The Trap of Self Help and the Road Back

So I'm reading the title of this blog and thinking that it sounds a bit harsh. Like I might be writing a blog to knock self help as a whole. To be honest, I am not. 

Being a huge fan of self help, I myself have utilised self help in the form of seeking advice from more experienced people, reading great books such as "How to win friend's and influence people" by Dale Carnegie, "The 7 habits of highly effective people" by Stephen R. Covey, books from history such as the Bible or writings by Confucius for example. I am a fan of anything written by Wayne Dyer. 

I walk a spiritual path rooted in my native culture but I am open to other ideas and ways of  other beliefs systems (I have not been perfect on my path but that keeps me learning). I have walked many adventurous paths and continue to find more paths as I aim be a better person both personally and professionally. 

I believe that if we aren't continuously growing and learning as people, we aren't truly living.

"The Trap" of Self Help that I refer to, can sneak up on you slowly. It starts with isolation, turning inward and focusing only on yourself which are some of the key components on one's path to self healing. For some people other symptom's arise. But in the end a key component is missing in their journey and ours.

The key component and part of the path back I speak about is our connection with community and each other. We get so caught up in ourselves while healing, we can sometimes become consumed. 

Consumed by obsession, consumed so much by your new cause that you will fight to the very ends of the earth for it. Consumed so much that we forget how to connect with those around us. Consumed so much that we forget how to even interact with each other.

What I am saying here is that by becoming too consumed by self help, you can cut yourself off from being to able to connect with others. And if you can't connect with others, why are you even working on yourself if not to be a great contributor to community in some way.

There is a balance here that I speak of and it doesn't involve self help on it's own, it involves a balance of helping one's self as well as being part of something bigger than self.

We are meant to connect with each other. We have travelled and lived for thousands of years together, and were raised by villages as a whole in many cultures. We draw energy from each other. Even an introvert can be part of, by simply being in the same room. Whether they choose to read quietly in the corner or not.

I will write in the future on the effects of people not being to connect with others, community and the mental health consequences that come with.

There is a line that I draw between both self and community and I aim to try and walk between being part of both, as well as being good to both. I have often leaned towards one side or the other, (mostly self), but none of us are perfect at this. Just better than others in our own way.

Yes it was taken from us, but is it really our land?

I am an Aboriginal. I identify myself as being as an Ojibwe. Even though my skin looks more Caucasian, I'm Anishnaabe and OJibwe runs strong through these veins of mine.

I am proud of my heritage and people. I grew up on a reserve for a few years when I was young. Rocky Bay Reserve in fact. About 2 hrs NW of Thunder Bay, On, between Nipigon and Beardmore. Thunder Bay is where Nanabush (a trickster who was in many Ojibwe legends I heard growing up), sleeps on Lake Superior as the Sleeping Giant. I learned a lot about my culture in those years as well as in the years after that.

When I started in non profit and took on a job at a homeless shelter. I stood up strong for Native Rights. I also did my best to help those of them in need.

On a professional level I've counselled, taught life skills, helped with addictions, and have tried to help my native clients find healing. The one's who came straight off the reserve and ended up on the streets were usually the one's who were the worst addicts in my experience.

Life is different on the reserve, it's a different culture I guess you could say. When one comes to the city from there, not expecting different. It's a culture shock. It can be hard to change and fit in. And although many of my people have found success, there are many who get lost and fall hard.

I feel that natives are in a stage of healing right now. A place where we can still hear the whispers of a haunted past, but we can also hear songs of our ancestors beating in our hearts, we are proudly looking forward to the future.

There is just one thing I don't understand. Why all this fighting about land rights and who it belongs to?

In my teachings along the few steps I have taken on the red path. I learned that this earth doesn't really belong to us. Yes we are of the earth but the earth belongs to the Creator, not us. We are here to protect it and to live as one with it. We are also here to teach others how to live this way as well. We have a lot of skills and ways to teach to others in this world. How to truly connect with what is around us. How to be.

Now I'm all for fighting to protect forests, habitats, sources of water and so on. But this whole fight about land rights. To me, it is not the Aboriginal way.

I get that land was stolen hundreds of years ago, promises were broken, and many tribes across the land were stripped of their culture, language and identity. Many were abused. A lot has been lost.

If this fight about land rights is only but to get back something that is owed to us and that makes people happy, then fine. But as an aboriginal, I feel we are  here to protect the planet, not just a small strip of land.

Maybe there's more to it, I'm open to hearing and learning about it. Tell me your reasons if you have any.

I am open to being wrong. I know I have much to learn in this life.

But I also know that if we are going to heal as a people. We need to move forward and to stop living in the shadows of our abused past.