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Aktivismus heißt Verbindung: Indigene Weisungen zur Heilung der Welt
Aktivismus heißt Verbindung thematisiert aus postkolonialer Perspektive und aus der Tradition von Indigenem Aktivismus:
Wie bedingen sich Klimakatastrophe und die zunehmenden Konflikte zwischen Menschen gegenseitig?
Warum nimmt Gewalt global eher zu als ab – sowohl zwischen Menschen, zwischen Staaten als auch zwischen Menschen und Natur?
Sherri Mitchell eröffnet mit ihrem visionären, analytischen und bewegenden Buch ganz neue Argumentationen für ein westlich sozialisiertes Publikum, die die Logiken von Schuld und Richtig/Falsch verlassen. Stattdessen wird ein respektvoller und gewaltfreier Ansatz detailliert und konkret vorgestellt.
Die Lektüre kann lebensverändernde und weltrettende Wirkungen auslösen. Das Buch ist in einer klaren Sprache geschrieben: intensiv, konkret und bewegend.
Es ermuntert zu einem politischen Aktivismus, der Gewaltspiralen verlässt, indem Menschen sich neu verbinden mit allem Lebendigen – mit sich selbst und den eigenen Ängsten, mit anderen und dem umfassenden Schmerz durch die koloniale und neokoloniale Geschichte. Aktivismus heißt Verbindung eröffnet Möglichkeiten individueller und kollektiver Heilung durch konkrete eigene und gemeinschaftliche Handlungen in Zeiten globaler Herausforderungen. Es bestärkt und bietet Handlungsansätze für Wege aus gesellschaftlichen Sackgassen.
Das Buch ist eine Empfehlung für alle Menschen, die mit der Klimakrise, dem zunehmenden Rassismus und größerer sozialer Ungerechtigkeit neue Formen des politischen Selbstverständnisses und des politischen Aktivismus suchen. Das Buch gibt dafür konkrete Handlungsideen und zeigt auf, wie auch in diskriminierungskritischen Kontexten Gewalt häufig normalisiert ist. Es gibt informierte Impulse für ein politisch und nachhaltig gestaltetes Leben.
Wie bedingen sich Klimakatastrophe und die zunehmenden Konflikte zwischen Menschen gegenseitig?
Warum nimmt Gewalt global eher zu als ab – sowohl zwischen Menschen, zwischen Staaten als auch zwischen Menschen und Natur?
Sherri Mitchell eröffnet mit ihrem visionären, analytischen und bewegenden Buch ganz neue Argumentationen für ein westlich sozialisiertes Publikum, die die Logiken von Schuld und Richtig/Falsch verlassen. Stattdessen wird ein respektvoller und gewaltfreier Ansatz detailliert und konkret vorgestellt.
Die Lektüre kann lebensverändernde und weltrettende Wirkungen auslösen. Das Buch ist in einer klaren Sprache geschrieben: intensiv, konkret und bewegend.
Es ermuntert zu einem politischen Aktivismus, der Gewaltspiralen verlässt, indem Menschen sich neu verbinden mit allem Lebendigen – mit sich selbst und den eigenen Ängsten, mit anderen und dem umfassenden Schmerz durch die koloniale und neokoloniale Geschichte. Aktivismus heißt Verbindung eröffnet Möglichkeiten individueller und kollektiver Heilung durch konkrete eigene und gemeinschaftliche Handlungen in Zeiten globaler Herausforderungen. Es bestärkt und bietet Handlungsansätze für Wege aus gesellschaftlichen Sackgassen.
Das Buch ist eine Empfehlung für alle Menschen, die mit der Klimakrise, dem zunehmenden Rassismus und größerer sozialer Ungerechtigkeit neue Formen des politischen Selbstverständnisses und des politischen Aktivismus suchen. Das Buch gibt dafür konkrete Handlungsideen und zeigt auf, wie auch in diskriminierungskritischen Kontexten Gewalt häufig normalisiert ist. Es gibt informierte Impulse für ein politisch und nachhaltig gestaltetes Leben.
336 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2020
264 people are currently reading
2542 people want to read
About the author
Sherri Mitchell
7 books47 followersSHERRI MITCHELL was born and raised on the Penobscot Indian reservation. She received her Juris Doctorate and a Certificate in Indigenous People's Law and Policy from the University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law. She is an alumna of the American Indian Ambassador program, and the Udall Native American Congressional Internship program. She is the Founding Director of the Land Peace Foundation, an organization dedicated to the global protection of indigenous rights and the preservation of the indigenous way of life. Sherri speaks and teaches around the world on issues of indigenous rights, environmental justice, spiritual activism and transformational change. Sherri is also the co-host of Love (and revolution) Radio, a syndicated radio program that highlights stories of heart-based activism and revolutionary spiritual change.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 21, 2021
My review may be a little biased, as I had a similar upbringing to the author, as we are both from the same tribe, and grew up on the same reservation. I wanted to read this to support not only a Native American author, but one from my own tribe. Needless to say, this book resonated heavily to me.
This book was beautifully written, and insightful on the indigenous perspective of the world. In some ways I gained a better understanding of the Penobscot people that no one had ever explained to me before, or I had never listened to before. Such as the concept of ‘Indian Time’ which I am guilty of using ironically in conversation. As well as understanding the inner teacher, which I don’t think is spoken of enough, if at all, in spiritualist circles.
