Tables

At the beginning of our YAGM year, Andrea, our coordinator, placed special emphasis on communion, and this theme has traveled with us through our first months here.  She tells the story of the last supper by sharing how Jesus shared a table full of abundance and marked by inclusivity.  This was a table where friends gathered to share, converse, laugh, and imagine.  This table was a place where the possibility of a just, joyful, inclusive, and abundant world was made manifest, through sharing in conversation and eating. On this table are the empty wine glasses and bread basket we had just shared, and full pots which we planted to symbolize the growth we all are experiencing.  The plants are called "Siempre Viva," meaning "Always Alive."

Perhaps the World Ends Here
by Joy Harjo
The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what,
we must eat to live.
The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the
table so it has been since creation, and it will go on.
We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe
at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.
It is here that children are given instructions on what
it means to be human. We make men at it,
we make women.
At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts
of lovers.
Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms
around our children. They laugh with us at our poor
falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back
together once again at the table.
This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella
in the sun.
Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place
to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate
the terrible victory.
We have given birth on this table, and have prepared
our parents for burial here.
At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow.
We pray of suffering and remorse.
We give thanks.
Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table,
while we are laughing and crying,
eating of the last sweet bite.
"Perhaps the World Ends Here" by Joy Harjo, from Reinventing the Enemy's Language.

Day of the Dead, a bit of history & a look at ancient beliefs...

         I was fascinated to learn more about the complex tradition of this holiday called Day of the Dead, which today is a blend of indigenous and Christian practices. It began as an indigenous Aztec tradition, with the belief that we stay connected to those who die even after their death, through our memories and spirits. The ancient Aztecs believed our post-death journey depended not on how we lived, but how we died.  In wikipedia articles I read about Day of the Dead, I found it interesting that the Spanish and English versions were different.  The English article mentioned nothing of the ancient Aztec beliefs in the afterlife, while the Spanish article gave a detailed and interesting description of these Aztec beliefs.  Following is a bit of what I learned from reading these articles and talking with people here in Mexico.        
               Before Spaniards arrived in Mexico, the indigenous Aztecs did not have the same ideas about death as the Catholic religion that there is a heaven and hell to reward or punish.  There were several places one could go after death, depending on how that person died.  One of those places was El Tlalocan, the paradise of Tlaloc, God of Rain.  People were believed to go here if they died of sicknesses related to water such as drowning, being hit by a lightning bolt, gout.  Children who were sacrificed to God were also believed to go to Tlalocan.  Tlalocan was believed to be a place of rest, repose, and abundance.  Usually the prehispanic cremated or burned bodies, but if one was expected to go to Tlalocan, they were buried. 
Another possible destination was Omeyocan, the paradise of the Sun, ruled by Huitzilopochtli, the God of War.  Women who had died in childbirth, and men who had died in battle went here.  They were buried in the patio of a great palace and they would journey with the sun to its peak in the west.  It was considered a great honor and privelage to go to Omeyocan.  This place was a reward for the bravery of these warriors of birth and battle.  To die in birth or battle was considered the best way to die.  The indigenous Aztec had a different sense of hope about death : through death was the possibility of being with sun and experience the daily birth and rise of light.  Omeyocan was a place of endless enjoyment.  Afterall the sun was always having a party.  It was a place full of music, song, and dance.  After four years of being in Omeyocan, these warriors were believed to have returned to earth as birds, with multicolored beautiful feathers.  

A third possibility was El Mictlan, where those who had died a natural death went.  In this place there lived a Senor and Senora, or Mr. and Mrs. Death, who were named Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl. It was a very dark place without light or windows, and it was not possible to leave.  The path to arrive at Mictlan was arduous and spirits had to go through different experiences for 4 years in order to arrive.  In order to make this journey, the dead were buried with a dog, who helped them cross a river and arrive to see Mr. Death or Mictlantecuhtli.  They had to deliver an offering of bundles of tea, perfume, cotton, colored threads, and blankets to him.  As an Ofrenda or Offering, those who went to Mictlan received 4 arrows and 4 bundles of tea tied with a cotton string. 

Children who had died went to a special place called Chichihuacuauhco.  Here there was believed to be a grand tree with branches dripping with milk for the children to eat.  The children who arrived here returned to earth when the people who had lived there were destroyed (maybe by a natural or man made disaster).  In this way, their death was a symbol for the circular rebirth of life. 

Prehispanic people were buried with two types of things.  It was important they had things they had used in life, and second, and things the dead would need for the journey ahead. 
When Roman Catholic Spaniards arrived in Mexico, the connection was made between this Aztec tradition and Christianity's belief in the resurrection and life beyond death. While the ancient Aztecs celebrated this tradition for months, today, the holiday is celebrated for two days, November 1, the Catholic All Saints Day and November 2, the Catholic All Souls Day.  Today the holiday or similar types of celebrations are practiced all over the world, in Europe, Asia, Guatemala, Haiti, Brazil, and many other places.

Day of the Dead, a Bittersweet Tradition



This is a photo of the Ofrenda our YAGM group created.  It was important to the Aztecs that the elements: Water, Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water were represented on the Ofrenda. The "papel picados" or brightly colored cut out papers you see tacked at the bottom of the table represent wind.  The candles, fire, a bottle or glass of water to represent that lively fluid, fruits and foods to represent earth and abundance.



