“We have a few minutes, so let’s check in. How are you doing?”
Our virtual meeting began with those words. One of my colleagues was quick to respond.
“I’m sad. Really sad,” he said, as he struggled to maintain composure.
His voice vibrated with deep emotional pain. He paused. Though this was a virtual gathering, I could feel people leaning in.
Then he said, “A 29 year old young man who lived across the street from my church was murdered yesterday, by a 15 year old kid.”
“Say his name,” someone responded, and the echo seemed to reverberate trough the room. “Yes, say his name.”
With the calling of the name, there was a resounding Ashé! A spontaneous grief ritual had opened the space to “touch the spirit” and for a moment this gathering of educators paused to listen.
Another black man spoke, “I am so tired,” he said. “I am so tired of brothers killing brothers, cops killing brothers. I picked my son up from Morehouse College the other day, and I have to say that I am terrified. I am afraid for his life.”
Audible sighs permeated the room. Someone else spoke. “Black men are never celebrated, except for the stars. But some of us are out here every day trying to do what’s right…trying to help others. That’s what “Cool” did. He helped everybody in the neighborhood. He gave the homeless a place to stay. He was a mechanic and an entrepreneur, but he was never celebrated.
A spiritual care counselor spoke, “We celebrate the presence of Cool in this room. His spirit is here. We honor his life, his work, and all of the goodness that he brought into the world. We are grateful to his parents, to his ancestors.”
Prompted by the facilitator, the spiritual care counselor began to pray, “We breathe,” she said. “We breathe.” With those two words she began to weave a vibrational bridge that provided the group a means to transition from lament to a space of emotional clearing.
Her words of compassion and care were soothing and comforting. In a very powerful and memorable way, she orchestrated the energy in the room and made it possible for the group to focus on the Agenda before us.
It was still early morning. We had already accomplished more than expected. We had experienced Nsaka Sunsum (Touching the Spirit) and we moved on with renewed energy and commitment to the business at hand.[1]
[1] Wade W. Nobles, “Nsaka Sunsum (Touching the Spirit) a Pedagogy and Process of Black Educational Excellence.” Research Gate Publications: Multi-Cultural Learning & Teaching, January 2011. Accessed June 2, 2021 https://researchgate.net/publication/275777054
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