Not everyone reading this book will have the same experience I had, but I think some wonderful takeaways for all would be the practice of humility, the art of listening, and the practice of respect towards all that is sacred; the earth, our elders, etc.
If you are looking for a book, that is genuine and authentically speaks on the topic of spiritualism and the indigenous experience, this is a good place to start.
This book was beautifully written, and insightful on the indigenous perspective of the world. In some ways I gained a better understanding of the Penobscot people that no one had ever explained to me before, or I had never listened to before. Such as the concept of ‘Indian Time’ which I am guilty of using ironically in conversation. As well as understanding the inner teacher, which I don’t think is spoken of enough, if at all, in spiritualist circles.
Not everyone reading this book will have the same experience I had, but I think some wonderful takeaways for all would be the practice of humility, the art of listening, and the practice of respect towards all that is sacred; the earth, our elders, etc.
If you are looking for a book, that is genuine and authentically speaks on the topic of spiritualism and the indigenous experience, this is a good place to start.
August 1, 2022
Since I’m going to upset friends, enemies, and strangers far and wide, this review is mainly for me to remind myself why I didn’t especially like the book (I mean, what kind of jerk bashes a book about Native American wisdom?).
I don’t disagree with what is wrong with the world, and more specifically our nation, as it’s laid out in these essays. Europeans did “unsettle” (a turn of phrase I like from the book) North America by basically plowing over the people, the land, the animals, and the way of life that they found here. Manifest Destiny, unbridled avariciousness, scorched-earth capitalism, bone-headed dogmatic individualism. Shooting bison from trains, kids whooping while playing Indian, smallpox blankets. Paving over prairies, continuing to exploit the earth without questioning the appropriateness or the sustainability of doing so, naming sports teams after ethnicities, etc. etc. etc. Yeah, we’re a screwed up nation with some flawed ideas, immature tendencies, and iffy morality.
But Mitchell has some screwy (to my thinking) ideas too. I don’t believe in prophecies. I don’t believe in a great spirit. I don’t need fables of the Earth Mother to know and understand that we’re screwing up our world. I don’t need the Creator’s law fable to know that it’s desirable to be a good person. I just know, inherently, it’s desirable to be a good person. Finally, I don’t believe that Native American wisdom is any more true, authentic, or wiser than any other culture's wisdom. Not to dismiss it, but it also shouldn’t be elevated above all.
I read this book with increasing bristling annoyance. I was at a dinner party seated next to someone who initially was enchanting, instructive, and politely challenging. But right about desert time, a creeping feeling surfaced that maybe my dinner partner’s logic and conclusions were a bit, um, idiosyncratic. My well-meaning new friend seemed to be blinded by the hubris one sometimes finds in a true believer.
I don’t disagree with what is wrong with the world, and more specifically our nation, as it’s laid out in these essays. Europeans did “unsettle” (a turn of phrase I like from the book) North America by basically plowing over the people, the land, the animals, and the way of life that they found here. Manifest Destiny, unbridled avariciousness, scorched-earth capitalism, bone-headed dogmatic individualism. Shooting bison from trains, kids whooping while playing Indian, smallpox blankets. Paving over prairies, continuing to exploit the earth without questioning the appropriateness or the sustainability of doing so, naming sports teams after ethnicities, etc. etc. etc. Yeah, we’re a screwed up nation with some flawed ideas, immature tendencies, and iffy morality.
But Mitchell has some screwy (to my thinking) ideas too. I don’t believe in prophecies. I don’t believe in a great spirit. I don’t need fables of the Earth Mother to know and understand that we’re screwing up our world. I don’t need the Creator’s law fable to know that it’s desirable to be a good person. I just know, inherently, it’s desirable to be a good person. Finally, I don’t believe that Native American wisdom is any more true, authentic, or wiser than any other culture's wisdom. Not to dismiss it, but it also shouldn’t be elevated above all.
I read this book with increasing bristling annoyance. I was at a dinner party seated next to someone who initially was enchanting, instructive, and politely challenging. But right about desert time, a creeping feeling surfaced that maybe my dinner partner’s logic and conclusions were a bit, um, idiosyncratic. My well-meaning new friend seemed to be blinded by the hubris one sometimes finds in a true believer.
March 18, 2020
I like books about meditation and consciousness so it's not that I'm adverse to "new agey" books but this one just seemed to lack substance for me. Given the high reviews my trusted Goodreads friends gave this book, I assume I must just be in the wrong headspace for this book right now, though that's strange considering our interrelatedness has never been more obvious than during the coronavirus outbreak.
January 22, 2020
A very fine reflection on our connections to all being from a Penobscot wisdom perspective. Lots to ponder, discuss, and implement, including some significant challenges to dominant cultural training and values. Recommended for individual, small group, and community study.
June 9, 2021
“It is no coincidence that we find ourselves here, at this place and time. We have all agreed to be here. In fact, we were born into this time purposely. We have all followed an evolution of awareness that has led us to this moment, where we possess this exact understanding of light and darkness, connectivity and interrelatedness, and our co-creative abilities. Thus the question is not why are we here, but how we show up most powerfully to meet the times that we are part of. The work that we are required to do is to reconcile the external world that we have created with the inner wisdom that we have acquired.”
This is the underlying premise to Sherii Mitchell’s Sacred Instructions.
