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TO SEE AND
TO BE SEEN IS UBUNTU
In the movie
AVATAR the Pandorains greeted each other with the phrase, “I see you.” I felt
that resonate deeply within me and wondered why that might be. Then one day,
many months later, I came across what I feel may be an explanation for it.
The Zulu
People of Africa use this same greeting. The article broke the meaning down
into 4 parts and I will examine them here. The first part of the greeting is
for the people to look deeply into the eyes of the other. This is a difficult
thing for us in the west to do because we seem to avoid eye contact as often as
we can. Looking directly into the eyes of another creates a very deep and
intimate contact, closer to a contact between souls than just between the
surface of two people. Because of this, the deeper, clearer and more honest the
communication will be.
The second
part is the response to the initial greeting, it is “I am here to be seen”.
This is a calling for the inner spirit of the person, the bare “I am” of the
individual to come forward and be in the moment. To take an active and
responsible part in the verbal exchange. Not on the surface but deep down
inside, where it truly matters. Sort of a statement of intent to be honest,
naked before you, nothing between us, no judgment.
To announce
that you actually see the other person is deeply powerful for both parties, It
allows and offers the ability to see the other person as they are, as they were
intended to be, as the Creator made them, that they exist in a world that is
usually rather narrowly focused on the self rather than on those around us.
This simple statement: “I see you” denotes respect and equality; authenticity
and dare I say it? Love. Love and acceptance that they too belong on the earth
with us and have the right to voice their truths too? It also seems to invite
us, all of us, to be here now, to be present in our lives with conscious
awareness and honest, open, clear intent.
Here is
where ubuntu comes into play. It is a Zulu word that speaks to the Zulu
doctrine of belief. The word ubuntu closely means “humanity toward all.” this
includes a support system that edifies everyone, that creates a coming together
of people as equals and important in their own right. It bestows value and
worth of everyone, it requires that each truly see the best in both themselves
and in the other. This is true unconditional love. Love is, after all, the
driving force of the universe. It also invites us to be. To be in our own
lives, the lives of others and to participate in all that entails. You can't
live your life if you aren't in it and now, right now because “I see you”, step
up and “see” those around you and live.
Love, Light,
Laughter, Bright Blessings and Ubuntu Chessie
© Chessie Roberts 2011, all rights reserved.
