the invitation to brave space
27 Mar 2018also back in january, adrienne recalled micky scottbey jones’ invitation to brave space. i had heard of the idea of brave space, as opposed to safe space, before but i don’t think i’d ever seen this source material and invitation. it’s quite lovely, i think.
if i’m honest, i think the backlash against safe space has mostly been driven by a small group of far-right reactionaries. and i think their impetus is just to undermine things that in any, way, shape, or form appear to curb or curtain their “freedom.” in my mind, the reason that approach is wrong is because the idea of freedom as “ability to do what i want when i want” is, at best, an incomplete understanding of freedom. at worst, it is dangerous and oppresive. i think it simplifies the idea and misses out completely on the idea of liberty and relationship. i think (informed by something i read) that freedom is ability to know and do what is best for yourself and others. that is achieved by being in right relationship (with yourself, other beings, and the planet). but i digress…
i do think the idea of safe space is somewhat limited. and i believe that for the same reason that i modified a line in the metta meditation from “may _ be safe” to “may _ be secure in community.” this invitation to brave space really leans into that.
things i love about this:
- the surfacing of scars and wounds. and, as jason spicer often reminds me, scars and wounds are not the same thing. a scar has healed and there is little to do about a scar. a wound, if fresh, can be treated and healed (but that takes real skill)
- the idea that we and the space won’t be perfect, but that we can work on it together.
- the idea of turning down the volume of the outside world and amplifying voices that have to fight to be heard elsewhere
- that we have the right to start where we are and grow
- that it will not always be what we wish it to be
so glad i stumbled across this. thanks, adrienne!
words / writing / post-processing
358w / 13min / 4min