Mitchell begins by explaining how we got to this place, using her tradition of having been raised on the Penobscot Indian Reservation.
She attributes a quote to Hiawatha: “We have all been fed a great lie, the lie of war. It makes us see danger where none exists; it causes us to distrust our friends, and to label the unknown as our enemy. This great lie causes us to shun the sources of our survival and to embrace the causes of our death.”
Rather than viewing conflict as inevitably leading to violence, Mitchell encourages us: “System-wide transformation must be preceded by personal transformation. Personal transformation is assisted by a willingness to view conflict as an opportunity for healing and growth. When conflict comes up we must be willing to choose new ways to respond to it, in order to break the cycles that we’ve established around it.”
Much like Moses leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness for forty years, Mitchell says conflict will re-emerge again and again until “all the layers attached to it are healed.”
One of the essential elements of conflict resolution, says Mitchell is good communication.
“Learning to communicate effectively and compassionately minimizes misunderstanding and increases empathy… the main goals are kindness, necessity and respect.”
She describes the use of talking circles and decision by consensus, traditional tools used by Native peoples.
Part of this process, using Native tradition, is to seek balance. “When our rights are not balanced with a solid sense of responsibility, we lean toward dependency and begin blaming others for the problems that we face… We point fingers, accuse, and condemn all those who are refusing to do what we ourselves have failed to do. When our demands aren’t met, we become increasingly angry and lash out in response to that anger.” Cautions Mitchell, “When we demand something for ourselves that we are not willing to ensure for others, our demand loses all of its power.”
Most importantly, Mitchell reminds us, “If we truly hope to create change, we must stop forgetting that we have the power to make change happen.”
For Mitchell, from a Native perspective, this is in direct opposition to colonization, which she defines as “the act of appropriating or forcibly overtaking a place and exerting control over it. When we talk about colonization in the modern day, we are addressing the lingering systems of control and the insidious patterns of thinking that colonization brings… One of the names used to describe colonizing practices today is ‘progress.’”
What others describe as systemic dysfunction, Mitchell attributes to colonization.
“Colonization is like an infection,” she writes. “It moves in and infiltrates the entire system until the whole body is contaminated… Colonization is deeply unsettling. It disrupts the cultural identity and sense of belonging of those being colonized. It then attempts to separate them from their core values and beliefs, to break them to the will of the colonizer. It then forcibly imposes its own values and ideologies onto those being colonized.”
A few sentences later, Mitchell offers an antidote.
“The most effective way of overcoming the impacts of colonization is to embrace the wisdom of our own cultural traditions and familiarize ourselves with the cultural values that guide those traditions.”
Like Robin Wall Kimmerer, in Braiding Sweetgrass, Mitchell proposes a reconnecting with Mother Earth.
“Reconnecting with the Earth is fundamental to decolonizing our relationship with life. Colonization undermines our capacity for self-determination and self-sufficiency. It does this by taking us away from the gifts provided by the Earth and making us dependent on the trapping of the colonial economy,” which is based on extraction and profit from nature. Seeing the earth and its resources as being a means of profit and not life.
Mitchell describes colonization as being an unnatural outgrowth of a paternalistic society that severely diminishes the importance of the feminine.
“The patriarchy took over the roles of the women and handed them to the men, while also denying the men the benefit of the women’s wisdom. Without the participation or guidance of the women, our societies became increasingly more imbalanced.”
Notes Mitchell, “[O]ur natural state of well-being requires balance between the feminine and masculine elements of our being. The heart sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. The heart informs the brain how to take action that manifests in our physical body, just like heart-based wisdom on the divine feminine is meant to inform the divine masculine how to act out in the world. This is the balance that we all need.”
She continues, “The patriarchy shifted men away from their role of protecting life, and turned them toward the protection of material items. They taught them to value these material items more than they valued life. The patriarchy also distorted the role of the feminine by leading her away from the true power that she holds within her heart and spirit and convincing her that the only power that she could attain was the power held within the patriarchal structure.
“The only way to change this reality is to change our perceptions. We have to look at the underpinnings of the patriarchy and withdraw our consent from its systems… This involves shifting our cultural values away from those defined by the patriarchy and moving them back toward more spiritually and emotionally balanced ways of being.”
Mitchell makes a case for a communal focus versus one based solely on individualism.
“Communal living is based on group philosophy. The central goal is to provide for the needs of the entire group, rather than the desires of individuals. Communal living allows for human connections to solidify and a sense of belonging to take root… Communal living is also both cost and resource-effective. There is a lot less waste in communal living.”
Contrasting this with an individualistic way of life, Mitchell observes: “In the modern marketplace, competition reigns supreme. Businesses constantly work to undercut their competition, often in cruel and cutthroat ways. Those who win at this game seem to have very little sympathy or empathy for those less fortunate.
“In times long past, the skills of all members of society were allotted some value. Though that value may not have been applied evenly, they still provided individuals with some opportunity to barter their skills to meet their basic needs. Today, the disparity between the haves and have-nots is stark, leaving many within our society unable to sustain themselves with any type of dignity.
“When competition is connected to the ability to survive, the cost to those who can’t is death.”
Mitchell speaks to the social media-driven frenzy to be viewed as correct, untethered to facts.