Sweet treats are a big part of the Day of the Dead. The markets are filled with sugar and chocolate skulls, colorfuly decorated.  On the forehead of the skull is sometimes a small piece of paper where you can write the names of those who have died who you want to honor and remember.  The combination of sugar and bones is also found in the "Pan de Muertos" or "Bread of Death" which is a delicious sugary bread that kind of looks like bones.  This overabundance of sweets reminded me of Easter in the U.S., and the idea that  sometimes the taste of sweetness can slightly soften the bitter losses of life.  I wrote the name of a dear friend who I miss and wish was still here, Dayle Kitch, on a sugar skull, to keep her in my heart and memory.  I also put a little magnet with an image of a mountain on our YAGM Ofrenda, which reminded me of a story she told me once, of going up to Pike's Peak, and how she made me laugh with her story at a time when I needed to laugh.  Even with the colorful celebration and lively spirit of the Day of the Dead, death, especially when it happens to young people, is very hard to reckon with.  Shortly after Day of the Dead, I heard of the death of a young student I had known in the Upward Bound program.  As Pilar, the woman who is director at the center for women where I work said, "no matter how much we talk about death, and try to come to terms with it, we are never fully prepared to receive the news of it."









This is a photo of an Ofrenda I saw in Ocotepec, a municipality of Cuernavaca.  People in Ocotepec who have lost loved ones in the past year maintain a tradition of opening their homes to the public.  Dear friends, family, and perfect strangers wait in long lines carrying candles and flowers to offer to the family of the deceased.  Along with friends, I followed these long lines to see the Ofrenda, and share warm cidery punch and tamales that the family of the deceased prepares in surprising abundance.  On some Ofrendas such as this one, bags are stuffed to represent the body of the deceased, and the clothes of the deceased are laid out, carefully chosen and ironed and placed on top of the bags.  A large sugar skull often symbolically marks the skull of the deceased.  I remember this Ofrenda in particular because the two photos showed the double loss, and because there were three older men standing at the head of this Ofrenda, singing in clear rich harmonies with all of their hearts and playing guitars as we waited in the long line.  Their music seemed to be filling the space with warmth and life to give strength to the living. 



Celebrating Life during Day of the Dead time with our YAGM group



At our November monthly YAGM gathering, we celebrated the Mexican tradition of making an Ofrenda: a table or spread with special objects, foods, flowers,  photos, and candles to honor those who have gone before us.  On our Ofrenda, we put two types of objects: one to represent loved ones who have died, and another to represent the deaths we experience daily as we die to experiences, old habits, youth, naivete, and ways of being so that we can move into new experiences.  This photo is of part of group listening as I told a blend of two folktales from Haiti and Mexico about Death and La Catrina for a devotion.  

 

This is a photo of our YAGM group singing on Day of the Dead.  We each shared reflections and memories of those who have gone before us who were close to us.  This photo is of Kat sharing a hymn that was special to her grandmother with our YAGM group.  I put a water bottle on the Ofrenda in honor of my Grampa Irv, who loved running, and who died while he was running.  The water bottle tells a story I've heard many times from my Gramma Jo, who says she and my Grampa Irv used to drive through the town at night and hide water bottles in the bushes along my Grampa's running route. The next morning Grampa would go running and stop at the bushes along the way to find his water bottle and drink a sip!





Performance Art Piece in Centro Historico ~~~ "Manifested Bodies, Sure Heart"

Manifested  Bodies, Sure Heart,

CUERPOS MANIFIESTOS, CORAZON SEGURO,
PERFORMANCE ART WORKSHOP

I attended and was very inspired by two presentations of this performance art workshop: first at the Book Fair in the Zocalo on October 11, 2010, and then in the House of the First Printing Press, on December 10, 2010. Following is a summary of my reflections.

       The General Law of Access for Women to a Life Free of Violence says that it is a right to have access to participate in art.  "Manifested Bodies, Sure Heart," is a marvelous performance art piece created to recognize this right and necessity.  For women involved in this workshop,
it was a process of discovery, recognition, and transformation. It happened because of ths cooperation  between the women involved in the process, a nonprofit group called Territories of Culture and Equality, and the Cultural Center in Spain (It is also important to mention the links between employers and artists. Employers were informed and in favor of the benefits of letting women have time off work to participate in this workshop).  The reason for this project was to exercise the rights of women to express themselves through art and the power of doing that in a diverse community of women.  Several women expressed the idea that she saw that although another participant was from a different social or economic class than herself, she recognized a part of herself in the other, and connected to a deeper appreciation for others and herself. 

         The project focused in the women who work, live, love, or are from the Centro Historico of Mexico, the center of culture and history in the Federal District. This center is a special place where women and all people especially want to feel most safe in order to enjoy the culture and ambiance there.  Through the workshop, Manifested Bodies, Sure Heart, the women involved expressed, listened, had dialogue, and created art in community.
        They recognized their bodies and identities as individuals and as a group.  In the Book Fair in the Zocalo, the women presented a brief yet revealing part of their process. They began with the simple act of being.  Standing in a half circle, tranquil and ready, the audience and the women presenting had the opportunity to be present and observe this distinct group of women. After some moments, each woman took a turn to present herself while the other women and audience listened.  They spoke of their distinct identities as a mother, daughter, wife, or lesbian.  They spoke of their professions as police, women who work in cleaning, students, or other occupations.  They spoke of their feelings about various types of injustice.  A young woman expressed her anger about the unjustified killing of students.
Some of the women wore police uniformas or other types of uniforms.  They demanded respect when they said, "Behind this uniform is a human being."  Another woman had the courage to speak of being raped. When each woman finished speaking, she gave part of her clothing to the next woman.  In this way, they showed solidarity and community between this group of women.  Each woman in all the group spoke of liberty. 

