Blog
Grace on the subject of Freedom
The Truth About Racism
Written by Liberté Grace
The truth about racism reflects the same truth at the heart of war. It is an external conflict manifested as the result of an internal reality—a dualistic consciousness contributing to unending conflict within mass consciousness.
Each human being is an instrument of consciousness. Imagine a grand puzzle representing all of humanity. You, as an individual, represent a 'piece' within that puzzle. All of the beliefs, attitudes, and experiences that you choose to embody; contribute to the greater 'picture' of the matrix that is collective consciousness.
Now, imagine further, if you will, that this is not a static puzzle. It is, in fact, a multidimensional masterpiece, which transforms constantly—in tune with the consciousness of each individual puzzle piece—in every moment. It transforms like an iridescent kaleidoscope of infinite realities, interconnecting to create a bigger picture, while also containing an infinite number of individual constructs of reality; each unique and sovereign within their own right.
Similar to the concept of the butterfly effect, every single choice you make as an individual, has an impact on all of humanity. Each choice vibrates like a note—each action sings like a piece of music—contributing to the entire composition.
ASCENSIO , Liberté Grace, 2020, Video Installation Still HD 16:9 4k
Now, let's travel deeper into this magical hologram representing our collective consciousness... As you dive deeper into the details of your own puzzle piece; notice the layers, which make up your own consciousness. Feel into the attitudes and beliefs that you have about yourself and others, the memories that you carry, and the life you have as it is now. As you do this—sifting carefully through all the layers of you—you may begin to realise that you are not merely a single puzzle piece...
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You are also your own master puzzle and each and every detail about you represents a puzzle piece within you.
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As you travel further into the details within each aspect of your consciousness; there are worlds within worlds and master puzzles within each piece. If you were to investigate and explore these multi-coloured dimensions of yourself, you may also realise that every single experience and attribute which contributes to your consciousness, is a reflection of what you are broadcasting outwards towards humanity. It is your unique contribution, as a master of your own song, within the bigger picture that is our collective human symphony.
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Each and every part of your consciousness is a stroke within your own masterwork, which you can create and change—at any moment. And thus, contrary to the idea that we do not have the ability as individuals to affect global change by ourselves, the truth is: each individual has immense potential to change the world when they take sovereign ownership of their consciousness and conscious accountability for their own internal realities.
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Science demonstrates that even the most seemingly insignificant movement of a single cell within an organism can affect all of the cells surrounding it; through what can be described as a sort of bio-resonance or a 'tuning-fork effect'. Put simply, each choice you make is like a vibration, which can be felt by all. And yet, within that soup of consciousness, only that which one's own consciousness resonates with, will ever truly be heard.
silence , Liberté Grace, 2003, Installation, Variable dimensions
In other words, there are realities being lived, throughout all of humanity, which you will never consciously experience because they are not in resonance with your part of the collective puzzle. However, they have an effect on your experience when you are connected to mass consciousness.
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The question I asked myself while exploring my own consciousness is:
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How many of the choices we are currently making are truly our own?
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In other words—How many of our choices are a reaction to the values we have adopted unconsciously and how many of our choices are an actual reflection of our individual and conscious free choice? I surmise that for more than 99% of humans, the majority of their choices are 100% unconscious, reactionary, and based on a limited perspective of their own true potential.
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Without a basic awareness of one's own ability to choose and have an effect within all situations and the acknowledgment of the difference between a feeling and an emotion; one cannot express who they really are or experience anything close to freedom. For, true freedom is self-awareness.
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A feeling is sensory and can stand alone without any preconceived bias.
Whereas, an emotion relies upon one's preconceived belief systems. For example, multiple human beings can respond with vastly different emotional reactions to identical circumstances, depending upon their preconceived, often inherited beliefs.
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In contrast, a feeling is sensory data that can exist independently from past experiences and programming. Infants, for example, respond primarily to feelings and therefore do not exhibit biases such as racism or sexism, until they assume those emotion-based constructs by osmosis, from their environment.
When one knows oneself with clarity, only then, are they free to truly make conscious choices, beyond their programmed biases.
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However, to have self-awareness, one must first make the conscious choice to wake up from the hypnotic beliefs within mass consciousness and to learn to distinguish the difference between one's true self and one's own programming.
So, what does all of this have to do with racism? Racism is the result of a lack of self-awareness. It is based on the fantasy that what you see when you meet yourself in the mirror or another human being in the flesh, is defined by physical attributes related to what one might refer to as 'race'.
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From my own personal experience, I can share that I too had a long period when I adopted this concept of 'race' and the idea of being 'Asian' (being defined by my ancestry) until I chose to assume responsibility for my own consciousness.