“Possessing accurate information, speaking with honesty, and acting with integrity are less valued than a powerfully stated opposing view. It doesn’t matter if your opposing view is based in fact, so long as you state it emphatically. Because there is very little consideration given to the accuracy of what is being said, people are easily misled and quick to anger when challenged… Rather than having the humility necessary to learn the truth, people arrogantly and often angrily attack those who challenge them. The goal is to be viewed as right; actually being right is secondary. This position is very self-serving and dangerous.”
“Our people have a great deal to share with the world,” summarizes Mitchell. “We have a long history of connection with one another, having lived together in the same place for more than thirteen thousand years. This has taught us how to relate to one another. We also have a long relationship with our homelands, our waters, and the beings of the natural world that share this home with us. We have an unbroken tie to the life that we spring from and to the ground that we will return to one day. It is all of these things that are encompassed in the values that we live by and the way of life that it offers. We have faced genocide, termination, removal, separation from our young, ecological attacks, and countless other atrocities, but we are still here. We believe that we are still here because we have followed and honored our way of life.”
This is the underlying premise to Sherii Mitchell’s Sacred Instructions.
Mitchell begins by explaining how we got to this place, using her tradition of having been raised on the Penobscot Indian Reservation.
She attributes a quote to Hiawatha: “We have all been fed a great lie, the lie of war. It makes us see danger where none exists; it causes us to distrust our friends, and to label the unknown as our enemy. This great lie causes us to shun the sources of our survival and to embrace the causes of our death.”
Rather than viewing conflict as inevitably leading to violence, Mitchell encourages us: “System-wide transformation must be preceded by personal transformation. Personal transformation is assisted by a willingness to view conflict as an opportunity for healing and growth. When conflict comes up we must be willing to choose new ways to respond to it, in order to break the cycles that we’ve established around it.”
Much like Moses leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness for forty years, Mitchell says conflict will re-emerge again and again until “all the layers attached to it are healed.”
One of the essential elements of conflict resolution, says Mitchell is good communication.
“Learning to communicate effectively and compassionately minimizes misunderstanding and increases empathy… the main goals are kindness, necessity and respect.”
She describes the use of talking circles and decision by consensus, traditional tools used by Native peoples.
Part of this process, using Native tradition, is to seek balance. “When our rights are not balanced with a solid sense of responsibility, we lean toward dependency and begin blaming others for the problems that we face… We point fingers, accuse, and condemn all those who are refusing to do what we ourselves have failed to do. When our demands aren’t met, we become increasingly angry and lash out in response to that anger.” Cautions Mitchell, “When we demand something for ourselves that we are not willing to ensure for others, our demand loses all of its power.”
Most importantly, Mitchell reminds us, “If we truly hope to create change, we must stop forgetting that we have the power to make change happen.”
For Mitchell, from a Native perspective, this is in direct opposition to colonization, which she defines as “the act of appropriating or forcibly overtaking a place and exerting control over it. When we talk about colonization in the modern day, we are addressing the lingering systems of control and the insidious patterns of thinking that colonization brings… One of the names used to describe colonizing practices today is ‘progress.’”
What others describe as systemic dysfunction, Mitchell attributes to colonization.
“Colonization is like an infection,” she writes. “It moves in and infiltrates the entire system until the whole body is contaminated… Colonization is deeply unsettling. It disrupts the cultural identity and sense of belonging of those being colonized. It then attempts to separate them from their core values and beliefs, to break them to the will of the colonizer. It then forcibly imposes its own values and ideologies onto those being colonized.”
A few sentences later, Mitchell offers an antidote.
“The most effective way of overcoming the impacts of colonization is to embrace the wisdom of our own cultural traditions and familiarize ourselves with the cultural values that guide those traditions.”
Like Robin Wall Kimmerer, in Braiding Sweetgrass, Mitchell proposes a reconnecting with Mother Earth.
“Reconnecting with the Earth is fundamental to decolonizing our relationship with life. Colonization undermines our capacity for self-determination and self-sufficiency. It does this by taking us away from the gifts provided by the Earth and making us dependent on the trapping of the colonial economy,” which is based on extraction and profit from nature. Seeing the earth and its resources as being a means of profit and not life.
Mitchell describes colonization as being an unnatural outgrowth of a paternalistic society that severely diminishes the importance of the feminine.
“The patriarchy took over the roles of the women and handed them to the men, while also denying the men the benefit of the women’s wisdom. Without the participation or guidance of the women, our societies became increasingly more imbalanced.”
Notes Mitchell, “[O]ur natural state of well-being requires balance between the feminine and masculine elements of our being. The heart sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. The heart informs the brain how to take action that manifests in our physical body, just like heart-based wisdom on the divine feminine is meant to inform the divine masculine how to act out in the world. This is the balance that we all need.”
She continues, “The patriarchy shifted men away from their role of protecting life, and turned them toward the protection of material items. They taught them to value these material items more than they valued life. The patriarchy also distorted the role of the feminine by leading her away from the true power that she holds within her heart and spirit and convincing her that the only power that she could attain was the power held within the patriarchal structure.
“The only way to change this reality is to change our perceptions. We have to look at the underpinnings of the patriarchy and withdraw our consent from its systems… This involves shifting our cultural values away from those defined by the patriarchy and moving them back toward more spiritually and emotionally balanced ways of being.”
Mitchell makes a case for a communal focus versus one based solely on individualism.