              They spoke of obstacles to liberty, for example, fear, stress, competition, rushed lives, isolation, disrespect, violence.  They said that through this process they were liberated from their prejudices, and anxieties, and let go from the inside.  "I am liberated from fear," said one woman.  Each woman spoke of the power of being part of this group of woman in solidarity, working together to
create art that celebrates the dignity and power of women. The women who participated in this process
knew little or nothing about performance art. 

             But they learned that performance art creates space for freedom of expression.  Its an art that gives space to respect and celebrate differences.  The workshop leader, Lorena Wolffer, wrote about the process of dialogue, "We laughed, and we laughed with dignity." She described performance art as an art recuperated through feminist sectors to communicate our desires, our angers and sadnesses, in order to express the story of who we are and how we see life or how we represent life." One of the leaders of this process, Yanina Avila, explained that there is a connection between feminism and performance art because "performance art has tried to blur the line between life and art, and feminism has tried to blur the line between the personal and the political.  The workshop leader,  Lorena Wolffer, also explained that performance art, "reexamines, rewrites and questions predominant cultural codes beginning with the body, naming the body object and subject of art." Performance art is not only an art, but a way of knowing and seeing social, cultural, and historic practices from another perspective.  We create life and the world daily, and art can help us see our roles and possibilities in this continuous process of creation.  Life and the circumstances and realities of it affect us in our hearts and bodies. Performance art recognizes this fact, and gives space to express ideas and concepts through, in and from our bodies.  Performance art is a way to show and recognize the manifestation of the body.
        Through this workshop, the women could see themselves as active and creative participants
in their own lives in connection and solidarity with other women.  Through this workshop, these women
participated in the creation of a world with dignity free of violence for women and all people.


"The fear of the ridiculous is a powerful instrument of dominance because it cuts off liberty, experimentation, and the desire to feel pleasure." ~Carlos Monsivais (1938 - 2010)
　
CUERPOS MANIFIESTOS, CORAZON SEGURO,
TALLER DE ARTE DE PERFORMANCE
presentado en la Feria del Libros en el Zocalo en el 11 de octubre y en la Casa de La Primera Imprenta
10 de diciembre 2010

     La Ley General de Acesco de Las Mujeres a Una Vida Digna Libre
de Violencia dice que es un derecho tener el aceso para participar en
el arte. "Cuerpos Manifiestos, Corazon Seguro," una presentacion de
arte de performance maravilloso, pasO para reconocer este derecho y
necesidad. Para las mujeres involucradas en este taller, fue un
proceso de descubrimiento, reconocimiento, y transformacion. PasO
por la cooperacion entre las mujeres involucradas, Territorios de
Cultura para La Equidad (un grupo sin fines de lucro) y El Centro
Cultural de EspaNa (Es tambien importante mencionar el vinculo entre los gefes de trabajo y los artistas.  Los gefes que entiendieron y querian que sus empleados participaron en este projecto, entonces, les dejaron salir de trabajo para ensayos) . El razon para el projecto fue para ejercer los derechos de las mujeres de expresarlas por el arte y el poder de hacer
 eso en una comunidad de otras mujeres diversas. Muchas mujeres expresaron la idea que aunque otras mujeres involucradas eran de otros clases economicos o sociales, ellas reconocieron un parte de si misma y la otra.  Ellas ganaron mas apreciacion para las demas y si misma. 

        El projecto enfocO en las mujeres quienes trabajan, viven, aman, o padecen en el Centro
Historico de la Ciudad de Mexico. Este centro es un lugar especial  donde las mujeres y todos especialmente quieren sentirse mas seguras,  para disfrutar la cultura y el ambiente alla. Por el taller Cuerpos Manifiestos, Corazon Seguro las mujeres involucradas expresaron, escucharon, dialogaron, y crearon el arte en comunidad. Reconocieron sus cuerpos y identitidades como individuales, y como un grupo.  En la Feria de Libros en el Zocalo, las mujeres presentaron un parte
breve sin embargo revelador sobre su proceso. Empezaron con el acto  simple de ser. Estando de pie en un medio circulo, tranquilas y  listas, la audiencia y las actrizes tuvieron la oportunidad a estar
presente y observar este grupo distinto de mujeres. Despues de unos momentos, cada mujer tomo un turno para presentarse mientras las otras y la audiencia esucharon. Hablaron de su dignidad. Hablaron de sus distintas identidades como madre, hija, esposa, o lesbiana. Hablaron de sus profesiones como policias, mujeres quienes trabajan en la limpieza, estudiantes, o otras ocupaciones. Hablaron de sus
sentimientos sobre varias tipas de la injusticia. Una mujer joven quien expreso su ira sobre la matanza injustificada de los estudiantes. Unos de las mujeres llevaron uniformes de policia o
otros tipos de los uniformes. Demadaron respeto cuando dijeron, "Atras de este uniforme, existe un ser humano." Otra mujer tenia la valentia de hablar sobre su experiencia de violacion.  Cuando cada quien
termino de hablar, se dieron un parte de la ropa a la proxima mujer quien iba a presentarse. En este forma, mostraron la solidaridad y la comunidad entre este grupo de las mujeres. Cada quien de todo el
grupo hablaron de la libertad.