There is nothing wrong with being 'Asian' or 'Black' or 'White' or anything else—if that is the cultural experience you desire. Actually...that is my entire point.
They are simply perspectives; intellectual constructs, which have been cemented and created within the human collective over time. They need not limit you.
For myself, my consciousness naturally expanded, at one point. I suddenly became aware that the pieces of my 'puzzle' were completely unlocked. There was no identity that I had to be. I was unlocked. I could walk in and out of the experience of being 'Asian', 'female', or none of the above, whenever I chose. I was free. My true essence carries no categorisations, nor judgments.
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My soul has no 'race', no 'sex', and no 'IQ'. The pieces of my puzzle light up not because of the culture or race I was born into, but based upon the consciousness I choose to embody from moment to moment.
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And then, I laughed! All the angst I had about racism suddenly separated from who I am. I became aware of my essence as separate from all mass consciousness definitions. From that place of clarity, I saw how I, by simply making the audacious choice to release myself from all definitions—was free.
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I was free from the matrix of racism, sexism, and all other dualistic and identity-based constructs. I was free from the angst, the anger, and the insecurities which came with playing within those games of human limitation.
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From the outside of these constructs, I became aware that the games of racism and sexism were a tug-of-war without end; a fantasy based on ideas that have been passed on for centuries, without ever being questioned or examined for their purpose. I realised for myself—that they held no purpose for me. So, I let go of my end of the rope and simply...walked away.
The Perfect Boy Myth , Liberté Grace, 2013, Video Installation Still, DCPRO50,16:9
Suddenly, I had a bird's-eye view of my playing field. I saw that there were no 'sides'. I was within each part of every experience I encountered as the conscious or unconscious creator of my own reality.
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I could play or exit any game—at any time. 'Race' became a costume I could wear or release. No longer did I assume that I was defined by my biological ancestry, gender, or physical appearance. No longer did I assume that those I met were either...unless they chose to be. I realised that I could choose my own adventure.
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Ethnicity is simply a temporary costume for the soul.
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That is how I found my freedom outside of the illusion and limitation of the singular conclusion.
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By this time, you may have noticed—if you have felt the consciousness of what is being communicated here beyond the words, that everything I am writing on this topic has already been communicated. It is innate. You did not need to read this far down.
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This information is not new. My awareness of it is not an indication of any kind of special genius that I have, the result of years of research, or some hippy spiritual diatribe. Quite the opposite. It is simply the embodiment of my own clarity, which you have at your own disposal, whenever you choose to acknowledge it.
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The 'system' of you is understood by you because it is the very essence of who you are. So, for the next few paragraphs, as you read, let me simply be a mirror for your own potential for self-awareness and an invitation to discover that you already have all the answers, which you pretend to seek, at your disposal.
Racism, sexism, and all forms of bigotry in which there is one imaginary opponent against another—are merely mirrors for the consciousness of duality and conflict—the same consciousness at the foundation of war.
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Why do they still exist? Put simply—humans, in general—love to fight. It gives them a sense of identity and purpose; to have something to push against.
From a visual standpoint, all types of duality can be visualised as black and white: two elements that appear to oppose each other. Duality is represented by concepts such as 'right and wrong', 'good and bad', and 'innocence and evil'. In order for either to exist, the other must exist—like the Yin and the Yang.
The Perfect Boy Myth , Liberté Grace, 2013, Video Installation, 35mm Production stills
Using a simple example, I learned as an artist: to draw the highlight on a cheek you must first draw the shadow beneath it or the highlight cannot be seen. What this demonstrated to me was, there is an inter-relationship between dark and light—not an opposition. Dark and light, black and white, actually support each other, much like the earth and the sky.
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With that simple awareness, I realised, the only way to move beyond duality is to step out of it altogether. In doing so, I was free, and another piece of the greater puzzle (the one that I represent), was no longer contributing to the energy or reality of the dualistic game at the heart of all conflicts.
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In other words, I became neutral in my perspective and ceased to contribute to the consciousness that is symbolised within my first film The Perfect Boy Myth, as the swinging light of duality. I released my bias towards or against the light or the dark. In doing so, I released the biases at the heart of racism and sexism. When there are no sides, no oppositions; that is where peace and neutrality can emerge.
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In answer to my question: "Why does racism still exist?" which I asked myself when I was 24-years-old and created the script for The Perfect Boy Myth, I came to realise during my creative process, that racism continues to exist because the end of racism requires an end to duality and power games, which is achieved through the one thing most humans are not ready to do: Forgive.
WILD ONE, Liberté Grace, 2019, Research and Development, Digital photograph