“Communal living is based on group philosophy. The central goal is to provide for the needs of the entire group, rather than the desires of individuals. Communal living allows for human connections to solidify and a sense of belonging to take root… Communal living is also both cost and resource-effective. There is a lot less waste in communal living.”
Contrasting this with an individualistic way of life, Mitchell observes: “In the modern marketplace, competition reigns supreme. Businesses constantly work to undercut their competition, often in cruel and cutthroat ways. Those who win at this game seem to have very little sympathy or empathy for those less fortunate.
“In times long past, the skills of all members of society were allotted some value. Though that value may not have been applied evenly, they still provided individuals with some opportunity to barter their skills to meet their basic needs. Today, the disparity between the haves and have-nots is stark, leaving many within our society unable to sustain themselves with any type of dignity.
“When competition is connected to the ability to survive, the cost to those who can’t is death.”
Mitchell speaks to the social media-driven frenzy to be viewed as correct, untethered to facts.
“Possessing accurate information, speaking with honesty, and acting with integrity are less valued than a powerfully stated opposing view. It doesn’t matter if your opposing view is based in fact, so long as you state it emphatically. Because there is very little consideration given to the accuracy of what is being said, people are easily misled and quick to anger when challenged… Rather than having the humility necessary to learn the truth, people arrogantly and often angrily attack those who challenge them. The goal is to be viewed as right; actually being right is secondary. This position is very self-serving and dangerous.”
“Our people have a great deal to share with the world,” summarizes Mitchell. “We have a long history of connection with one another, having lived together in the same place for more than thirteen thousand years. This has taught us how to relate to one another. We also have a long relationship with our homelands, our waters, and the beings of the natural world that share this home with us. We have an unbroken tie to the life that we spring from and to the ground that we will return to one day. It is all of these things that are encompassed in the values that we live by and the way of life that it offers. We have faced genocide, termination, removal, separation from our young, ecological attacks, and countless other atrocities, but we are still here. We believe that we are still here because we have followed and honored our way of life.”
August 11, 2019
"The United States was born in violence, and it has carried an imprint of that violence with it as it has grown. In order to transform this violent path, we have to go back to the seed that gave birth to this country and heal that imprint."
A pertinent reminder that the ills of colonization continue to impact us all. The pathway towards healing is rooted in traditional knowledge and Indigenous ways of knowing. Read this book.
A pertinent reminder that the ills of colonization continue to impact us all. The pathway towards healing is rooted in traditional knowledge and Indigenous ways of knowing. Read this book.
August 3, 2021
I found this book engaging and helpful in understanding the current divide between the colonial world view and the indigenous world-world view. I live in Canada where this is a serious issue as much as the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. I have recently taken a short course on decolonization and Sacred Instructions filled in many of the gaps, answered (and raised) questions, and addressed my one main concern: I know a lot of this history and realize there is a great divide but what can we do about it? It is a short book; to the point yet very well put together.
Sherri begins with some of the aboriginal teachings on creation (asserting the unity of creation) and our purpose here blending the male and female traits/gifts that serve us and our community. She tackles the question where are we at - defining the divide that is killing us and our planet. It is the divide between the settler/colonist beliefs of eminent domain and the aboriginal beliefs of sharing and serving each other to create a life that works for everyone. Sherri is very good a moving us along and helping us see why our world is in so much trouble and we may be at the end of our ability to live on this planet. She spends several chapters explaining how trauma and grief are still playing out the harm done to aboriginal people and why conflict will not heal this divide. In her later chapters she explains how we all need to listen to each other, own our own stories and the story we have created together and acknowledge how we need healing. And this healing is needed by everyone, everyone must participate.
This book is written in a way that does not lay blame. Rather is is seeking the acknowledgement of what is wrong with our society and how aboriginal teachings and practices (ceremony) can provide a way forward for all of us. For healing to happen no just for one's self, but for our community and our planet.
Sherri begins with some of the aboriginal teachings on creation (asserting the unity of creation) and our purpose here blending the male and female traits/gifts that serve us and our community. She tackles the question where are we at - defining the divide that is killing us and our planet. It is the divide between the settler/colonist beliefs of eminent domain and the aboriginal beliefs of sharing and serving each other to create a life that works for everyone. Sherri is very good a moving us along and helping us see why our world is in so much trouble and we may be at the end of our ability to live on this planet. She spends several chapters explaining how trauma and grief are still playing out the harm done to aboriginal people and why conflict will not heal this divide. In her later chapters she explains how we all need to listen to each other, own our own stories and the story we have created together and acknowledge how we need healing. And this healing is needed by everyone, everyone must participate.
This book is written in a way that does not lay blame. Rather is is seeking the acknowledgement of what is wrong with our society and how aboriginal teachings and practices (ceremony) can provide a way forward for all of us. For healing to happen no just for one's self, but for our community and our planet.
May 27, 2020
I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad a book like this exists to be a guide for us all as we move forward. My only complaint is the lack of actionable, hands on, practical solutions and steps to take. I understand that the book serves more as a call to action than a handbook, but for me, someone who does not need convincing and is ready to start living the change, a handbook of sorts would perhaps be the more valuable read. Mitchell does outline the areas we need to focus on and that we need to localize and uncouple from patriarchal systems, but again, very little practical tools are offered up. Even for the self development she discussed there could have been a few exercises on deepening our connection to spirit and our root. But again, overall, a really beautiful read.
