When I share my thoughts on how to create equity in medicine or in society at large, people who I would characterize as liberal often say "Well, I'm not a 'burn it all down' kind of person" to put clear blue sky between ideas of transformative action and their ideas 1/ 
to offer small adjustments to a highly toxic system.
And with this I ask myself--am I "burn it all down" kind of person? I do recognize the transformative and cleansing aspects of fire, as do most traditional people in human history. It is why fire plays such an important 2/
And with this I ask myself--am I "burn it all down" kind of person? I do recognize the transformative and cleansing aspects of fire, as do most traditional people in human history. It is why fire plays such an important 2/
in customs, rituals and ceremonies. It is a powerful medicine that restores balance, dictated by the earth's tempos.
When people say "Oh, I'm not a 'burn it all down' kind of person," they are creating a false narrative, situating fire as destructive and bad, denying 3/
When people say "Oh, I'm not a 'burn it all down' kind of person," they are creating a false narrative, situating fire as destructive and bad, denying 3/
its place in human culture. They do not see the generative and creative aspects of walking away from a system that is damaging the best parts of our humanity and the life-giving aspects of the earth. They do not have the imagination or capacity to imagine a world 4/
that is structured along different beliefs, values and ways of relating to one another. And that lack of imagination stymies any forward motion.
Fire purifies. It offers its power in service of life. Not one life in particular. But the whole system of the web of life, 5/
Fire purifies. It offers its power in service of life. Not one life in particular. But the whole system of the web of life, 5/
of which we are a part.
Perhaps it is in that surrendering to the whole of which we are just an infinitesimally small part that terrifies people who insist they don't want to "burn it all down." The ego dies hard. 6/
Perhaps it is in that surrendering to the whole of which we are just an infinitesimally small part that terrifies people who insist they don't want to "burn it all down." The ego dies hard. 6/
I believe we must do both--create the new world as we shed the old one--the way a butterfly emerges from a chrysalis. The act of creation accepts the necessity of destruction. We must let the ways of the past 600 years fall to ashes and bring forward this other way of being, 7/
that we simultaneously know and do not know.
This faith is the faith of an artist. We all must become in touch with our artistry as humans, as earth people. It is critical that we exercise our imaginations in small and big ways, that we find the courage to share it out loud, 8/
This faith is the faith of an artist. We all must become in touch with our artistry as humans, as earth people. It is critical that we exercise our imaginations in small and big ways, that we find the courage to share it out loud, 8/
that we find the courage to share it out loud, together, in community and put in the sweat, labor and love to make it so. 🔥🔥🔥
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