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The RE-humanization HeART Movement

Writer's picture: ljmcleodljmcleod

Updated: 2 days ago


Dehumanization starts with one small step, labeling another human being or group of human beings with the intent to separate and divide.


The Re-Humanization HeART movement seeks to heal the collective trauma caused by, fear, and during the lock downs and mandates using the power of ART. To rebuild a united compassionate community piece by piece using ART.

I painted, A Blue-Sky moment to symbolize the love between a new husband and wife supported by a circle of friends and family during the Hora Dance. This beautiful tradition became a Blue-Sky moment for me. I used multiple canvases to symbolize a mosaic like process of reuniting people after four years of being separated when people were mandated NOT to gather with family or friends, NOT to celebrate and NOT to hug each other, taking away every way we naturally LOVE each other.
I painted, A Blue-Sky moment to symbolize the love between a new husband and wife supported by a circle of friends and family during the Hora Dance. This beautiful tradition became a Blue-Sky moment for me. I used multiple canvases to symbolize a mosaic like process of reuniting people after four years of being separated when people were mandated NOT to gather with family or friends, NOT to celebrate and NOT to hug each other, taking away every way we naturally LOVE each other.

According to David Brooks, "Labeling is when you try and discredit another person by tossing them into some disreputable category.  Labeling leads to cruelty and suffering when people only see the category, they regard a person as ‘less than” lacking the mental capacities commonly attributed to humans”[1].


[1] Brooks, D., (2023). How to know a person: The art of seeing others deeply and being deeply seen. New York. Random house.

 

I learned about the process of dehumanization at an early age. I witnessed my older brother being labelled ‘retard’ and watched normal kids turn mean in a flash. Observing my friends and adult neighbors turn into bullies was confusing. When l asked my dad why people were mean to my brother and called him names, he simply replied, ‘he is a mirror showing people who they are’.  I became a registered nurse and taught the concept of dehumanization in hopes that it would stop people from labeling and see the human under the label.


To STOP the process of dehumanization before it becomes 'too big' we must revisit our history and NOT repeat it. Isabel Wilkerson (2023), states, the human story is filled with pain and tragedy, but among the many horrors we have perpetuated on one another, the persecution the brutal enslavement of African people, the attempted extermination of the Jewish people, and the attempted genocide and destruction of Native Americans civilizations stood out among others in many respects unparalleled [1]  She claims “the Caste system relies on dehumanization to lock in the marginalized outside of the norms of humanity so any action against them seems reasonable...She suggests that the dehumanization… is a process, a programming of group think[2] 


[1] Wilkerson, I. (2023). Caste The origins of our discontent. US:Random House. (p. 149).

[2] Wilkerson, I. (2023). Caste The origins of our discontent. US:Random House. (p. 142).


DURING THE COVID-19 RESPONSE LABELS WERE USED to DE-HUMANIZE PEOPLE

In 2020, labels were used publicly by public health officials and politicians to categorize people’s private medical decisions polarizing Canadians and violating international laws and ethics that we all rely on to keep us safe. Labeling caused fear, rage, and hatred, separating family and friends. The labels VAXXED as doing the right thing, to end the pandemic UNVAXXED as uneducated, hesitant, selfish, misogynist, racist, ANTI-VAXXER as stupid, conspiracist, and VAXXED INJURED as mentally ill, SEPARATED Canadians. We know historically when people look away when labels are used, this normalizes dehumanization and leads to group think, then slowly to horrific violence. 

 

EVIDENCE OF SUFFERING

Canada was the only country in the world that conducted a citizen led inquiry [1] completed in June 2021 that acknowledged people who had suffered because of the declared pandemic.  Canadians who questioned the mandates and were silenced were given an opportunity to tell their story. The National Citizens Inquiry (NCI) was conducted after the citizen's hearings expanding across Canada. The final report of the NCI months-long investigation into Canada’s response to COVID-19 executive summary was published April 2024[2]. The report includes 300 people’s testimonies describing how they were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 policies and mandates and recommendations of how Canada could handle future pandemics causing less harm.


 

COLLECTIVE TRAUMA caused by the declared pandemic response

The COVID-19 response is being identified by many people as a traumatic event triggered by constant fear mongering, and conflicting messages. Health care workers especially Canadian nurses who were working on the front lines, had to evaluate policy and treatment protocols as an essential task that nurses were and are ethically bound to complete in order to fulfill their main role as a patient advocate and their leadership competencies as outlined by the Canadian Nurses association. The Canadian medical system before the declared COVID pandemic was based on the principles of informed consent and patient-centered care. It was confusing and terrifying when the COVID policies were incongruent with health promotional philosophy and the code of ethics.


Despite serving a multicultural population that supports a consent-based, patient-centered healthcare system, Allopathic ideology, vaccines-ONLY were promoted as the only treatment available.  Taxpayers were forced to wear masks to access care, despite the overwhelming research proving they are ineffective and harmful.  Steven Pelech & John Hardie state, “there appears to be little justification from randomized controlled trials no significant benefit from masks wearing with respect to reducing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By contrast, growing data indicate many physiological and psychological outcomes from extended mask wearing in hospital and community not to mention 1.6 billion masks entered the oceans in 2020[1].  Masks became a visual symbol of dehumanization contributing to collective trauma, especially for children and adults who were struggling with dementia and adults with chronic respiratory diseases.  Lock downs, put  healthy people in solitary confinement and left many elderly people to die alone without the comfort of a hug. Main-stream-media denigrated those who disagreed, highlighting the dangers of not-supporting group think.


