My Grandmother's Hands
Sometimes, a conversation about race leaves us with an inexplicable tightness in the chest, or a sudden, unnameable anxiety. It's a feeling that goes beyond words, beyond logic, and it's a common experience for many. Resmaa Menakem argues this isn't just stress; it's the echo of racial trauma, living in our nervous systems, passed down through generations. We often try to intellectualize our way through these deep-seated wounds, but the body holds a different kind of memory. This episode explores the critical distinction between 'clean pain' – the discomfort of directly processing trauma – and 'dirty pain' – the suffering caused by avoiding it. It’s an invitation to understand our bodies as living archives and to engage in collective somatic practices that can truly soothe and regulate our shared nervous systems, moving us towards a more authentic, embodied healing.