July 4, 2018
Highly recommended read for our current times. Compassionate insights and wisdom to inspire us in these challenging times. At the close of the book we are left with a sense of hopefulness and responsibility to co-create a shared sustainable and peaceful future where all can thrive.
May 24, 2020
Timely and well presented. A call to standing up and being the change you wish to see in the world as our individual and collective choices seem to be poised right now at an exceptionally fraught moment in time.
February 21, 2025
this book has given me a lot of strength, hope, confidence and wisdom in this dark times we are living in globally. highly recommended!!!
October 15, 2025
An incredibly important book for anyone interested in making positive change as well as inner and social healing. This book also held the delicate balance of acknowledgement of true suffering in the world with clear hope and a strong call to action. There were many perspectives that were new to me that I’ll be pondering for quite some time!
July 21, 2019
Good review of indigenous teachings and principles, as well as some prophecies. Some of it did read a bit binary, even though I know indigenous communities do have two spirit and other gender variants.
August 11, 2025
Great content that I largely agree with, though told in a somewhat impersonal and condescending tone.
It's hard when you start this line of books with braiding sweet grass by kimmerer, which was a pinnacle in spiritual awakening
It's hard when you start this line of books with braiding sweet grass by kimmerer, which was a pinnacle in spiritual awakening
April 22, 2022
An interesting wide brushstroke of what is wrong with the world and what Indigenous/Native American wisdom has to offer on the subject. I agree with everything in the book from the problems plaguing the earth to what could help fix these issues. I’ve long been a proponent of mediation and conflict resolution and meditation and interconnectedness as transformative and enlightening processes. And so I agree with a lot of what was said here. Most of it was said well. But I have two issues.
First, I wish there was more Indigenous support - more myths, stories, songs. The whole thing just seemed so broad. It wanted support and examples. Second, there was a good amount of unnecessary repetition. It felt like padding for pages or trying to hammer home a point that is far too flattened from hammering. The repeated ideas made parts into a slog. That’s why I really feel this was a 3.5 read for style and content, but a 4 for message and theme.
First, I wish there was more Indigenous support - more myths, stories, songs. The whole thing just seemed so broad. It wanted support and examples. Second, there was a good amount of unnecessary repetition. It felt like padding for pages or trying to hammer home a point that is far too flattened from hammering. The repeated ideas made parts into a slog. That’s why I really feel this was a 3.5 read for style and content, but a 4 for message and theme.
did-not-finish
October 11, 2021There are certain passages that I found weird as they gave off a very gender essentialist vibe. Stopped reading because of that.
April 2, 2022
Too much gendered language for my liking.
April 24, 2024
1. Educate Yourself: Learn about the history of colonization, its impact on different cultures and societies, and how it perpetuates systems of power and privilege. Read books, articles, and engage in conversations that provide diverse perspectives.
2. Reflect on Privilege: Recognize and acknowledge your privilege as a pale person. Reflect on how it has shaped your experiences and how it intersects with other forms of privilege, such as gender, class, or ability.
3. Listen and Amplify Voices: Seek out and listen to the voices of marginalized communities. Read literature, follow social media accounts, and engage in conversations with people from different backgrounds. Amplify their voices and experiences by sharing their stories and perspectives.
4. Challenge Biases and Stereotypes: Examine your own biases and stereotypes that may have been ingrained through societal conditioning. Question assumptions and actively work to challenge and unlearn them.
5. Support and Allyship: Actively support and uplift marginalized communities by advocating for their rights and amplifying their voices. Engage in allyship by actively standing against racism, discrimination, and injustice.
6. Engage in Critical Self-Reflection: Continuously reflect on your own beliefs, actions, and behaviors. Examine how you contribute to systems of oppression and work towards dismantling them.
7. Cultivate Cultural Humility: Approach learning and engaging with different cultures with humility and respect. Recognize that you may not have all the answers and be open to learning from others' experiences and perspectives.
Remember, deconstructing and decolonizing one's own identity is an ongoing process that requires continuous learning, self-reflection, and action. It is important to approach this journey with humility, empathy, and a commitment to social justice.
November 7, 2022
Die Autorin Sherri Mitchell analysiert menschengemachte Klimakatastrophen, Rassismus, weltweit zunehmende Armut und Kriege und Hate Speech aus einer Indigenen Perspektive, und zeigt dass all das zusammenhängt. Ein nachhaltiger und politischer Aktivismus kann nur durch umfassende individuelle und kollektive Heilung zu einer positiven gesellschaftlichen Veränderung führen.
Im Buch "Aktivismus heißt Verbindung" haben mir einige Perspektiven sehr gut gefallen vor allem die verschiedenen Lebensweisen der Indigenen. Besonders gefallen haben mir die Indigenen Weisheiten zum Zusammenleben und Zusammenhalt. "Mamabezu bedeutet: Es ist genug für die Einzelnen da. Alabezu bedeutet: Es ist genug für alle da. Dieser Wert versichert uns, dass alle ausreichend versorgt sind, um in Würde und mit einem Gefühl der Sicherheit ihr Leben zu leben - und dass die Gemeinschaft ausreichend versorgt ist um zu gedeihen."
In einem kapitalistischen System lernen wir Konsum und Profit über unsere Bedürfnisse zu stellen, dabei ist das sowohl für den Menschen als auch für die Erde zerstörerisch. Durch bewusstes Handeln und das Verlernen können wir uns vorwärts bewegen.
