goal is to create a welcoming environment that invites more people into spiritual practice while reflecting on the unique influences of their ancestors.
Meditation and Self-Reflection on Skin
Kyra leads a guided meditation focused on self-acceptance and honoring one’s skin, which serves as a powerful link to personal and ancestral history. This practice encourages participants to appreciate the skin's protective qualities, embracing its uniqueness while acknowledging societal messages surrounding beauty and race. By inviting compassion toward oneself and one's ancestors, the meditation positions skin as a tangible connection between individuals and their heritage. This reflective approach not only promotes self-love but also fosters a sense of community by recognizing shared experiences and struggles.
Welcome Kaira Jewel Lingo, author of We Were Made for These Times and coauthor of Healing Our Way Home. Kyra shares her journey from a communal upbringing and monastic life with Thich Nhat Hanh, her work in nurturing community, and her exploration of racial identity in spiritual practice.
Her gentle guided practice is beautiful and completely original. We notice the experience of our skin - its age, its protective and permeable nature, its colour, and its history. Afterwards, Tasha shares how profound this was for her, feeling her mixed white and Black heritage, which at times can feel like a battlefield playing out on her own skin.
Our conversation afterward is frank and open: on race and ancestry, on how every person - regardless of skin color - has a role to play in healing the collective trauma of racism and colonialism. We talk about the larger “skin” of community - the role community has to play in offering support and safety, and yet also how hard that can be to find in a culture whose values so often separate and isolate. Is this changing? There are signs it may be. As Thich Nhat Hanh used to say, there is no more noble task than true community building.
Hopefully, this podcast can be a place of community for our listeners - a place where we can explore together the many different ways of being human.
Let us know in the comments how this practice was for you!