It is visible in innumerable aspects of society and life, but lets start with dreadlocks!I was raised to believe that essence and beauty was in everything, and everyone, and to celebrate it. That love and compassion and gratitude were the strongest forces in the Universe, that those feelings transcend all and draw you into the embrace of universal Oneness. That you don't have to understand everything, but to love it anyways, because EVERYTHING is an extension of yourself, that the concept of separation is an illusion. That what we see in others that we think we loathe is in fact a direct reflection of something we're not pleased with in ourselves, and when we act in anger or fear or hatred, we only harm ourselves.When i began researching dreadlocks as a child, I was delighted at how many cultures historically wore dreadlocks and for what reasons. I collected stories of Vikings, Druids, Hindu and Buddhist wise men, Asian Emperors, African, Muslim, and Rastafarian. I found dreadlocks to be a wonderful transcendent cultural expression!I also began coming across more modern ideas of dreadlocks, and I know you've all heard these: White kids with dreadlocks are dirty, or trying to be black, wash your hair you hippy, all dreadlocks are disgusting and ugly and stinky, feces, glue, wax, unclean, drug addict, pothead, blah blah blah.I also grew up in a warm family and extended family of heavily modified bodies -tattoos, piercings, scars, etc- and myself worked for years as a body modification artist. The misconceptions are vast and to be expected, i suppose, because so few people today know the full ins- and- outs and history of the culture. This can either lead to wonderful and funny conversations with people who are open- minded and wanting to learn, or horrible assumptions made and hurtfully discriminate views held.Now, I'm aware that the basis for most discrimination is fear of something you don't understand.What boggles my mind is HOW people can POSSIBLY hold such strong opinions about things that they obviously don't know the first thing about??? This applies to anything: culture, ethnicity, style of clothing, child rearing, music, mental and physical disabilities, employment, the list is endless. How can people speak SO SURELY without understanding, or without even TRYING to understand?I have the word "ciunas" tattooed on my collarbone. It's gaelic for "silence." I see it whenever I look in the mirror. It reminds me that sometimes to LISTEN is more important than to SPEAK. That it's hard to learn and absorb when you're too busy screaming to the world every thought that crosses your mind.Here I have a tiny little condensed and reworded excerpt from a particularly inspiring movie I once watched:We are born without being conscious of our identity. We are taught to recognize that which separates us, that which makes us "individuals." We forget that the essence in ME, is the essence in YOU. I am human. I recognize the humanity in me is the humanity in all.From a different part in the film:The more love that is created in the world, the weaker the illusion of separation becomes. Love without doubt, love without fear, love without condition. Love, because that is what you are made of. Love, because it is what your here to do.I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and stories!!! xoxox
updated by @ocallaghan: 02/14/15 07:40:21AM
much love! And I'll do my best to do a write up of what I know of the different historical and cultural backgrounds and post it, it may take a while, but I'll try to make it as detailed as I can.Heather thank you so much!!! I'm all blushie because you found my writing inspirational! 
