The confessional booth
On March 4, 2020 Dave Davies interviewed or has a conversation with the author, book store owner and an enrolled Turtle Mountain Chippewa Native American Louise Erdrich. They discussed her newest book The Night Watchman which is based, in part, on her grandfather’s fight to ensure that the United States government honored at least some of its treaties with Native Americans. The many layers of broken promises will continue to unfold although much has already been lost. It seems to me that we all daily experience the fallout from the losses of what we could have learned about the sacredness of our relationship with each other and with all of nature. We need to reclaim what we can of that fallout. Personally I know I could benefit from reclaiming my connections with my Cherokee Indians heritage. I carry the rich history of my Aunt Pleasie and the Self family - her Cherokee ancestry -as well as the history from the spiritual implants of my teachers from the Tlingit Indian community of Hoonah in Southeast Alaska.
Louise Erdrich runs an independent book store, Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is a gathering place for ideas, adventures, dreams, romances (many proposals take place there), reclaiming part of oneself and even a “confessional”. Ms. Erdrich says that one merely has to touch the confession booth.
I always remind the reader that it is never my intention to recap or repeat a podcast I appreciated. The original podcast stands on its own and I urge the reader of this blog to listen to that episode of Fresh Air.
Most religions and spiritual philosophies as well as programs such as the 12 step program address the fact that no matter who we are – age, education, culture, gender, sexual orientation, race, or other social constructs – at times we act in a way which falls short of honoring the sacredness of ourselves, other and mother mature. Us humans have this need to acknowledge that which is patently obvious – our imperfection. The confessional is a symbolic stop sign reminding us that before we continue this journey we have to return ourselves to ourselves – reclaim our sacredness. Sadly, in some religions we are told we have to ask for forgiveness and then do penance. Of course anytime we have hurt ourselves or others we have paid a huge price. There is no need for further punishment. Some misinterpret the 4th and subsequent steps of the 12-step program of making amends as the equivalent of penance. I understand it as doing one’s part to reconnect. The person may or may not accept one’s amends but that is their issue.
I do not understand Ms. Erdrich’s book to be an attempt to shame or guilt any of us or our ancestors. It does seem to me to be an attempt to honor the voices which bravely spoke out in support of community and the sacredness of land and all it contains. It is also an attempt in my mind to help the reader touch the confessional. In a place where people gather to learn -to emotionally and spiritually gas up - there must be a place for non-judgmentally confessing one’s disconnections. After all, we cannot learn until we reconnect.
When I am working with/for those who have been kidnapped by the dis ease of addiction I am inviting them and me to touch the confessional booth and to embrace our reconnection with ourselves and all that is. I love that Birchbark Books offers a confessional booth in the midst of a place to celebrate and learn – a bookstore.
Written March 5, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
On March 4, 2020 Dave Davies interviewed or has a conversation with the author, book store owner and an enrolled Turtle Mountain Chippewa Native American Louise Erdrich. They discussed her newest book The Night Watchman which is based, in part, on her grandfather’s fight to ensure that the United States government honored at least some of its treaties with Native Americans. The many layers of broken promises will continue to unfold although much has already been lost. It seems to me that we all daily experience the fallout from the losses of what we could have learned about the sacredness of our relationship with each other and with all of nature. We need to reclaim what we can of that fallout. Personally I know I could benefit from reclaiming my connections with my Cherokee Indians heritage. I carry the rich history of my Aunt Pleasie and the Self family - her Cherokee ancestry -as well as the history from the spiritual implants of my teachers from the Tlingit Indian community of Hoonah in Southeast Alaska.
Louise Erdrich runs an independent book store, Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota which is a gathering place for ideas, adventures, dreams, romances (many proposals take place there), reclaiming part of oneself and even a “confessional”. Ms. Erdrich says that one merely has to touch the confession booth.
I always remind the reader that it is never my intention to recap or repeat a podcast I appreciated. The original podcast stands on its own and I urge the reader of this blog to listen to that episode of Fresh Air.
Most religions and spiritual philosophies as well as programs such as the 12 step program address the fact that no matter who we are – age, education, culture, gender, sexual orientation, race, or other social constructs – at times we act in a way which falls short of honoring the sacredness of ourselves, other and mother mature. Us humans have this need to acknowledge that which is patently obvious – our imperfection. The confessional is a symbolic stop sign reminding us that before we continue this journey we have to return ourselves to ourselves – reclaim our sacredness. Sadly, in some religions we are told we have to ask for forgiveness and then do penance. Of course anytime we have hurt ourselves or others we have paid a huge price. There is no need for further punishment. Some misinterpret the 4th and subsequent steps of the 12-step program of making amends as the equivalent of penance. I understand it as doing one’s part to reconnect. The person may or may not accept one’s amends but that is their issue.
I do not understand Ms. Erdrich’s book to be an attempt to shame or guilt any of us or our ancestors. It does seem to me to be an attempt to honor the voices which bravely spoke out in support of community and the sacredness of land and all it contains. It is also an attempt in my mind to help the reader touch the confessional. In a place where people gather to learn -to emotionally and spiritually gas up - there must be a place for non-judgmentally confessing one’s disconnections. After all, we cannot learn until we reconnect.
When I am working with/for those who have been kidnapped by the dis ease of addiction I am inviting them and me to touch the confessional booth and to embrace our reconnection with ourselves and all that is. I love that Birchbark Books offers a confessional booth in the midst of a place to celebrate and learn – a bookstore.
Written March 5, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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