The concept of cultural repair is not a clearly defined theory or activity – and that’s probably how it should be.
So it’s a bit silly to come up with the Five Steps of Cultural Repair, of which this video is Step 1.
But I frame it like this because it helps me think about foundational concepts, which I do think are important, as long as we also remember they are ongoing processes, not static theoretical positions.
I also frame it like this because brains, mine at least but probably not only, struggle with the vast complexity of cultural repair work and I sometimes need relief from complexity, and nothing creates relief like Five Steps to Something Something.
I do think cultural repair work requires us to expand our capacity for complexity, unknowing, and the discomfort of both – but just like building physical muscles, rest time is essential for growth.
Your thoughts?
What’s your analysis of the wounds in the culture you work to heal/ repair/ regenerate? Share it in the comments, I’d love to learn more.
I love your boldness Liz! Thank you for packaging things up into steps – it tickles my brain in the best way! I think the current wound I am dancing with is something you touched on – that humans consider themselves to be different from/better than plants, animals, landscapes, etc… I’m finding a lot of healing in taking an animist lens where everything can be considered a person with a different, non-human body, and each with skills and capacities different to and often greater than my own. My latest epiphany is that I can co-regulate with these people… I can ask them for help when I’m feeling like shit, I don’t have to be in any sort of shape or mood to relate to them. They’ll have me however I am. It’s really beautiful.