Category: Pedro S. Silva II

  • Dear Catalytic Convertor Thieves

    Dear Catalytic Convertor Thieves

    I know that some people will either think I am either full of BS, naive, or just stupid. But, I submit to you–especially if you are on a spiritual path–to be a Catalytic Convertor when offered the opportunity. Take the junk that comes in and transmute it. (Like the Hawaiian concept of Hemolele) We are…

  • Despite Reverence for Variety and Diversity…

    Despite Reverence for Variety and Diversity…

    In reflection, I wonder if what makes so many “well meaning” folks show up so hypocritically (myself included) is the unexamined discriminatory brain function that tells me, “Weeds are magnificent models of creation and I don’t want them in my yard.”

  • What are In-Divide-You-Alls? 

    What are In-Divide-You-Alls? 

    What are In-Divide-You-Alls? I have never met an individual. I’ve met people who live as if they’re individuals. And I’ve tried and failed to be one in an effort to understand a concept that fundamentally makes no sense to me. But I’ve come to see that it didn’t work because I just can’t feel my…

  • Emotional Distraction: Why We Project Past Feelings on to Present Moments

    Emotional Distraction: Why We Project Past Feelings on to Present Moments

    Did you know that we, as individuals, families, communities, societies and cultures can be addicted to emotional states? Yes. We can be. And many of us are whether we are consciously aware of it or not. What’s more, we use each other for our fixes. And once we get the sensation that we’re looking for,…

  • Fool Me Twice: Why We Believe the Liars That We Know Are Lying

    Fool Me Twice: Why We Believe the Liars That We Know Are Lying

    In my experience, it is the one who most vehemently accuses someone of something that’s actually the one doing it—like cheating in a relationship or voter fraud. And also in my experience, the person being lied to is usually the least willing to accept the weight of the revelation. They say that it is because…

  • Tools For Creating Greater Belonging Full Video

    Tools For Creating Greater Belonging Full Video

    Belonging is an essential need for every person. And, creating greater belonging is the main ingredient for community thriving and healthy democracy. But what do we do when our ability to foster belonging reaches its limits? Or when we are frustrated with being excluded from the communities that profess to be welcoming? How do we…

  • Working Ourselves to Death

    Working Ourselves to Death

    On May 4th, a teenager, Arlana Miller died by suicide after posting a note on Instagram. I learned about it from a video of my cousin tearful and shaken asking people to check on one another, and most especially the strong people in out lives who we tend to forget about because we think that…

  • Tools for Creating Greater Belonging

    Tools for Creating Greater Belonging

    Belonging is an essential need for every person. And, creating greater belonging is the main ingredient for community thriving and healthy democracy. But what do we do when our ability to foster belonging reaches its limits? Or when we are frustrated with being excluded from the communities that profess to be welcoming?

  • Is This the Face of Fear?

    Is This the Face of Fear?

    Someone responded to a poem I wrote by saying I was an ignorant religious person, divisive, and a bad writer. I’m not fishing for compliments. So, don’t worry about filling my bucket. Rather, I’m just wanting to look at this philosophically. What I’m thinking about is the question of how or if one should try…

  • The Burden

    The Burden

    Almost every Black person I know who has grown up in America knows what it’s like to feel the existential burden placed upon us that says, “You represent your entire race.”