Introduction
Hi y'all in this blog post I'm going to share a little bit about the concepts of settler-colonialism, the soul wound, and mahwari (menstrual) cycles. I use the word “concept” here as one way to describe them from an analytical point of view, however these words that I'm using in English are actions. They are practices that have been passed down through the generations and something that all of us will tend to in our own healing journeys.
Moreover, we are learning these concepts/practices so that we can grow in our own self-study of our own mind AND support our friends, our family members, our future clients potentially, our colleagues to heal - so that we can heal our own mind-body and the collective mind-body.
First, I’ll share an important abstract from Maldonado-Torres (2017) on Frantz Fanon and the decolonial turn in psychology:
“Frantz Fanon, one of the foremost theoreticians of racism, colonization, and decolonization was a psychiatrist by training who wrote about psychology, social theory, and philosophy, among other areas. In his “work in psychology” Black Skin, White Masks, Fanon declares that he will “leave methods to the botanists and mathematicians.” In the face of colonial methods and attitudes, he searches for a decolonial attitude that seeks to “build the world of you.” With the search for this attitude at its core, Fanon’s corpus makes the case for a decolonial turn in psychology that poses the primacy of attitude over method in knowledge production. In such a form, psychology becomes a decolonial transdisciplinary practice that is close to decolonized versions of other fields in the human sciences, such as philosophy, sociology, history, literature, and political theory, as well as to decolonial activism and praxis” (p. 432).
Maldonado-Torres, N. (2017). Frantz Fanon and the decolonial turn in psychology: From modern/colonial methods to the decolonial attitude. South African Journal of Psychology, 47(4), 432-441
https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.1177/0081246317737918
Settler-Colonialism
Settler-colonialism is the process by which a group of people settle in an area; create surface-level treaties about sharing space, boundaries, and the Earth’s bounty; and, then go on to do the opposite by systematically attempting to erase Indigenous peoples’ and respectful relationships with land and life (Tuck & Yang, 2012). Settler-colonialism also views humans as the ego-center of terrestrial (Earth) life, and therefore perpetuates the notion that humans have the right to control and dominate over land and each other (Dei & Jaimungal, 2018, p. 20).
Soul Wound
A mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical wound in people’s body-mind created by settler-colonialism. Approaches to trauma healing, can work towards healing or aggravating the ‘soul wound’, especially for Indigenous Peoples (Duran and Duran, 1995; Duran, 2006; Ahenakew, 2019). In my view, cyclical living is one way and attitude to heal the wound.
Through the oral stories of Elders, Duran (2006) describes the ‘soul wound’ as,
“The ancestral wounding that occurred in the community passed down through the generations. [The Elders] explained how the earth had been wounded and how, when the earth is wounded, the people who are caretakers of the earth also are wounded at a very deep soul level” (p. 16).
The “soul wound is a metaphor for historical trauma” that continues to exist in the land, people, and water that support and surround the borders of Canada that is a cause of health and social inequities (Ahenakew, 2019, p. 36). The soul wound is present in all people, not just people racialized as Indigenous. Ahenakew writes,
“Today’s trauma is added to intergenerationally transmitted trauma, both reproducing dismemberment. This pain of dismemberment manifests on the Indigenous side as embodied practices of self-hate, disconnection, numbing, and checking out. On the settler side, it also manifests through different forms of numbing, including overconsumption. Both sides, however, are trying to respond in ineffective ways to the original pain of the soul wound” (2019, p. 61).
For example, I, Prof Taq, identify as a settler whose family migrated to the borders of Canada from the Punjab region of modern-day India and Pakistan. I am uncovering my own personal responsibility in settler-colonialism in the borders of Canada. At the same time, I am learning about the process of colonialism that occurred and still occurs in my own homelands in South Asia.
Once I have made it conscious, I can work towards decolonizing my own mind-body, and approaching my work in the field of menstrual health and wellness through this lens. This blog post is written during a time where the traumas of the collective soul wound are erupting and triggered on a national and global scale. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic is acting as an evolutionary force on our species, making us conscious about how much we still have left to heal.
Mahwari/Menstrual Cycles
Okay, so how did I jump from explaining two complex concepts/practices about colonialism and mental health to talking about periods? You all will discover that I like to link everything back to menstrual cycles!!!
Menstrual cycles are body-mind processes that exist in basically everyone’s body. You’ll read, hear, and see me use the Punjabi word for Menstrual, Mahwari, A LOT! Every single person experiences the hormones of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and more, just in diverse unique ways. People who fall towards the female end of the sex spectrum will experience them more strongly. This strong power of menstrual cycles allows for periods to occur, and for the possibility of pregnancy/birth control (see: Prof Taq’s blog on Birth Control Options in Canada). A full mahwari cycle ranges from one period to the next. For people who do not get a period, we can use the moon cycle as a physical reminder.
So, what do mahwari cycles have to do with settler-colonialism and healing the soul wound?
We can lean into the wisdom of mahwari cycles, as a tool for learning how to:
Re-engage in cyclical living,
Honour the earth/land,
Respect and love all bodies
Notice and self-study our own moods, actions, behaviours
Dose drugs and medicines
Support clients to listen to their own mind-body
Listen to our own mind-body
Prevent burn-out
Engage in accountability with ourselves and the collective
Exude non-violence, love, and empathy
And more!
In my own practice in health care, I find mahwari cycles to be the key that can unlock the next level of healing the soul wound. Moreover, tuning into and loving our mahwari cycles can be an antidote to settler-colonialism.
We’re going to practice using mahwari cycles as a key for mental wellness!
Sending you all lots of love!
Prof Taq
Hi & Sat Sri Akal, I’m ਤਕਦੀਰ ਕੌਰ Dr. Taq Kaur Bhandal, the CEO of I’m With Periods. To learn from me, enroll in my online courses for women and our boyfriends or get a copy of my book Self-Care Down There. I am physically based in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Mi’kmaq Treaty Territories. I was born and raised on the west coast of Canada close to Vancouver, British Columbia. My ancestors and family are from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. I’m passionate about long walks in the forest with my fiancé and dog, and reading rom-coms in the bath.
References (Examples of APA Citation):
Ahenakew, C. (2019). Towards Scarring. Vancouver, CA: Musagetes.
Dei, G. J. S., & Jaimungal, C. (2018). Indigeneity and decolonial resistance: Alternatives to colonial thinking and practice. Sterling, US: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Duran, E., & Duran, B. (1995). Native American postcolonial psychology. Albany, US: State University of New York Press.
Duran, E. (2006). Healing the soul wound: Counseling with American Indians and other Native people. New York, US: Teachers College Press.
Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society, 1(1). 1-40