[1] Steven Pelech and Christopher Shaw (editors), Down the covid-19 rabbit hole, Independent sienctists and physicisans unmask the pandemic. US:Skyhorse publishing Inc.. (p. 101-124).


Not acknowledging trauma caused by the declared pandemic by silencing people who have been traumatized, especially those who sustained a vaccine injury deepens the suffering. Whether we were paralyzed by fear, witnessed suffering or had to stay silent, or were silenced, we have all experienced collective trauma.  Now, when friends, and family gather, ‘not talking about it’ is likened to concealing domestic abuse.  This silence causes a discernible GAP in previous relationships when we need each other.


Holocaust survivor Eli Weisel wrote, 'What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor but, the silence of the bystander'. Not talking about it, not acknowledging the suffering of others deepens the divide and deepens the suffering.


Could we all look into a mirror and stop the cycle of ‘hurt people, hurt people’ by doing our own inner work so we can listen to each other, hearing and seeing the human underneath the label?   According to experts at the Gottman Institute, empathy is the deepest form of human connection.   Making another person feel understood and loved will start the Re-humanization movement.


Now is the time to take part in co-creating a more LOVING & CALMER world.


OFFERING THE PROCESS OF COACHING AS A WAY OF TALKING ABOUT IT

I will use the process of coaching to hear and see the person underneath the LABEL transforming both the listener and the storyteller. A reference photo taken following the session will serve as a guide when painting the story teller's portrait. The storyteller and the coach’s reflective writing will be posted beside the portrait to deepen the visitor’s experience during the art show. 


“Art creates a profound connection between the artist and the audience. 

Through that connection, both can heal.  Rick Rubin.



  1. Coaching: I will use the process of coaching to be acknowledged, heard and seen. I wrote and taught a course 'Creativity and Health' at Camosun college, a decade ago, based on the research that creativity: expressive writing/story telling, movement, visual, and music are interventions used to help people express the inexpressible. The participants will write a reflection of their process to be hung beside their portrait. Using "third person expressive writing has been known as a fitting technique for recovering from traumatic or highly stressful life events"(4).

  2. Mosaic HeART workshop: will be offered Saturday February 23, 2025 (to register go to https://www.createwithlynda.com/services. People will come together to explore the healing power of creativity using the mosaic technique to piece back our community. Creating together will provide a space for healing using art. Workshop participants will make two hearts. One to donate to the Re-humanization ART show a fundraiser for https://www.cccalliance.ca/ and one for yourself.  

  3. The Re-humanization Art show: The staff at Heron Rock Bistro will be hosting the art show in May -June 2025.  We have partnered with Andrew the owner to help them celebrate their 20th anniversary by hanging our mosaic hearts between the portraits symbolizing the community coming back together piece by pieceThe hope is that ART will transform the collective trauma and dehumanization caused by COVID policies.   Art helps us speak when our voice cannot. The guests who choose to view the portraits during, the opening celebration or while dinning at the restaurant will read the reflective stories, and view the portraits to come to another plan of understanding "the human beneath the label". Art uses the right brain igniting empathy and compassion.   


HOW DO I KNOW I HAVE A STORY TO TELL?

If you have had an experience where you were paralyzed with fear not able to think, You were labelled, discriminated against, coerced to take an injection,

You choose to take an injection and now you regret it,

You witnessed the suffering caused by the declared pandemic causing people to lose their jobs, loose their business, or careers barred from travel or eating in a restaurant,

You have been injured by the injection you took in exchange for your human right to access work, travel or enroll in education because you were promised things will come to normal,

You witnessed workplace bullying experienced loss, grief or moral distress working in horizontally violent workplaces. You have a story to tell.


IS THE PROCESS OF COACHING A FIT FOR ME?

As a coach, l will hold space for people to tell their story, to be acknowledged, to be heard, and to be seen. Coaching is not about fixing or advice giving. I will remain curious and ask curious questions while suspending judgment based on the following principles:

·       We are all naturally creative resourceful and whole.

·       Holistic health is based on the body, mind, spirit and soul being connected.

·       The client chooses the topic and I as a coach dance from moment to moment.

·       The process of coaching causes transformational learning for both the coach and the client.


 If you have any questions, or want to book in for a coaching session if you decide you would like to be part of the Re-humanization movement please contact Lynda McLeod at createwithlynda@protonmail.com  .


THE RE-HUMANIZATION HEART PROJECT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

A 1:1 coaching session (90 minutes)

B. Access to a group coaching session (75 minutes) once a month via zoom call with the intent of supporting each other to write a reflective piece to place beside their portrait and to learn how to start respectful kitchen table discussions to bring Canadians back together.

C. Your portrait, an oil painting (18-20 x 20-24) completed by Lynda McLeod.


Here are the three $ options to be part of the Re-humanization project which includes:

  1. Angel investor: cover self as a participant and then pay it forward for one participant to be part of the project $300

  2. Participant: $150

  3. Sacred economics sliding scale to cover art costs: $25 or $50 or $75 or $100

_____________________________________________________________________

Respectfully yours,

Lynda McLeod


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Please email me createwithlynda@protonmail.com to book an appointment. Please do not book session through website it is not working. Health promotion coaching opens up ...
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