        Habalaron de los obstaculos a la libertad, por ejemplo, el miedo, el estres, la competencia, la prisa,
la aislacion, la violencia, y la falta de respeto. Dijeron que por este proceso, liberaron prejucios,
inequietudes, y quitaron algo dentro de ellas mismas. "Yo me libere del miedo," dijo una mujer. Cada quien dijo el poder de estar parte de este grupo de mujeres en solidaridad, trabajando juntas para crear
arte que celebra la dignidad y el poder de las mujeres. Las mujeres quienes participaban en este proceso sabian muy poco o nada sobre el arte de performance.

        Pero aprendieron que la arte de performance es un arte que crea espacio para libertad de la expresion.  Es un arte que da espacio para respetar y celebrar a las diferencias.  La tallerista sobre el proceso de dialogo que "reimos, y reimos con dignidad." La tallerista describio el arte de performance como "un arte recuperado por algunos sectores feministas para comunicar
nuestros deseos, nuestras iras y tristezas, para expresar la historia
de quienes somos y como vemos la vida o la representamos." Una de las
lideres de este proceso, Yanina Avila, explicO que hay connecion entre
el feminismo y el arte performance porque "el performance ha tratado de borrar la linea entre la vida y el arte, y el feminismo ha tratado de borrar la linea entre lo personal y lo politico." La tallerista,
Lorena Wolffer, tambien explicO que el arte performance "examina, reescribe, y cuestiona los codigos culturales predominantes a partir del cuerpo, nombrandolo objecto y subjecto del arte." El arte
performance no solo es arte, pero una manera de conocer y ver de otra perspectiva las practicas sociales, culturales, y historicos. Creamos la vida y el mundo diaramente, y el arte puede ayudarnos ver nuestras
roles y posibilidades en esta proceso continuoso de creacion.  Tambien la vida y las circunstancias y realidades de ella nos afectan en nuestras corazones y cuerpos. El arte de performance reconoce a
este hecho, y da espacio para expresar las ideas y conceptos por, en, y desde los cuerpos. El arte de performance es una manera de mostrar y reconocer la manifestacion de los cuerpos. Por este taller, las
mujeres podian ver a sus mismas como participantes activas y creativas en sus propias vidas en connecion y solidaridad con las otras mujeres.  Por este taller, estas mujeres participaron el la creacion del mundo digne y libre de violencia para las mujeres y todos.

"El miedo al ridiculo es un poderosisimo instrumento de dominio porque
acorta la libertad, la experimentacion, y las ganas de sentirse a
gusto." ~Carlos Monsivais (1938 - 2010)
　www.territoriosdecultura.org.mxwww.territoriosdecultura.org.mx

Gender Violence and Its Emotional Impact on Women and Men

In early October, I attended a conference on Gender Violence which brought together many themes and related issues.  Each month, women at Espacio Mujeres share reflections on events they have attended or books they have read that focus on issues of gender, justice, diversity, peace, nonviolence, re-imagining concepts of love and relationship, and much more.  I presented these notes to the women at Espacio Mujeres for one of our monthly meetings.  I learned much from listening to the various perspectives presented at this conference. Although I agreed with a large portion of the conference, there are points here that I think require further exploration and explanation.  These notes are a beginning point for reflection and dialogue. 

Gender Violence and Its Emotional Impact on Women and Men
(Notes from a Conference at the Center Cultural Helenico in the Gothic Chapel)
October 5, 2010

Work Experiences at the Center of Mental Health and Gender
Presented by Alejandra Buggs Lomeli, Director of Centro for Mental Health and Gender

MOTIVES TO GO TO A CONSULTATION:
---codependence - many people go for a consultation because of this factor
---its important for therapists to know the consultant's motive for an appointment, but many times a woman will say, "my motive is such and such a reason," but in reality
the therapist learns later that it was a different reason

Information about the Center for Mental Health and Gender:
-The Center of Mental Health and Gender is not under another organization.  For this reason, they have to charge those who come to receive services. 
They have a range : 250 pesos is the minimum, but psychotherapists can choose to charge much less.
A woman commented that this obligation for women to pay can be part of the path toward healing and empowerment as part of the therapy.  Women who want to receive services realize they have to make an effort for themselves.
---In the Center for Mental Health and Gender, they also offer workshops:
*facing depression, creativity, self esteem, and projects that give live and energy
"projecto de la vida"
---Although violence has been naturalized (by the media, etc.), those women who come to the Center realize that Yes, we can change!

Mental Health: Experiences of Men who Renounce their Experiences of Violence
Presented by Ignacio Lozano Verduzco (Research and Systematization GENDES Gender and Development a.c.)
---Mental Health: has been defined as an equillibrium between the inner and outer, however this definition is criticized because it can cause discrimination in deciding who is human or not.  Its also important to realize that what is real or not real is different for different people. 
---We associate masculinity with power over others.
---The idea of an "ideal" male is white, tall, married, etc.
---Violence that men commit is sometimes against other men and sometimes against women
---The crime rate is much higher for men than women
---Men use much more drugs and alcohol than women
---In society, there is not a model for men to express sadness or fear.  So, sometimes, men
express these emotions through violence.
---Men need space to express how they feel
---Men who go for consultations often feel isolated ~ Often they don't have deep relationships
with their families or friends
---Many times men arrive with many aches and pains in their bodies but they don't know why they have these pains.  Often they also have many fears.
---Another generalization about the men who go to consultations is that many times they are idealists and romantics.  They have a belief in traditional relationships and think they can complete all the traditional roles of a relationship (being strong, earning more money than their wife, etc.) and when these things don't happen, often they arrive at a point of crisis
---Sometimes, these men have a difficulty separating reality from fantasy, and spend too much time reflecting and repeating regrets in their minds.

