Juneteenth, as a federal holiday, is about a minority peoples’ freedom from slavery. Juneteenth is a perfect word to describe this holiday of emancipation proclamation enforced by executive decree.
While the details of this story apply to a minority percentage of Americans, it is well the rest of us might reflect upon it- especially as it’s a national holiday.
Although unlike most of US holidays, Juneteenth isn’t a reminder of deaths- but rather promise of a new life.
While Juneteenth might be about freedom from light-toned masters, as a collective, it’s good to reflect upon what freedom means as a blessing.
Perhaps we have freedom to come and go as one wishes, perhaps drive a car, visit a restaurant and be able to sit anywhere. Perhaps it is to associate with whomever one pleases. Or to go to the library and take out any book. Maybe freedom is the ability to choose where to travel or what to study. What does freedom mean for you in particular?
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Starting with “Ju”, the word resonates with the word Jew, so maybe there’s a little Jew-ishness- striving with faith to a higher good than is visible.
Ending with “N” and invisible (non-spoken) vowel “E”, you’ve got Nun’s entity. The letter Nun refers to manifest being-while typically associated with death, it is also means it is living. Silent “E” implies the striving will change over time. (E as the fifth letter in English alphabet is assigned 5 in numerology and refers to tests to 4s foundations which will cause an entity’s “mission”- reason for being, to shift and change).
So, as a word, “June” could mean change or transformation over time. Sounds about right for June the month- in context of summer months following.
The next sound is “teen”, and wow, they’re a handful! Parenting teens, as not yet formed beings, is like ‘trying to nail “Jello” to a wall’. At least it was challenging for me- when you’re trying to raise one to a perfectionist society’s standards. But then I didn’t know I was supposed to guide, not boss.
While teens are trying to find how they align, and practice pulling pull back their arrows, as parent I might steady their bow and quiver. (It might be wise not to change the targets at the last minute though – or I might get hit with their arrows. And for many of us, who try to impose our dreams and ideals on our kids too much – this is exactly what happens).
Don’t second guess their teachers either (otherwise you’re implying you know more – so why send them to school at all -will be what your child will then wonder subconsciously?!)
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Together you got “teenth”, so there’s the sound of grabbing entity Nun נ in one’s teeth .
There’s also the sound of “nth” – so a sense of ultimate = perseverance.
Until now, Juneteenth kind of raised my hackles up -I think for me, it was the word- since it was subconsciously so loaded. I didn’t know much about the actual story part.
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When you say “teenth” your mouth is between grimace and smile. So may as well smile- you’re almost there anyway! And with that, you’ll your parasympathetics engage.
(Well actually, with true smiles, sympathetics- our fright or flight response to something outside of oneself, lessen, so you feel more relaxed. Our parasympathetic system is “on” all the time -but by our lifestyles, usually overridden by dopamine, adrenaline, and stress hormones- which is why meditation can be so very helpful as well as belly laughter!)
With “teenth”, there’s a long sense of ten – so it’s also got Kabbalah with it’s ten Sephiroths. (I can ‘see’ my inner councils nodding their approval about this analogy even if my de-facto Jewish elders aren’t.)
So Juneteenth might feel like striving to manifest one’s inchoate s’elf or se’lf (self leaf) with perseverance. Sounds about right for the onset of summer. Summer we try to get outside and make memories we can cherish over winter.
Of course to thrive amongst seeming Kaos (chaos), which the world MUST BE, according to the news anyway, you must use your we-a-pon of genius.
So Juneteenth might be a good time to polish your we-a-pon, or turn your we- app-on, before the heat really turns up. Our we-a-pon is Zayin. Read more about Zayin here: (I’m working on a redo.)
Once you open your mouth and speak, or use hands and body, or otherwise express yourself, you’re using your Zayin as it has been honed.
We use words to clarify stuck confusion, so speak if there are misunderstandings; you’ll feel so much better! Speak to each other often- and words won’t be so loaded.
But you don’t need to say a thing more than once- especially if your collective is personal and l’oving. (The word per-son-al =through (per), one’s sun and heart space (son)- in support of your path of flow and thriving while incarnate.
To support another’s path of mission, not necessarily the same as your own, is a quality of l’ove – to be part of another’s Orphic egg).
While we may enjoy that freedom feeling of release or glee after the we-a-pon hits its mark and the opponent falls, for us resonant water beings with eardrums connected directly to heart, the results are mutual. So be kind or be quiet; keep your thoughts charitable.
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As for the holiday itself, I might celebrate by having a party (someday, probably not this year, as I’m still living al(l)-one.)
