Higher Vibrations in Higher Education

How to widen your love while holding grief and rage with Dr. Margie Serrato

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I learn from Dr. Margie Serrato that, from both a human and anthropological perspective, we often believe lies and justify rather than reconcile with the fact that we’re wrong: in relationships, politics, etc. anywhere we “misstep.” This is where we start our almost 2 hour discussion. Based on her research and identities, Margie started to talk about rest, love, and care for others in the fear and turmoil of the aftermath of leadership who are not in integrity. This activated the same response she had during COVID-19: Show up and listen to others. It’s not time to panic because these are the moments to be a solid rock of compassion and love and grounding for those around us. Margie encourages us to think critically and let go: you don’t have to finish a PhD because you started it, you don’t even have to go to college. You don’t have to dull your shine. You don’t have to identify as victimized if you were a victim. Through the works she does, she helps others alchemize and transmute experiences that shape us, but Margie reminds us that we get to choose who we become. 

For your information: This discussion includes brief reference to physical, sexual, incestual assault (time stamp: 1:02:20-1:06:28).

Some key notes were:

  • Not going into panic; listen to your inner knowing.
  • Different experiences people are having: grief, rage, questions.
  • Lack of integrity among leaders in charge—is a hard question—it’s hard for kids and adults to grapple with this.
  • Protect your peace: you don’t have to give your energy to try to convince someone that they are right—they have an inflexible position.
  • Our education system doesn’t teach critical thinking until grad school.
  • If you didn’t explore, you attend college and build anxiety that you’re the “only one” who doesn’t have it figured out.
  • Internalize that others have their shit together and it’s just you, but it's not true.
  • Need to start within, start where we have influence. Start in education.
  • When your identity is impacted by policies and the opinions of others: one must deepen and widen love over being in anger.
  • Cannot fix what we don’t understand.
  • Being called to hold space, evolve, and equip people with a way to transcend and widen our love.
  • We’re all shaped by culture; beliefs are reinforced in home, school, church, peers, etc. Each group you belong to reinforces a belief.
  • Becomes a problem when the system feels opposite of what you internally believe.
  • Study of humans, past present, etc. cultural anthropologist shape language, feelings, thoughts, things…
  • Archeologist are also bias.
  • Some people will be uncomfortable in who you are or what you’re skilled at.
  • Reclaiming that it’s ok (to fully be you) is a journey
  • I don’t have to be like the people/ family/ I’m from. I don’t have to be violent, allow infidelity, be condescending, sarcastic, gossiping.
  • We have a choice in what we believe.
  • Why are you pursuing your degree- because we all respect and admire doctors- respect and success. Ya that’s not the right path for me…
  • Clarity about what we don’t want is just as powerful as clarity about what we don’t want and both are needed.
  • Why is it so hard for my family to accept me as I am based on their beliefs?
  • You don’t have to experience chronic illness to have sympathy for someone; listening and trying your best to understand their experience in relation to systems.
  • What is the resistance to your own ignorance? So much easier to attach to being right rather than accept you simply didn’t know differently
  • Acknowledging limitations of your mentor; your own experiences etc.
  • What matters to you for your life?
  • Shared experience, collective environment, we can support each other through this, we can all come out the other end successful.
  • Sometimes we say “there’s a reason it happened.” No. if you can acknowledge that you can be empowered, that’s what matters. Not the experience. Knowing you can make diamonds out of the shit show that you might have inherited or faced without your consent.
  • Transmute, transform all experiences so they don’t define you. Shaped who I am but I get to choose who I become—because of them, through them, despite them.
  • Bridge ignorance to understanding; that makes a lot of sense; but being a catalyst the best way to make sense of it the more I look inward, the more I grow my sense of self, more I grow in my intuition, in my inner knowing, the more I see ripple effects on people around me.
  • So different from heady research conference v speaking at a panel at a women’s empowerment event. Not trying to prove yourself becomes an opening.
  • The head wants to get in the way was this right, perfect, meaningful, useful? Ego and validation. That’s what we value in our society but …there’s so much more than that. Then the things that need to be said are said and it comes out on its own.
  • Don’t do social media to please an algorithm.
  • Growth path is a forever thing.
  • Cultural and internal stuff we need both to make sense of our human experience and to understand possibilities for collective evolution.
  • When we reflect on where we are in our lives: relationship, career, community—feel into your body and go “am I satisfied with where I am and at peace with what I am doing” not with what I learned or what is success or goal. Do I FEEL satisfied…?
  • The avoidance of the self /neglect of the self for the purpose of accomplishment is not serving anybody.
  • Must connect with why you started the work- what was lit up in you- that drove you to this particular field.

    • Keep in touch with Margie via email:

    margie@human-empowered.com

    Podcast: A Human Experience with Dr. Margie Serrato

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-human-experience/id1732560368

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    Higher Vibrations in Higher EducationBy Samantha M Harden, PhD
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