The Overmedicalization of Women, Another Form of Gender Violence
Presented by Dra. Maria Soledad Muruaga de Lopez GuereNu, President of the Association for Women for Health in Madrid, Spain

---to say that a woman should take medicine without justifification is a form of gender violence
---Women can have different issues during different stages of life.  Medicine is not always the best answer.
~menopause, menstruation, pregnancy, birth
---some pharmaceutical companies say that medicine is necessary for these parts of life, when in reality, they are natural parts of life,  when in reality, they are natural parts of life, and medicine is not always necesary.
---Sometimes, companies that make medicines will advertise medicines without explaining adverse side effects.  For example, there is a medicine for the lack of orgasms, & while this medicine can cause more pleasurable orgasms, sometimes it can cause cancer, growth of hair on the chest, and sometimes companies do not warn of these effects.
 ---Preventitive medicine is great, but at the same time, this idea of prevention has created a lot more business for those who sells drugs and medicine.
---With this information, we need to do more research and try to find medicines with fewer side effects.
---For companies and pharmacies, often earning a profit is the main objective ~
~for example, companies sell a vaccine to protect against the HPV virus ~ to prevent cancer, but this but this vaccine only protects against two forms of the many forms of cancer (16 y 18)
~There are also many vaccines against the common cold, and while some can help, it is also natural for us to have a cold once in a while, so some question whether this is necessary.
~There is all kinds of medicine to help prevent heart problems, problems with ovaries and infertility, and these medicines can be useful, but also harmful
---Sometimes, companies treat women as objects instead of people.
~The idea that "(Ideal) Beauty and Health" go together is a huge business that uses this idea of a woman as an object more than a human being.  Young girls especially have the risk to think that this is the truth.
Sometimes young girls even get breast implants - and this is another situation when many times all the risks are not explained.  Fashion models promote the idea of a thin body and an expressionless face
and this can cause a lot of harm especially to young girls.
---Women are a demographic group that have a risk of using too many tranquilizing medicines because many times older women continue caring for children and are overexhausted.  2/3 of women use tranquilizers and have a high risk of adverse side effects.
---Women from the low economic classes are the most medicated.
---Many doctors are not educated in gender issues. Many times doctors are trained to give answers to patients.  Often women think sickness is her fault.  When they receive a prescription, its like a confirmation of their maladjustment.
---All of this is a way to maintain dominance.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
--Improve the biomedical model of health and sickness
--Professional formation in health with a perspective on gender
--Education, Health, and Citizenship go together (Quote: "Taking joy in living is a person's best cosmetic")
--Research in health and pharmacy from a gender oriented perspective
--Asociacion Mujeres para La Salud :
--Comments from Pilar Sanchez, director of Women's Space for a Dignified Life Free of Violence: What is beauty? Each year that we add to life, we add more understanding
and more beauty, Youth is not everything, as the media says.

Violence, a Spectacle of the Media
Presented by Lucia LAgunes Huerta, Director of Communication and Information for Women A.C. CIMAC

---Societal constructions obligate women and men to act in certain ways in order to feel accepted in society.
---Society teaches that being a man means being violent.
---Incalculable messages promote violence:
commercials, sports, TV programs, board games, advertisements.
---Sometimes the idea is that the games that are the most violent are also the most fun
---In commercials, there is discrimination for girls and boys.
For example, in commercials targeted for boys, there is a lot of movement, rhythm, strong colors,
violence, and they are often fast paced.  In commercials targeted at girls,
there are many pastel colors, soft music, peace, etc.
--Soap Operas often have lots of violence: rape, abandonment,
affairs, even feminicide

And Still...We Sing
Presented by Patricia Kelly Ramirez, Radio Program "1260 am Improving your daily life"

*There is a lot of violence transmitted through popular and traditional culture.  We have to be conscious of what we listen to and the messages that we listen to. The example that
Patricia Kelly Ramirez gave was "we are not going to cure the diabetes of this country by closing all the bakeries and not eating our favorite breads at holidays. We will also not stop listening to songs
with messages of violence, but we have to be conscious. We have the great option of choosing, and knowing what we listen to."