Das Buch ist mit einem Fokus auf einzelne Menschen und deren handeln. Es wird kritisiert, dass der Kapitalismus versucht uns einzureden, wenn jede Person besser handelt ist alles besser, wobei die großen Systeme nicht hinterfragt werden.
Im Buch "Aktivismus heißt Verbindung" haben mir einige Perspektiven sehr gut gefallen vor allem die verschiedenen Lebensweisen der Indigenen. Besonders gefallen haben mir die Indigenen Weisheiten zum Zusammenleben und Zusammenhalt. "Mamabezu bedeutet: Es ist genug für die Einzelnen da. Alabezu bedeutet: Es ist genug für alle da. Dieser Wert versichert uns, dass alle ausreichend versorgt sind, um in Würde und mit einem Gefühl der Sicherheit ihr Leben zu leben - und dass die Gemeinschaft ausreichend versorgt ist um zu gedeihen."
In einem kapitalistischen System lernen wir Konsum und Profit über unsere Bedürfnisse zu stellen, dabei ist das sowohl für den Menschen als auch für die Erde zerstörerisch. Durch bewusstes Handeln und das Verlernen können wir uns vorwärts bewegen.
Das Buch ist mit einem Fokus auf einzelne Menschen und deren handeln. Es wird kritisiert, dass der Kapitalismus versucht uns einzureden, wenn jede Person besser handelt ist alles besser, wobei die großen Systeme nicht hinterfragt werden.
August 10, 2023
4- 4.5 * - "We are not place holders in time, but guardians of the future. As such, we have the responsibility for dreaming the next seven generations into being. This dreaming is the work of our lives."
Hugely insightful, wise and full of advice for how we approach relating to each other, nature, as well as how we can remedy the social and environmental crises we face today. I would encourage those who are skeptical of religion to read on even if the spiritual side doesn't resonate, there is something for us all to learn within this book.
I read this while grieving the loss off a loved one and found a lot of comfort within it.
A downside for me was that there seemed to be significant focus on women's contribution made through our ability to menstruate/give birth/carry a child, which many women cannot or dont want to do. I think motherhood is beautiful and wonderful, but for me, it being in any way defining to womanhood can be limiting and even harmful.
That aspect aside, this is definitely a book I will be going back to again and reflecting on for weeks to come.
Hugely insightful, wise and full of advice for how we approach relating to each other, nature, as well as how we can remedy the social and environmental crises we face today. I would encourage those who are skeptical of religion to read on even if the spiritual side doesn't resonate, there is something for us all to learn within this book.
I read this while grieving the loss off a loved one and found a lot of comfort within it.
A downside for me was that there seemed to be significant focus on women's contribution made through our ability to menstruate/give birth/carry a child, which many women cannot or dont want to do. I think motherhood is beautiful and wonderful, but for me, it being in any way defining to womanhood can be limiting and even harmful.
That aspect aside, this is definitely a book I will be going back to again and reflecting on for weeks to come.
October 22, 2020
Listened to Audible version, which is narrated by author. Audio production was a bit lacking - a lot of breath noises and some uneven pacing, but it wasn’t so distracting that I couldn’t finish.
Overall an interesting read in parts, but at times it gets a little woo, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it kind of seemed a bit much in parts. On a whole the book felt a little unfocused and I wish it had gone more in depth in certain parts. It felt a little disjointed and repetitive at times, though there were enough little nuggets of wisdom to feel worth the effort. The introduction by a physician raised this interesting parallel between this generation’s ambivalence regarding preserving the earth for future generations and the trend towards modern people not believing in an afterlife or reincarnation and how that can fuel an impulse to just take as much as they can.
Overall an interesting read in parts, but at times it gets a little woo, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it kind of seemed a bit much in parts. On a whole the book felt a little unfocused and I wish it had gone more in depth in certain parts. It felt a little disjointed and repetitive at times, though there were enough little nuggets of wisdom to feel worth the effort. The introduction by a physician raised this interesting parallel between this generation’s ambivalence regarding preserving the earth for future generations and the trend towards modern people not believing in an afterlife or reincarnation and how that can fuel an impulse to just take as much as they can.
March 8, 2025
This is one of the worst books I've ever read. This delusional New Age solipsism advocates complete dissociation from historical and ecological realities as the path to spiritual enlightenment. One of these Love and Light proselytizing gaslighters who sounds psychopathic.
This is the first time I've stopped what I was doing when I got 20% of the way through it to immediately write this review/warning. I've never written a review before completely reading a book. But this book is like spending eight hours in the mind of a psychotic. Very disturbing. The path of planet killers. This in no way resembles any indigenous traditional views of "spiritual reality." None of them talk about the Akashic records! From wikipedia:
"In the religion of Theosophy and the spiritual movement called Anthroposophy, the Akashic records are believed by Theosophists to be a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of all entities and life forms, not just human. They are believed by theosophists to be encoded in a non-physical plane of existence known as the mental plane. There is no evidence for the existence of Akashic records, and rigorous scientific research in this field has seen little traction."
I read this book because Larry Dossey wrote an amazingly, effusively praising forward to it. It's a total scam.
When I finish the book, if there is anything else to mention I'll add it to this review.
