Sarah Peyton joins Francesca Maximé for a conversation about the effect of white supremacy on people’s neurobiology, and how we need to let go of the unconscious contracts we make with ourselves.
Sarah Peyton, an international speaker and facilitator, has a passion for weaving together neuroscience knowledge and experiences of healing that unify people with their brains and bodies. Sarah offers healing experiences of hearing ourselves and others deeply, and body-centered explorations of families over generations. She is the author of Your Resonant Self and the Your Resonant Self Workbook. Learn more about Sarah and check out her free offerings at empathybrain.com.
The Bridge of Understanding
Francesca welcomes Sarah to ReRooted and asks about the larger cultural influences of white supremacy that affect people’s neurobiology. Sarah talks about the different ways white supremacy burdens the immune system, and how the bridge of understanding helps create resilience in the body.
“That bridge of understanding creates a little resilience, it balances the nervous system. It allows us to be restored to a sense of mattering and belonging. And mattering and belonging are the most important things for human bodies.” – Sarah Peyton
Don’t miss Francesca’s free anti-racism resources at maximeclarity.com
Unconscious Contracts (15:25)
Francesca and Sarah discuss the shame that comes up for many white people around white supremacy. Sarah talks about the unconscious contracts we make with ourselves to always be right and how that eventually feeds into a cycle of shame and rage. They explore how acknowledging the pain caused by white supremacy is imperative to healing.
“Shame casts our eyes down, and many people have a rage response to their own shame.” – Sarah Peyton
Dr. Janet E. Helms joins Francesca to discuss whiteness and systemic racism on ReRooted Ep. 32
Claiming Accountability (32:25)
Sarah talks about seeing the ways systemic racism are reflected within ourselves. She and Francesca discuss the uprising taking place in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and how white people can start claim accountability by letting go of their unconscious contracts.
“The more we understand about the nervous system and about shame, and about that rage response to try to come out of shame, the more we become equanimous to the slings and arrows of fortune and we start to claim our accountability, and claim our self-care and care of others.” – Sarah Peyton
Images via Empathy Brain and @jubeijubay on Twenty20