From MISTREATMENT TO GOODTREATMENT, a perspective of coexistence and peace
Presented by Dra. Josefina Sanz Ramon, Director Foundation Therapy of Reunion in Valencia, Spain
---Judeochristianity has made an excision separating the body and spirit
~the value is pain, and the fear is pleasure
~in this system, hierarchy and roles have been used to maintain dominance.  What "scripts" are sustaining mistreatment
-Myths of patriarchal society are based in mistreatment and dominance.
-Thinking about words, there are two official words: "Mistreatment" and a verb, to "Mistreat"
but there is no word "Goodtreatment" nor a verb "to goodtreat"
-We don't have a sufficient model for "Goodtreatment."  We have to create a model and those words. 
-We have to use creativity and invention to create this model for good treatment.
-We need education for health and peace:
~THREE SPACES:
~social, relational, internal
~social violence: structural violence with the premise of equality.  For example, the hierarchy says who is "worth more": For example: Northamericans, Men, White people
The social system transmits the mistreatment of gender through TV, radio, etc.
This model is internalized and normalized by men and women.
~Relational Violence: Violence in wars, between men, between men and women
*sometimes, women return to their abusors.  Why? What are the expectations that we have about relationships?
What types of relationships do we create? How do we believe that we deserve love? How do we learn to love ourselves?
~In relationships of love, there is love of passion and other types of love.
Sometimes, by way of society or religion, we are imposed with actions that have to follow
in certain types of relationships.  Loving someone does not mean you have to live with that
person or even being in a relationship with that person.  We need to open our hearts to think in other perspectives about relationships and the many different possibilities to express love.
~Internal violence is more difficult to see: sometimes we can see through body language
---Factors that cause violence:
*Low self esteem
*If one does not know how to manage emotions
*The idea that one has to be with a partner in order to be happy
*From the internal space, with self understanding, we can make changes...
---Can we change social, relational, and internal values?
How can we promote "Goodtreatment"?
~Listen to and learn to live with a healthy relationship to our emotions
~Tolerance (for errors, not for violence).  We have to learn what we need to accept and what not to accept.
~Our emotional body is not isolated - Emotions form part of our bodies.
*We can learn to express emotions in a variety of ways.  We can learn that our emotions are not good or bad. We can learn to confront how we feel in the midst of life's issues.  Emotions transform if we let them transform.  We learn to breath, how to live with care and celebration for our bodies.
*a problem is that we have Emotions of Gender
~For example, to be accepted by society in general (and also the model that is the media), men can't express fear or sadness. They can only express anger.  Many times, men express anger when they want or need to express sadness or fear.  Many times, men express these emotions through violence.
~Women can't express anger, but can express fear and sadness.  This can cause depression, because they are not expressing anger.
~For women and men, we need to learn about the process of grief - goodbyes. What has ended. We should teach this in schools! Because we often don't understand the work/process of grief. 
And we can be destroyed by it if we don't know how to move through it.  Processes of grief
happen in all points of life. ~Grief and Goodbyes:
1.) Denial
 2.) Anger
3.)Negotiation
 4.) Depression
5.) Acceptance
6.) Indifference
 7.) Goodbye
 8.)Death
 9.) Pain/Grief
10.) Closure
11.) Opening
 12.) Gratitude
~We have to remember the power of
 1.) Listening/Expressing
2.)Identifying
 3.) Channeling our emotions
---Therapy of Reunion in the three spaces: social, relational, internal
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La Violencia de Genero y su Impacto Emocional en La Vida de Las Mujeres y Los Hombres

(apuntes en ingles en la proxima escrito, NOTES IN ENGLISH in next post)

La Violencia de Genero y Su Impacto Emocional en la Vida de Las Mujeres y Los Hombres
Conferencia en 5 de Octubre, 2010 en el Centro Cultural Helenico en la Capilla Gotica

Experiencias de Trabajo en el Centro de Salud Mental y de Genero
Presentado por Alejandra Buggs Lomeli (Mtra en Psicoterapia Gestalt, Directora del Centro de Salud Mental y de Genero)
MOTIVOS DE IR A CONSULTA:
---codependencia - un factor que influye mucho a venir a una consulta
---es importante saber el motivo de consulta pero a veces las mujeres
van a decir algo como, "mi motivo es...____ tal cosa," pero realmente
la terapeuta va a aprender despues de una session que otra cosa es el
motivo real

INFORMACION SOBRE EL CENTRO DE SALUD MENTAL Y DE GENERO
---el Centro de Salud Mental y de Genero no esta bajo otra
organizacion. Por eso, tiene que cobrar a los consultantes. Tienen
un rango: 250 pesos es el minimo, pero dice que la psicoterapeuta
puede cobrar mucho menos. Una mujer comentO que obligar que la mujer
paga algo es una manera de recuperacion dentro de la terapia. La
consultante puede darse cuenta que tiene que hacer un esfuerzo para su
misma, tiene que invertirse en su misma.
---en el Centro de Salud Mental y de Genero, tambien ofrecen talleres de
*afrotando la depresion, la creatividad, la autoestima,
projecto de la vida
---aunque la violencia ha estado naturalizada, las consultantes van
dando cuenta que si, podemos cambiar!

Salud Mental: Experiencias de Hombres quienes Renuncian Su Violencia
Presentado por Ignacio Lozano Verduzco (Responsable de Investigacion y Sistematizacion GENDES genero y desarollo a.c.)
---Salud Mental: equilibrio dentro y afuera --- pero esta definicion
esta criticada porque puede causar la discriminacion en decir quien es
ser humano o no - que es real o no - es diferente para diferentes
personas.
---asociamos la masculinidad con el poder sobre otros
---La idea de un hombre "ideal" es que es blanco, alto, casado...
--La violencia que hacen los hombres a veces es contra otros hombres,
y a veces contra mujeres
---En hombres el indice de crimen/delito es mucho mas alto que en las mujeres
---Los hombres usan mucho mas las drogas o el alcohol
---En los hombres, no se permite o no hace modelo en la sociedad para
los hombres para expresar la tristeza y el miedo. Entonces, a veces
se expresa estas emociones a traves de la violencia.
---Para los hombres, necesitan espacio para que puedan expresar que se sintieron
---Los hombres quienes vienen para consultar muchas veces se sintieron
aislados ~ no tienen relaciones profundas con sus familias (o amigos)
---Hombres llegan con muchos dolores del cuerpo pero los hombres no
tienen una explanacion para sus dolores, no saben porque tienen ese
dolor. Tambien tienen muchos temores.
---Los hombres quienes llegan a consultar muchas veces son idealistas
y romanticos ~ tienen creencia en las relaciones tradicionales y
piensan que tienen que cumplir todas las roles tradicionales de una
relacion (ser fuerte, ganar mas dinero que la mujer, etc.) y cuando no
pasa, llega a un momento de crisis.
---A veces, estos hombres tienen dificultad de separar la realidad con
la fantasia. A veces, estos hombres reflexiona tanta, no puedan dejar
de pensar y repitir los mismos arrepentimientos en su mente