As we release what no longer serves, why not serve drinks with bubbles! Release doves and (biodegradable) balloons! Rent or buy a bubble maker. Have a picnic with family and friends. Eat outside in open air -unfettered by your cell phone. Go ahead have your belly laughs. Let that sh*t go!
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On Juneteenth, archery tournaments would be awesome. As well Badminton, Croquet, or similar aiming games with minimal gentle percussion. Perhaps make a toss, play Bocce. “Old folks” can also do these; so as games they’re sustainable.
These sustainable games are fun and won’t unnecessarily tax your body. You won’t get a TBI or CTE or other percussive injuries with neurofibrillary tangles and muscular microtearing. The next day you might even feel good (what an idea!).
Enjoy having your we-ap(p)-on! Interface with others (she says sitting in her hermit’s hut…) Honor yourself for attaining freedoms you have.
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One’s sense of freedom is an inside job.
I see ostensibly“free” people all the time doing stuff- but they often don’t seem happy. Many adults have perpetual frownie faces – check next time you’re driving or at the grocery store. Maybe they’re not much in community or don’t have regular sensations of will being used for creativity (along with oxytocin). G-d only knows. As U.S. citizens, we have ~everything else – if we were to compare ourselves to most of earth’s denizens.
If feeling challenged, look back in your retro-spectroscope from where you and your lineage came. Mine came from (mostly) the British Isles and Western Europe. Why they emigrated, I have no idea. Since I have ~ five continents represented by my mitochondrial and DNA profile, maybe they wanted freedom to choose a spouse. Perhaps it was the promise of money – or maybe, like some, they wanted to worship G-d in their own way.
Either way, the most adventurous of them came – despite significant peril. I wonder if that’s true for most lineages that ended up here in the US- compared who stayed in the Old World. Are they the brightest, toughest, and most discontent?
Now it is time to learn to not just “tolerate”, but embrace and thrive with each other! Ignore what you don’t like. Bang a drum or rattle when others say smack (in your mind’s eye anyway).
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On Juneteenth, we could observe a moment of gratitude for ancestors who hoped and sacrificed to bring us to today’s reality. Perhaps it would be nice to light a candle for them. I did.
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While I’m not a big fan of coveting another’s situation or station, compare your choices and possibilities to those still living in less developed “third worlds”. They know nothing about the freedoms available to them- as they are still actively suppressed from patriarchal f’ears which are voicedand supported by the mothers.
As many women are still suppressed, and un-educed, they are unable to tap into their deeper jewels of self. Their economies are brittle and less resilient.
So you see, it’s good to say Hurray for Juneteenth, there’s much to celebrate here in the good ol’ U.S. of A! (She succeeds despite her populace being groomed so divisively.)
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Believe it – as we thrive, and free our collectives, our growth and healing shifts timelines for everyone past, present and future- for perpetuity. Some say spiritual healing affects backwards and forwards SEVEN generations- so each way, ~200 years. That’s a lot of spirits being impacted!
Our spirit lives on through the others we touch – even if we don’t have kids, we do have descendants.
Most of all, may we have freedom to be our sweet selves -which is the greatest gift of all.
I’m adding Juneteenth to my list of special days to observe every year. This year I’ll probably light candles and eat outside- or maybe go to a restaurant – because I can.
Either way, the ‘party economy’ gets a nice bump- even if employers don’t feel it.
Blessings,
And Happy Juneteenth!
ps. If you’re “struggling” for freedom, you’re still at war. That is not healthy and actually shuts the body down as it tries to maintain a focus on an ideal and not reality. This then decreases resilience.
Are you still in chains? Being saddled with debt, ill health, and grief about things over which you have no control (at all) adds to our burdens. I hope we can celebrate Juneteenth as emancipation for all of us – otherwise this is another ‘death-eater’ holiday where we focus on past wounds and sadness. Then it isn’t a holiday that expands the economy – but, as we numb to feel better from past egregious behaviors, slows down work performances before during and afterwards.
A ‘positive’ holiday encourages us to participate with special clothes, dinners, decorations. Here’s an updated essay on Juneteenth. The original one started out about Zayin, the 7th Hebrew letter which is our creative weapon (can also be a “we- app on”) as creative collaborations support mutual growth and uplifting. Then I split them because it was too long.
As a former employee of the US military and physician I hope we’re supporting what we want more of – in honor of the law of attraction. https://drjenwyman-clemons.com/2024/06/19/juneteenth/
Mashallah Habibi!