She seems to be a well-educated (in the Euro-American academic sense) lawyer and activist who has done good works. Doesn't change the destructiveness of her metaphysical preaching nonsense.
This is the first time I've stopped what I was doing when I got 20% of the way through it to immediately write this review/warning. I've never written a review before completely reading a book. But this book is like spending eight hours in the mind of a psychotic. Very disturbing. The path of planet killers. This in no way resembles any indigenous traditional views of "spiritual reality." None of them talk about the Akashic records! From wikipedia:
"In the religion of Theosophy and the spiritual movement called Anthroposophy, the Akashic records are believed by Theosophists to be a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of all entities and life forms, not just human. They are believed by theosophists to be encoded in a non-physical plane of existence known as the mental plane. There is no evidence for the existence of Akashic records, and rigorous scientific research in this field has seen little traction."
I read this book because Larry Dossey wrote an amazingly, effusively praising forward to it. It's a total scam.
When I finish the book, if there is anything else to mention I'll add it to this review.
She seems to be a well-educated (in the Euro-American academic sense) lawyer and activist who has done good works. Doesn't change the destructiveness of her metaphysical preaching nonsense.
November 20, 2023
After reading "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, I was inspired to continue learning about indigenous wisdom. Sherri's book wonderfully complemented and explored in other ways the teachings from Braiding Sweetgrass. After enjoying the poetic and scientific Branding Sweetgrass, this book is powerfully succinct and direct (Note: I know I'm comparing these two books, but you don't have to read one to appreciate the other, you can read Sacred Instructions on its own!). I feel more empowered to apply my learnings and seek out more guidance as I continue on my personal path to repairing the environment. I also value the spiritual/energy stories that Sherri shared. I look forward to reading this book again and her other books.
March 11, 2025
This is seems like a very long essay about Indigenous ways and knowing. There’s some specifics to Penobscot Nation and culture but this feels like it’s for new learners who don’t yet know about Indigenous ways and knowing. I appreciate the topic of prophecies and coming to fruition and considering what our roles are during this time. She focusses on the Wabanaki (people of the first light and people of the eastern door) prophecies in chapter 18. East is the direction of east, fire, birth and where the creator resides. It says that the people must rise up and join together where the initial wounding took place.
I think this book would be hard to absorb if you don’t have a good understanding of your own spirituality or understanding truly of Indigenous sovereignty.
I think this book would be hard to absorb if you don’t have a good understanding of your own spirituality or understanding truly of Indigenous sovereignty.
January 3, 2020
I absolutely loved this book! The author was able to put into words so many of my beliefs (I'm not indigenous, but many of my beliefs are aligned with native societies) that I have never seen published before. While not everything in this book was applicable to me (because I don't think I could get my family to adopt all the same beliefs that I have), I really loved the sections detailing our responsibilities to live in harmony with the earth and all its creatures and sovereignty for things like education, food and water. Overall just a great book for anyone who has realized that there might be a better way to live.
November 25, 2020
A beautifully stunning book filled with gut wrenching wisdom bringing you about face with your own humanity.
“As we seek this healing, let us do so with the knowledge that oneness is not sameness. It is the transcendence of our differences and the weaving of our diverse expressions into a tapestry that is harmonized and aligned with common purpose.”
“Every living thing has its own creation song, its own language, and its own story. In order to live harmoniously with the rest of creation, we must be willing to listen to and respect all of the harmonies that are moving around us.”
Sherri Mitchell, Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change
“As we seek this healing, let us do so with the knowledge that oneness is not sameness. It is the transcendence of our differences and the weaving of our diverse expressions into a tapestry that is harmonized and aligned with common purpose.”
“Every living thing has its own creation song, its own language, and its own story. In order to live harmoniously with the rest of creation, we must be willing to listen to and respect all of the harmonies that are moving around us.”
Sherri Mitchell, Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change
July 25, 2021
Sherri Mitchell is a member of the Wabanaki Indian tribe which resides in Maine. She shares the basic truths of Wabanaki culture and spirituality and their relevance to "newcomers" (i.e. European invaders and their descendants. The book provides a rich look into the Native American perspective on history and current events. This book gives a clear look into current events and issues such as climate change, capitalism and poverty from the Wabanaki perspective and points to a way forward in seeking to save Mother Earth from more human devastation
April 11, 2024
Ms Mitchell is a beautiful writer, and generously offers important knowledge from her experience as a member of the Panobscot Nation. I felt her warmth, sadness, wisdom and longing for connection while listening to this book. Often i felt sorrow for our fractured existence, and at times I felt like what is asked of us to overcome the poisonous ways we live to be insurmountable. "We must all come together" sounds great, but how do we reach a materialistic jerk who owns three homes and hunts for sport?
December 6, 2021
I was deeply moved by Sherri's book. I appreciate the education on the indigenous ways. I never, previously, had equated "settled by the English" with "genocide", and I do now. The elements of the sacred, the connection to the earth, ritual, the crucial and central role of the feminine, are all beautifully woven together in this book. This is one of the rare books that left a lasting change in me.
August 25, 2022
This book is eye opening and life changing. It's quite spiritual, but I think all people (spiritual or not) could benefit from this book. After reading this, I feel a lot of my perspectives healing. I had to read this almost chapter by chapter because there was so much that I needed to sit and reflect on. I recommend this book to everyone but especially those who feel stuck in anger at the state of the world.
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