La Medicalizacion de Las Mujeres, otra Forma de Violencia de Genero
Presentado por Dra. Maria Soledad Muruaga de Lopez GuereNu (Presidenta Asociacion Mujeres Para La Salud Madrid, EspaNa)
---decir que una mujer debe tomar una medicina sin justificacion es
una forma de violencia de genero
---mujeres puedan tener diferentes asuntos durante diferentes epocas
en la vida. La medicina no siempre es la respuesta!
~la menopausia, la menstruacion, el embarazo, el parto
---dicen ciertas companias de medicina que necesitamos tomar mucha
medicina para estas epocas de la vida, cuando en la realidad, son
partes naturales de la vida, y no necesitamos siempre un curativo
---A veces, las companias que hacen las medicinas dan medicacion sin
decir los efectos adversos. Por ejemplo, hay medicina para la falta de
orgasmo. A veces causa experiencias mas placenteras pero tambien
puede causar cancer, cabello en el pecho...y no hablan de los efectos
adversos.
---La prevencion de la enfermedad es bueno pero tambien esta idea de
prevencion ha convertido en mucho mas negocio para los quienes venden
las drogas y las medicinas
---Entonces, tenemos que hacer mas investigacion farmologica y buscar
otras curativas con menos efectos adversos.
---Para las companias y farmacias, ganar dinero es el objecto ~
~por ejemplo, venden una vacuna para el virus del papiloma
humano ~ para prevenir el cancer ~ pero esta vacuna solo protege de 2
formas del cancer (16 y 18)
~tambien hay muchisimas vacunas contra el resfriado comun, que
no son realmente necesarios porque es natural tener un resfriado de
vez en cuando
~tambien, hay mucha medicina para prevenir las problemas del
corazon, hyperestimulacion ovarica, infertilidad, etc.
---A veces, las companias tratan a la mujer mas como objeto en vez de persona
~La idea que "La Belleza y La Salud" van juntos es un negocio
grande que usa la idea de mujer como objecto en vez de ser humano.
Las chicas jovenes especialmente tienen esa riesgo de pensar que es la
verdad. A veces los jovenes aun reciben implementos de seno - y es
otra situacion cuando no dicen todos los riesgos. Los modelos de
modas en las revistas tambien muestran esta idea del cuerpo delgado y
la cara sin expresion y esta causa mucho daNo a chicas jovenes.
---Mujeres son un grupo que tienen riesgo de usar tantas
tranquilizadoras ~ porque las mujeres mayores hacen trabajo maternal y
estan doblejorneadas. 2/3 de las mujeres usan tranquilizadoras y
tienen mayor riesgo de experimentar adversos efectos.
---Las mujeres del nivel economico bajo son las mas medicadas
---Los medicos no estan formado en genero ~ no mas en curar y tratar
la problema. Los doctores a veces creen que son omnipotentes y
tambien los pacientes piensan que los doctores tienen todas las
respuestas. A veces las mujeres piensan que la enfermedad es la falla
de ella individual. Recibe su confirmacion de su desajuste con la
prescripcion.
---Todo de esto es una manera de mantener el dominio
QUE PODEMOS HACER?
--Superar el modelo biomedico de la salud y la enfermedad
--Formacion profesional sanitaria perspectiva de genero
--La educacion, la salud, y la ciudadania van juntos (Cita :
"Viviendo con alegria es la cosmetica mejor para una persona")
--Investigacion sanitaria y farmacologica con la perspectiva de genero
--Asociacion Mujeres para La Salud : www.mujeresparalasalud.org
--Los comentarios de Pilar Sanchez, directora del Espacio Mujeres para Una Vida Digna Libre de Violencia: Que es belleza? Cada aNo que aNadimos
la vida, aNadimos mas conocimiento y mas belleza....La juventud no es
todo, como dice la media...

La Violencia, Un Espectaculo Mediatico
Presentado Por Lucia Lagunes Huerta
(Periodista Feminista y Directora de Comunicacion e Informacion de la Mujere A.C. CIMAC)

---Los constructos de la sociedad obligan a que es ser mujer o hombre
para la pertenecia social
---La enseNanza es ser hombre es ser violente
---son incalculas las mensajes que promuevan la violencia:
comerciales, deportivos, humor - la programma "guerra de los chistes",
juegos de la mesa, advertencias
---la propuesta de juegos es la mas violencia, la mas diversion
---en las comerciales, se discriminan mucho por las chicas y los chicos.
por ejemplo, en las comerciales para los chicos, hay mucho movimiento,
ritmo, colores fuertes, violencia, y va rapido
en las comerciales para las chicas, las colores son pasteles, es
lente, y con la musica tranquila, mas paz
---Las telenovelas tienen mucha violencia: la violacion, el abandono,
la trampa, aun femicidio
---www.observatorioequidadmedio.org

