Healing Connections: Ethnic Perspectives on Spirituality and Mental Health
by Ramonia L. Lee
An old African proverb
proclaims that "no tree can flourish without roots." One of the most
significant workshops offered at the joint Special Program of the Forum on Religion,
Spirituality and Aging (FoRSA) and the Mental Health and Aging Network (MHAN)
was on healing and spirituality from the Native American, Japanese American,
African American and Mexican American points of view. Four presenters on the
panel shared insights to approaches and practices that help sustain and restore
well-being in their communities. This workshop reminded me that no racial-ethnic
group can flourish without remembering, reconnecting and using its distinct
cultural and religious traditions.
Each panelist shared the story of people who sought survival in a supposed
land of promise only to discover the promise was not theirs. Broken promises
and unfulfilled dreams resulted in shattered people and communities. The
common thread in each presentation was not the method of healing but the
source of the pain and brokenness from which the racial-ethnic groups sought
to recover wholeness. There were three things that were striking as the
presenters shared the healing for which their racial-ethnic group struggled.
First, all participants mentioned healing from societal trauma and injustices
experienced as a result of racial, class, economic or political systems
that stripped them of their humanity, rights and privileges as citizens
in this country. Second, all indicated that structures within their own
communities are the true agents for health and wholeness. Third, each group
found wholeness and well-being in its distinct cultural values, traditions
and philosophies. Their values and traditions provided important tools that
enabled racial-ethnic groups to reconnect to their history, heritage and
communities. Michael Garrett shared from the Cherokee perspective the importance of
"Talking to the Four Winds." The four winds represent the fullness
of life--belonging, innocence, strength/ healing and wisdom. They demonstrate
the concept of wholeness where the body, mind and spirit interact and are
empowered. When holism, balance and harmony are present, the Native American
is able to survive in an often hostile environment. To overcome the situations that destroy wholeness and create discord, many
Native Americans have returned to cultural principles that guided their
ancestors. Garrett introduced the ceremony of "A Clearing Way"
in which one gathers everything in the palm of the hands, looks at what
one has, decides what is worth keeping and, with a breath of kindness, blows
the rest away. In a sense, perhaps many Native Americans are clearing away
many of the things imposed on them from the dominant culture and reclaiming
the two great purposes in life: to know the self--which comes with age--and
to be of help to others. Paul Takayanagi spoke of "Reconciliation in Japanese American Families."
His work has led him to develop programs that promote intergenerational
healing. The issues facing the four generations are different. The Issei
are the oldest generation, those who first immigrated to the United States.
They faced economic and racial prejudice when they tried to settle here.
The Nisei are those who were interned in relocation camps during World War
II. Both the Issei and Nisei generations faced monumental societal injustices
that resulted in scars on the spirit and psyche. The third generation, the
Sansei, were the objects of their parents' devotion and attention. The Nisei
placed their hope in their Sansei children's achieving where they felt they
had failed. The Sansei found favor in the sight of the dominant culture
and have become known as the "model" minority. The youngest generation,
the Yonsei, many of whom are biracial, are now seeking to reconnect with
the traditional values and culture of their predecessors. Efforts are being
made to bring these generations together to hear each other's life stories.
Through this process it is hoped that the elders will be healed from their
hurts, the young will embrace the values and traditions of their foreparents,
and families and community will be made stronger. "Communal Healing in the African American Faith Tradition" was
discussed by the Rev. Forrest Harris. One result of racism and poverty is
a diminished sense of self and self-worth. A main task of African Americans
is the search for identity as a member of the family, the community and
the society as a whole. The search for identity is critical because sanity,
wholeness, healing and a chance at happiness occur when a person knows who
he or she is. The search for self, however, is not a journey one makes alone. Biological
parents help shape and mold the individual, but there are other "parents"
who also assume the task of nurturing. The extended family, where parents,
relatives and other mature adults accept the responsibility of rearing children
in the community, was one of the principles that kept the African American
community vital and strong in the difficult days of segregation. Harris finds that the African American church has been one of the most
important community structures. The black church has marked and shaped many
in the African American community. It provided opportunities for affirmation,
self-development, fulfillment, positive self-esteem and acceptance to those
who were demeaned by the dominant culture and society. Recognizing that
the black church has had many important functions in the community, he noted
its vital role as therapeutic healer by stating that "we don't know
how many people have been kept sane because of the black church." Marita Grudzen rounded out the panel with her presentation on "La
Communidad: A Community Reclaims Its Spiritual and Cultural Roots."
She detailed the physical and spiritual journey of many Mexican Americans
who immigrated to this country. She noted that for many the struggle to
arrive and survive in this country resulted in broken families and communities.
In some communities, however, the women remembered their religious and cultural
traditions and used them to sustain families and build secure communities
during the tough times of readjustment. The community drew on resources
from their traditions to gain the needed strength from faith and family
to cope with the stresses of life. Each presenter highlighted the distinctive dilemmas his or her racial-ethnic
group has endured. The racial-ethnic groups found wholeness in their families
and communities and healing in their cultural and religious traditions.
Although there are things worth borrowing from the dominant culture, we
should not impose methods, techniques and philosophies on other racial-ethnic
groups as they seek solutions to their unique problems. The healing lies
within each cultural and religious traditions to discover and use to bring
health and well-being to the community. Ramonia L. Lee is program specialist with Baptist Senior Adult Ministries
in Washington, D.C.
