Ethical Abundance: Welcoming prosperity without selling your soul with Camellia Dao-Ling
Camellia Dao-Ling is an Acupuncture Student and Africana Studies Scholar. She joins us today to talk about how to welcome abundance/prosperity in business with a core of integrity and commitment to liberation for oppressed peoples.
“There is the fundamental power imbalance of being able to access the benefits and beautiful parts of a culture without facing the violence that people embody marked by racism face.” - Camellia Dao-Ling
Examples of modalities people may not even realize are from oppressed cultures (24:18)
A lot of breathwork and what we call mindfulness nowadays has roots in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism. Tai chi, chi gong, guasha crystal roller, tantra, jade egg, yoga -- often the roots are in Asian lineage traditions that are deeply religious, cultural, and spiritual. On a spiritual and physical level we (as humans) are so extremely similar. So of course, it really does work on everybody because we create a lot of differences in our heads. A pain point for a lot of the Pacific Islander and Asian people I know have been feeling like “wow our ancestral healing modalities are so popular, but why aren’t all of those people protecting our elders”.
“People can take the pretty parts of our culture without having to worry about leaving the house -- there’s a very deep sense of injustice.” - Camellia Dao-Ling
Recommendations for people who have been deeply shifted by the teachings of another oppressed culture - how they can share their transformation in a supportive way (30:08)
Is this a mish mash or is this a lineage? Any kind of mish mash evokes the culture buffet and someone just like flopping servings of a bunch of different things that all look good and then consuming them. Really going deep in one modality, is one starting place to really be honorable -- in that process to put in the time. Impatience and just wanting quick results is a very ego response and attitude. Humility and patience are such key spiritual precepts. Getting permission to share from a lineage bearer. Return of resources, contributing to elders in communities that are from the modality you use or a regular donation. Citing your sources. Choosing an accomplice role. Passing the mic and be willing to share an opportunity with a lineage bearer of that modality.
“The missing piece for people who have done those three checkpoints is the return of resources. That to me is key… I invite folks who are white acupuncturists to be regularly contributing to the Chinatown community for equitable development because the elders are often being displaced for gentrification.” - Camellia Dao-Ling
How can we use our businesses to support change (46:07)
Knowing who’s land you're occupying and how you can serve those land stewards because most of them are still fighting. Protect native species, plant native plants. Every paycheck send a tenth (tethe) back out to the land stewards and people of African descent who’s labor built the United States. Offering a sliding scale or ways to trade services. Progressively thinking forward (is this Is this accessible to everyone? Who am I missing?) Tending to your relationships (How am I treating myself? A contractor, employee, collaborator? What’s the process of our relationship? Am I treating other humans like humans, or a meal ticket?). Questioning who isn’t at the table and why may they not be at the table -- speak up about unfair exploitative dynamics. Take the time to do consistent social justice work and show up for racial justice.
“Extractive attitude that “only profit matters” that caring for relationships isn’t efficient -- that cheapens the quality of our lives. Tending to our relationships, making sure we’re paying the land stewards, honoring the people of African descent who’s labor created literally so many structures in the United States. And considering who isn’t at the table and why might they not be at the table?” - Camellia Dao-Ling
The sacredness of the mundane (52:54)
Doing simple things with great love. It’s not about having 30 crystals, spending thousands of dollars, and chanting for 3 hours. Sweeping the house and praying or being deeply rooted while breathing down into the earth is just as spiritual
“Trying to fufill our highest potential one day at a time imperfectly but with a lot of love and sincerity, letting go of the results and cleaning up our messes because we’re going to make mistakes and just trying to build a legacy that leaves this planet more just and loving than when we landed here. That to me is the most sacred way of living and it doesn’t have to be complicated.” - Camellia Dao-Ling
Keep up with Camellia!
Camelia teaches qigong, holds courses for ancestral healing, and does energy healing.
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