6.22.20 Response Letter from David Elliott
June 22nd, 2020
Dear Group,
Thank you for taking the time and energy to put your concerns into words and on paper. I understand how important this is and I have taken your letter very seriously.
First and foremost, I hear you. I have sat with this and put deep thought and consideration into my reply. Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp, my longtime apprentice and Breathwork teacher, can speak about our most recent conversations; I am committed to BIPOC and supporting them to become teachers of this work so that they can bring it to communities often left out of white-dominated healing spaces.
1. I believe this is an incredibly important moment in time for all of us, especially BIPOC, and I am committed to taking responsibility for the lack of inclusivity and safety in the community I have built.
2. I created CHAC and it became a legal 501C(3) in 2010. Woven within CHAC’s structure, as well as my work supporting it, is a deep exchange with Mother Earth and all that she provides us. This includes sustainably sourcing sage and ocean stones and selling them to community members, with all profits deposited directly to the non-profit. This supports CHAC’s focus on educating community members on how to exchange with and care for Mother Earth with intention. I am a pipe-carrying elder with the Apache Moonwalker clan of Moriarty, NM. The Moonwalkers are descendants of the Apache chief Cochise and I have been studying and working with Miss Tu Moonwalker (deceased) and Miss La’ne Sa’an Moonwalker for 20 years. I grow many acres of sage in Tres Piedras, NM, and give sage and native tobacco to indigenous people throughout this country and beyond our borders. While I do not share this information publicly, as it is sacred to me, I understand that the lack of open and public communication about my lineage has created issues and contributed to your concerns.
I am committed to teaching students to lean into their own ancestry to identify and build alliances within it. I also am willing to clarify that these breathing practices are pranayama and have origins in India and will do better at honoring that lineage as well. I plan to incorporate these elements into the Healer Training curriculum, as well as my various retreats, in order to establish them as essential parts of the training and healing process.
3. The CHAC nonprofit has been rooting itself for some time and, going forward, will be used to bridge and support some of the projects mentioned in the letter – starting with creating a financial aid resource to provide BIPOC with full scholarships to attend Healer Trainings. As I discussed with Nathaniel recently, there must be a committee of select community members overseeing the scholarship process and plans are coming together to establish this so that I am not the sole decision maker of this process.
4. I understand and agree that there needs to be BIPOC leadership in this community and I am committed to training BIPOC teachers. In the past, becoming a Breathwork teacher did not come from a personal invitation; it stemmed from persistent and consistent requests and voluntarily dedicating time to study and assist with this work. I understand that this has inadvertently established an accessibility barrier and will require an adjustment. I have received requests to become teachers from several community members and I will be happy to have them join the team and start working with their communities when they are ready. Additionally, there is a Native teacher, Beth Hardin who has taught for me in the past, and I have invited her to return as a teacher.
5. In addition to what was previously outlined, I am working with Miss La’ne Sa’an Moonwalker and receiving her guidance as an Indigenous teacher. I also will lean into some of the suggested material you provided. Thank you for taking the time to research and compile those resources for me.
6. My Breathwork teachers and I will be convening to address the issues raised in your letter and will be taking the actions you outlined to learn more about the problems at hand and our contributions to and participation in them. Additionally, I am communicating with a BIPOC therapist/college professor and we are discussing this week about how she can become an active part of the community.
7. I am committed to becoming more trauma informed and will require the same of my Breathwork teachers, and Danielle Hering has extensive trauma education and experience and we will follow her lead to update the Healer Training curriculum with trauma awareness and cultural competency guidelines.
8. I hear, understand and appreciate your concern about Erin as a teacher, and we’re in conversation about it. I don’t spend much time on social media, and I have always received very positive responses about Erin and the work that she does, so I will need to more closely consider the information outlined in your letter. I know how much Erin cares and I am committed to us creating stronger and more helpful communities, and this will begin by becoming better informed.
10. Breathwork for Recovery, an organization built and run by Nathaniel, developed and utilizes a stringent Code of Ethics in line with the American Psychological Association for Practitioners. I am reviewing them and may adopt them or something similar for use within the Breathwork community.
Lastly, I want to reiterate that I hear your requests and am taking them seriously. Actions are being taken, and we will work diligently to make these healing spaces more inclusive of BIPOC and LGBTQ communities. As you said, “change might not be a quick fix, but we are committed to the ongoing repair and I am committed to developing a more collective and accessible community in which Breathwork healing can be accessed and benefitted from by all.”
With love and gratitude,
David