Instead, we must take a humble position, acknowledging the legacy of white supremacy, colonization, stolen resources, and the genocide of marginalized people around the world by white European descendants. We must own the harm that has been done and seek to learn from sources with deep connections to the traditions we seek to honor. This means seeking out the healers, curanderas, and elders within our own ancestral communities (both living and dead) rather than appropriating practices that don’t belong to us. Members of other cultures may invite us into some experiences, but the key here is that those invitations are not assumed or demanded. Use the sexual consent rule as your guideline here: If it’s not an enthusiastic yes, it’s a no. Stand back and appreciate the culture as an outsider.
