After the planes hit the twin towers on September 11, 2001, I began a search for safety. You see, my wife and I were planning to have a baby and as I watched the coverage of the attack my heart fell into despair, wondering if there were any safe places left on earth. How could I bring a child into an unsafe world?
To me, Orange Shirt Day is about safety and children. Phyllis Webstad, the founder of Orange Shirt Day set off for her first day school at the age of 6. Like many children on their first day, Phyllis wore a new shirt and her heart beat with anticipation. Things soon changed as she arrived at the dark and cold school. The shiny, new orange shirt that her Granny had bought for this special occasion was taken away.
Residential schools not only stole the clothes of First Nations children but removed them from their roots and stripped them of their culture. Many never returned from the schools, others were traumatized by the experience, confused, and suffered a lifetime of lost identity.
Orange is the colour of the second chakra. This is the creative centre located in the area of the womb, groins and sexual organs. It is associated with the playful energy of the child, the soul and the record keeper. By wearing an orange shirt, we celebrate the unique soul of every child, their personal history, the damage of residential schools and the universal plight of all children. Every child matters. We were all children. We are all responsible for the current generations of children. It takes a village to raise a child…a safe village. It is up to us to create that space.
Recognized annually on September 30, Orange Shirt Day falls under the sun sign Libra. Libra is Latin for scales and is symbolized by the scales of justice. Orange Shirt Day reminds us of the need for justice, to be held accountable for our actions. The orange energy centre of the second chakra is the location of our emotional body. It is the source and the record of the energy we put in motion through our thoughts, words and actions. We can change. The past is done. We can honour it. Learn from it. And decide to create a different future, now. Wearing an orange shirt is a declaration that you recognize the injustices of the past and stand to make a better future. A just future.
Man’s laws are flawed. They reflect the beliefs and desires of those in power. The residential schools are an example of injustice that was enacted in the name of what the ruling class deemed to be right. We need a higher sovereignty.
Spirituality is different than religion. Spirituality is the recognition and celebration of life, the universal spirit. Regardless of the name, we can all agree that there is some animating force that lights up this body. Whether labeled Creator, God, Universal Energy, Source or no name at all, spirit is still present. It flows in each one of us through the head and spine, the altar of the body temple. Each body is sacred. Every body matters. We must all work together to honour every body and protect it.
The head and spine is a direct connecting link to spirit. Life has a natural law. By focusing within, we can connect to that law, intuit its meaning and act to uphold it. Natural law is one with the truth. Gandhi said, “Turn the searchlight inward.” Often known as Passive Resistance, Gandhi called his approach to social justice Satyagraha, meaning “Truth Force”. Truth can be found inside through our direct connection to life. Sincerely seeking there, we will all find the same answers. We will discover The Law.
You can’t control the choices of others. You CAN control what you do. Find a daily practice that builds your connection with life within. The energy is contagious. Like strings of the same note, your connection awakens a similar connection in other. The more people that establish an inner relationship, the more that energy grows and soon the energy of peace becomes so thick that we can all rest in its safe embrace.
Outwardly, wear your Orange t-shirt of solidarity on September 30. Inwardly, reconcile with the truth through consistent practices that bring your attention inward to the home of Life, the head and spine. Let’s not guess at what’s best for the future. We can’t gamble with the lives of our children. Together, we can create a safe garden in which all can grow.