Description

40-Day Practice: Building Emotional Literacies for Racial Justice and Toward Countering White Fragility, Spiritual Bypassing, and Violence

White supremacy is both internalized and institutional; it’s both systemic and enacted through everyday interactions. And it’s certainly, undeniably, the work of white people to resist, reckon with, and repair.

As part of this work, this 40-day practice shares frameworks for recognizing and responding to white supremacy within ourselves, in our interactions, and in our communities, including in our families, workplaces, and holidays.

As the title indicates, this practice engages participants in strengthening emotional literacies, which is needed to counter white fragility, or the discomfort and defensiveness—and related power abuses and harms—that arise within white people when confronted with racial injustice. Such work means sitting with discomfort, identifying and naming emotions as they arise, and developing staying power to be in the work for racial justice for the long haul.  

This practice, therefore, is for anyone who experiences white fragility, who identifies as white, or who’s working to unlearn whiteness (which includes ways of feeling, thinking, being, doing, and relating).

Throughout the practice, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• engage in contemplative practices (meditation and journaling, among others)
• receive support for processing difficult emotions and countering white fragility (the myth, the harm, and the learned behaviors)
• articulate commitments that drive everyday decision-making
• set intentions and increase readiness for showing up for racial justice.

Previous versions of this practice have included a workbook, real-time instruction, and weekly support. 

The daily time commitment varies based on how you’d like to approach the practice. I offer a 7-minute meditation and suggest pairing it or another contemplative practice with daily journaling, so expect the practice to take around 20 minutes per day.

The workbook includes the following:

• Introduction to the practice and explanation of key terms, including emotional literacies, whiteness, white fragility, and white supremacy.
• Guided meditation in both audio and written forms, which can be used daily or swapped out for a practice of your own.
• An emotions journal to accompany the guided meditation practice—to be used daily throughout the 40 days.
• Lists of emotions to help with expanding emotional vocabulary.
• Resource guides, including links to varied contemplative practices, readings, and websites for learning beyond the 40 days.

Additionally, the full practice includes synchronous meetings held via Zoom:

Opening session to get oriented to the daily practice:
Friday, October 2nd 4-5:30pm Eastern
*Note that this opening session will be recorded if you can’t make the live session.

This opening session introduces shared vocabulary, contemplative practices, and intentions/goals for the 40-day practice. We’ll look at how our identities and relationships to whiteness position us in the work for racial justice and how we can build emotional literacies (embodied awarenesses, knowledges, intelligences, and response-abilities)—the very things that can help counter perceived white fragility, which is really rooted in not having the stamina for staying with discomfort and slipping instead into defensiveness.

Two 3-hour workshops to connect internal self-work with external action:
Friday, October 16th 2-5pm Eastern
Friday, November 6th 2-5pm Eastern

Using theatre of the oppressed, we will reflect on what’s come up through the daily practice and extend emotional self-work into action (i.e., “taking the practice off the mat”). Together, we’ll witness and then stop the re-enactment of troubling scenes, suggest/act alternative resolutions, and rehearse interventions into everyday microaggressions. This process builds readiness for making real-time interventions and equips us to act in our everyday lives for racial justice. (And, yes: this 3-hour workshop will include breaks because I know it’s a long time to meet via Zoom.)

Weekly processing groups:
Wednesdays 1-2pm Eastern

Registration includes the invitation to join weekly processing groups on Wednesdays 1-2pm via Zoom. These processing groups are intimate spaces (like small-group coaching) that support reflection, somatic awareness, and grounded re-commitment. Each week we’ll have a question to frame the session, taking up themes from the 40-day practice. The format is the same each week: introductions, guided meditation, freewriting, and then conversation. (Note: These groups are open for anyone who registers, so they’ll include others engaged in racial justice work in various ways and from various locations.)

How can I participate?

I’m not offering the guided practice at this time.

For a copy of the workbook, please reach out. There are no costs involved.

Why work with Beth?

Beth Godbee, Ph.D. is a researcher and educator (previously tenured professor) who has deep commitments to social and racial justice and embraces imperfection while striving for justice.

Across teaching and research, Beth centers issues of (in)justice, (in)equity, power, agency, rights, and responsibilities. Beth has collaborated with people in and out of academia, including with the YWCA Southeast Wisconsin’s Racial Justice Program; America’s Black Holocaust Museum; and participants in writing groups, workshops, and e-courses.

Beth’s teaching experience involves years of centering embodied experiences, using contemplative practices, and working one-with-one.

A white woman committed to unlearning whiteness, Beth also values ongoing self-work, looking regularly at personal questions of internalized inferiority and supremacy and asking about complicity with white supremacy.

To learn more, read Beth’s commitment statement. Check out past publications. And reach out with any questions.

Why is this course 40 days?

The period of 40 days has a spiritual significance, as many faith, cultural, and wisdom traditions use 40 days to mark transformation (birth, death, and change). Forty days are linked with habit formation and with varied contemplative practices, so I hope you’ll consider committing to this practice of sitting with hard emotions and building emotional literacies. These 40 days will build practices that can be repeated and carried well beyond our time together.

What accessibility considerations are addressed?

• The e-book is shared in PDF and Word formats to provide options of reading on-screen or printing.
• Written scripts accompany the guided meditation and opening session.
• If you have other suggestions or accessibility considerations, please reach out. Thanks!

What do others say?

“The experience taught me a lot about what it takes to actively practice anti-racism, as well as how to build a practice in general. Learning how to be in community (even temporary ones) with folks always gives me hope, too.”   —Mel, Participant from Pennsylvania

“I know Beth to be a wonderful combination of rigorous, gentle, exacting, receptive, encouraging, well-informed, thorough, honest, and more. In particular, if you are a white person looking to do some good work with other white people, I especially recommend the 40-day practice.”   —Briana, participant from Louisiana

“This course has really changed me—it was like I was rolling along, happily unaware of my own unawareness, and a switch flipped. At first, I thought it was a very negative way to view the world, always ‘looking for trouble’ or trying to find issues, but then I realized the issues are THERE ALREADY, ALWAYS, and it’s truly positive work to actively attempt to dismantle them. I so appreciate the words and efforts of everyone here, and hope to keep in touch over time, continuing to share thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. I have SO much learning to do.”   —Sarah, participant in Florida

Is this course right for me?

Contact Beth with any questions.

Thanks!