Beyond Fear: Twelve Spiritual Keys To Racial Healing

BOOK REVIEW

Aeeshah Ababio-Clottey
Kokomon Clottey
H. J. Kramer
1998; 213 pages
ISBN 0-915811-82-0

Racial healing is a subject very few people want to discuss in an open forum. Even though conflict and tension exist due to racial differences, a typical response is to avert eyes and deny such problems are among us. In an effort to identify the origin of this social illness, finger pointing and blaming have been the result of good intentions and empirical research. Beyond Fear gives us an opportunity to monitor personal attitudes and judgments, while providing the spiritual keys to open doors of harmony, peace and love for our selves and our community.

Kokomon and Aeeshah Ababio-Clottey did not write this magnificent book specifically for blacks, whites, rich, poor or enlightened folks. It was written for everyone because racism affects all of us and the concern must be universal, in order for us to heal the wounded spirit. The racial problem of Americans is inside each of us, as well as within our institutions and communities. The negative results of institutional racism can be viewed through barbed wire, where up to 50% of the prison cell block are black men, while less than 10% of the population of the United States are black men and more of them are in chains than in college.

The introduction sets the table for this 16 course (chapter) spiritual feast. Each reader is asked to consider specific intentions as he/she prepares to examine the book. It is through such exercises that one is able to explore one's self in an honest and complete reflection and thus achieve racial harmony and acceptance of others. The hope articulated in Beyond Fear is that, through conscious and constant practice, a oneness will be felt among us as past tapes of shame, anger, hate, etc. are released from our souls.

The authors present a variety of perspectives. Family backgrounds hail from Africa (Ghana), the deep south (Louisiana) and west coast (California). Life styles presented are as divergent as those of the Islamic, Christian and new age spiritual community. African and Native American cultures encourage storytelling (oral tradition) by family and tribe. By using this technique, one shares the pain, as well as the love, with others in the community. In a spiritual sense, one never suffers in isolation because of a oneness that connects humanity throughout life, spanning the generations. Thus, any real healing must include storytelling in the process to obtain significant rewards for the past, present and future.

Aeeshah shared the story of her multiple roommates in a very brief period at UCA-Berkeley and of the ethnics professor, who seem obsessed to identify and acknowledge WASP students. The racial stereotypes of her home state, Louisiana, were replayed at the west coast university without the hot sauce and curry flavor. Race was always a major factor. Growing up in Ghana, Kokomon dreamed of coming to America, the land of milk and honey with gold-layered sidewalks. The warm, loving GA tribe of West Africa offered little preparation for Kokomon to experience the poverty and racism of the Bronx. Although they arrived from different quarters of the world, a path of love lead them to each other (not once, but twice) and to us. Such love is not solely extended to Kokomon and Aeeshah, but to all humanity in a circular manner. We are truly family.

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are the spiritual tools suggested in the battle against the fatal disease of alcoholism. The principles of attitudinal healing provide the insight and strength to confront racial obstacles beyond fear during our journey. We must be courageous enough to incorporate these attitudes in our endeavors and to practice the exercises with each principle, which are located at the end of the chapter. It is clear that "faith without works..." does not need to be invoked after reading the final chapter entitled, "A New Beginning: Healing Racism Circles." By then, the reader should be energized.

The world community is much better because of the contents of this book. As teachers, we must share what we have learned. As students, we must learn what we have shared. One Love!