courageous conversation about race: low african american attendance

[Guest guest]

I was so thrilled when I went to see Amma in LA this past June to see

the diversity of Her Children. Not only diversity in skin color but in

hair styles and dress and age groups.

 

My former ashram was only white and Indian. Once I saw a black man,

but he only visited once and never returned. I asked why this was the

case and I was told that African Americans were just not drawn to

Eastern Spirituality. I knew that this was not true. I had visited

other ashrams where there was a much more diverse group. We Are All

One.

 

Pahari Maa

 

 

On Dec 6, 2005, at 2:18 PM, ckeniley2003 wrote:

 

> Ammachi, Max Dashu <maxdashu@l...> wrote:

> >

> > A couple thoughts. This is a good conversation to have, and as

> > someone said, it is about love.

> >

> > >  I've been coming to Amma's Michigan programs every year since

> that

> > >first program in a hockey rink in Ann Arbor (1999) and I am

> always

> > >surprised at how few black people I see coming for darshan --

> > >considering that the city of Detroit is around 75%

> > >African American.

> >

> > To me, the low African-American attendance shows that much more

> > outreach has yet to be done. And more effective outreach, with a

> > consciousness of what it would be like, all your life, to be

> Other,

> > treated as an outsider while others automatically assume that they

> > belong. Probably all of us have that feeling in some area of our

> > lives, but the legacy of racial oppression makes these barriers

> > extremely tough. I believe that those of us who have not lived the

> > experience of being dark in a racist society need to examine where

> we

> > may have absorbed its contamination, and cleanse our consciousness

> so

> > that we behave according to truth.

> >

> > Someone else wrote,

> >

> > >i think the "privilege" you speak of is another word for

> > >economics. and most don't even realize the advantages they have.

> >

> > That is true. And yet there are issues beyond economics, as when

> > black men get stopped, even thrown up against their car, by cops

> who

> > think they must have stolen the Lexus, or assume that they don't

> > belong in a wealthy neighborhood. Then even overcoming the

> economic

> > hurdles is no protection against race bias. Same with trying to

> get a

> > cab in New York; many don't want to stop for a dark-skinned

> person.

> > These are patterns of behavior that cause much pain and stress.

> High

> > blood pressure, higher mortality rates, so many other harsh

> realities.

> >

> > Max

> > --

> > Max Dashu

> > Suppressed Histories Archives

> > Global Women's History

> > http://www.suppressedhistories.net

> >

>

> Hey Max,

>

> I think the reasons for low African American attendance at Amma's

> programs has almost nothing to do with the reasons you give, and

> absolutely nothing to do with "racism". I believe it is a cultural

> issue.

>

> The black christian church is the traditional source for black

> american spirituality. This is the touchstone for most. The black

> folks I see coming to Amma have an interest in hinduism, and have a

> bent for eastern mysticism in general. I do not think that the

> christian church would be very welcoming to Amma. the cultural

> barriers are very strong.

>

> Amma can be quite alot to absorb for someone who has no familiarity

> woth Indian culture. And American culture is not friendly to gurus

> in general. American black culture and indian culture are truly

> different and the lifestyle choices that sanatana dharma recommend

> are at odds with urban culture.

>

> One way I can see for more interest to develop would be if there

> were a major source of Seva happening at a local level and the

> community were to get very involved, like a low income housing

> project or a school. But these are very expensive and intense, life

> consuming things that would be full time work for many people, with

> little or no pay. Also if a guru is emphasized there is a tendency

> for it to be labled as a "cult" project.

>

> this is what the mormon church does when recruiting new members, it

> provides material resources for poor people....but I DO NOT really

> get it that Amma is about recruitment of this type in the US, where

> gurus are considered unusual and perhaps, controversial.

>

>

>

>

>

> Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha!

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Mata amritanandamayi

>

>

>

>

>

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