Y Todavia...Las Cantamos
Presentado por Patricia Kelly Ramirez (Lic. Conductora del Programma del Radio "1260 am Mejorando tu Vida Diaria"
*Hay mucha violencia transmitido por los mensajes la musica
tradicional y popular. Tenemos que estar conscientes de que
escuchamos, y en las mensajes que escuchamos! El ejemplo que dio
Patricia Kelly Ramirez es que "no vamos a curar el diabetes de este
pais con cerrar las panaderias ni para de comer pan de muertos...No
vamos a parar de escuchar a las canciones con los mensajes de la
violencia, pero tenemos que estar conscientes. Tenemos la gran opcion
de elegir, y saber de que escuchamos."

DEL MAL TRATO AL BUEN TRATO, una perspectiva de conviviencia y paz:
Presentado por Dra. Josefina Sanz Ramon (Directora Fundacion de Terapia de Reencuentro de Valencia, EspaNa)
---judeocristiana ha hecho un esciscion para separar el espiritu y el cuerpo
~el valor es dolor, y el medio es placer
~en este sistema, jerarquia y roles han usado para mantener el
dominio. Que guiones sustenta el maltrato?
-Los mitos de los sociedades patriarchales estan basadas en el
maltratado y el dominio
-Pensando en las palabras, hay dos palabras oficiales: "Maltrato" y
"Maltratar" pero no tenemos las palabras oficiales, "Buentrato" y
"Buentratar"
-No tenemos un modelo de lo que es buentrato. Hay que crear el modelo
y las palabras.
-Necesitamos usar la creatividad y la invencion para crear este modelo
de buentratar
-Necesitamos educacion para la salud y la paz
---TRES ESPACIOS:
~social, relacional, interno
~la violencia social: la violencia estructural que tiene
la premise de la igualdad. por ejemplo, la jerarquia que dice quien
"vale mas": Los ejemplos: vale mas la persona de norteamerica, el
hombre, el/la blanco...la sistema social transmite el maltrato de
genero por la television, el radio, etc. Este modelo social esta
normalizada y se interioriza entre las mujeres y los hombres
~la violencia relacional: violencias en guerras, entre
hombres, hombre y mujeres
* a menudo, las mujeres regresan a los agresores. Porque quieren
volver? Cuales son las expectativas que tenemos sobre relaciones?
Que tipos de relaciones construimos? Como creen que merecen el amor,
que somos buenas mujeres - internamente?
~En las relaciones de amor, hay amor de passion, y otros tipos de
amor. A veces, a traves de la sociedad o la religion, nos imponemos
acciones que tienen que hacer con un tipo de relacion. Amar a alguien
no obliga a ser pareja o conviviencia. Tenemos que tener una
aperatura en nuestra corazon para pensar de otra perspectiva sobre las
relaciones y las muchas posibilidades de expresar el amor.
~la violencia interno es mas dificil ver - podemos aprender algo de
mirar a la lenguaje del cuerpo
---Factores que causan la violencia:
*La autoestima baja
*Si uno no sabe como manejar las emociones
*La idea de uno tiene que estar con alguien para sentir feliz
*desde el espacio interno, con el autoconocimiento, podemos hacer cambios...
---Podemos cambiar los valores sociales, relaciones, y internos?
Como podemos promover el buentrato?
~Escuchar y manejar las emociones
~Tolerancia (para errores, no para la violencia). Tenemos que
aprender que deber aceptar y que no...
~Cuerpo emocional no esta aislada - forma una parte de nuestros cuerpos
*Podemos aprender como expresar las emociones en una
variedad de maneras. Podemos aprender que las emociones no son buenos
ni malos. Apredemos como enfrentar como sentimos antes de las cosas
de la vida? Las emociones se transforman si permitimos que
transforman. Aprendemos como respirar, como vivir cuidando y
celebrando nuestros cuerpos.
*Problema es que hay Emociones de Genero
~Por ejemplo, para estar aceptadas a la sociedad en general (y tambien
el modelo que hay en la media), los hombres no puedan expresar el
miedo, ni la tristeza. Solo puedan expresar la cholera. Entonces
muchas veces, los hombres expresan la cholera cuando necesitan o
quieren expresar la tristeza o el miedo. Muchas veces expresan estas
emociones a traves de la violencia.
~Las mujeres no puedan expresar la cholera, pero si puedan expresar la
tristeza y el miedo. Esta puede causar la depresion porque no
expresan la cholera.
~Para las mujeres y hombres, hay que aprender de los duelos - las
despedidas. Lo que ha acabado. Debemos enseNar esto en las escuelas!
Porque no sabemos el laboral del duelo. Y podemos sentir destrozada
por un duelo si sabemos como manejar. Pasa los duelos/las despedidas
en todos tiempos de la vida.
~El Duelo - La despedida:
1.) Negacion
2.) Ira
3.)Negociacion
4.) Depresion
5.) Aceptacion
6.) Desamor
7.) Despedida
8.)Muerte
9.) Duelo
10.) Cierre
11.) Apertura
12.) Agradecimiento
~Tenemos que reconocer el poder de
1.) Escuchar/Expresar
2.)Identificar
3.) Canalizar a las emociones
---terapia de reencuentro en los tres espacios: social, relacional, interno
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