Asian Pacific American Heritage Month | Epigenetics: How Intergenerational Trauma Can Impact Our Wellbeing

WELLNESS

May 22

This month of May is a very special month because right now, Asian and Pacific Americans are coming together to celebrate and embrace their shared experiences. It was in 1978 that President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution, originally brought forth by Representative Frank Horton and Senator Daniel Inouye, to proclaim Asian Pacific American Heritage Week as a national law. Eventually, the month of May was chosen to commemorate the history and accomplishments of Asians in the United States. From the first Japanese to immigrate to America to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad by the Chinese in May of 1869, we have made our mark on the U.S. and the world.

Over a century later, we are now in the global unfolding of Covid-19 that took place this year. Sadly, we witnessed the targeting of many Asian Americans as videos and stories about these atrocities flooded our screens and newsfeeds. It seems so out of spirit, so far from the American Dream envisioned by our ancestors and relatives who truly pioneered the paths we so easily walk today. As a half Asian American, I acknowledge and spiritually protest the corrosive acts that have taken place in the present day and also in America’s historical past. Today, I write with mixed emotions. But I intend to keep this as positive as I can amidst this fall out. As always, I want to help my readers and yogis work through these grievances on the mat and within our self care practices. To me, this recent trauma has been felt in a systemic way. I myself, have seen and witnessed many patterns of intergenerational trauma.

Whether you possess Asian ancestry or not, I write this special post to share my thoughts and suggestions on how we can celebrate and shed light on #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth as well as ways we can reduce the painful effects of ancestral trauma. As humans, we have the ability to embody and embrace the experiences of others. We often forget that our ancestral legacies are still with us, if we just tune into them, we can learn a lot. If we listen closely, we can tap into their wisdom and their energies as guiding lights in the present day. Ancestral trauma is oftentimes overlooked and forgotten. Therefore, it is our responsibility to engage in the shadow work and the spiritual channels to help heal our epigenetic past.

For a woman like me, I grew up, as you all know, in a multiethnic home. When I think about the culture and the people of the Philippines, many ideas and images come to mind. I embody my culture in many ways as well. When I look at a wok, it brings me comfort. When I slice a mango, it brings me joy. There is nothing better than the flesh of a juicy yellow mango. Matter of fact, there is nothing better than Philippine brand dried mango. The fibers of its tart chewiness is something I’ll never. The color of banana leaves also make me happy. Halo halo, bilo bilo, these beautiful desserts filled with ube flavors bring me to a place that’s special and unique. When I was 10, I visited the Philippines. Seeing other children my age living in certain conditions was like seeing a part of myself, in a part of the world, that I partly belonged to. My dad and mom would remind us how fortunate we were. I remember sleeping in the humid night time with hundreds of geckos on the ceiling and somehow not being afraid. In America I would be so frightened. In the Philippines, it was just part of life. Traffic is the same way: you just deal with it and keep it moving. Culturally, I understand and appreciate this half of who I am. I ride for it. Resilience is in my genes. what I feel when I eat certain foods, sit in certain ways, my mannerisms when I am in community: these traits I embody belong to more than just myself. so when we think of our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and dreams, our pride and representation, we are really connecting with what was passed on to us. We are always in communication with our ancestry biologically and somatically.

the word ancestry for instance, reminds me of my historical past and how it has shaped who I am today. Mark Wolynn, Director of the Family Constellation Institute, once wrote a book called, “It Didn’t Start With You” and he’s right. Our present day struggles are very much reminiscent and oftentimes mirror ancestral struggles of the past. In fact, the effects of pain and trauma can be passed down through what is known as Epigenetics which is essentially the study of how our gene expression is modified based on our environment and choices. As our genetic code remains unchanged, our DNA is read and expressed according to lifestyle - this is what we eat, how much activity we engage in, how we manage stress, and the quality of our relationships and support system.

A little science behind this begins with our 23 chromosomes inherited from mom and dad. Our genes are essentially strips of atoms inside twisted molecules of DNA which are embedded in a chromosome: It is the plan to how we create every cell. The important thing to note here is that even though our genes don’t change, the genome is responsive to the environment and our stress levels because our bodies have the ability to turn genes on and off through exterior proteins. Our cells are agnostic, they listen to everything going on around us: our mental state, social connections, how we are treated, etc. “The body keeps the score.” Both high adversity and traumatic experiences can negatively transform our stress response system. This system communicates from generation to generation. What your parents and grandparents experienced could impact your risk for disease and other mental health problems. For example, stress from racism could increase an offspring’s predisposition to health issues such as asthma, anxiety and depression.

Wars, famines, genocides, violence, discriminatory policies, hate crimes, segregation, pay inequality, denied access to educational opportunities and resources, travel bans, gentrification, low quality nutrition, little access to credit, loans or financial education, sexism, etc. - these are just some of the tactics and practices that have historically created and caused stress in the daily lives of our ancestors. In other words, these traumas could trigger epigenetic alterations in our biological, physiological and mental functions.

If you belong to a culture that has endured high levels of adversity, then it may be beneficial to learn about your familial history as a way to resolve internal conditions with a focus on mind-body healing. Sometimes these conditions may be seen as unexplained depression, feelings of low self worth, possible substance abuse issues, an inability to form strong connections with others, etc. Like traditions, behaviors and belief systems can also be passed down. They may harm our health, outlook and willingness to move past old patterns.

Now more than ever, I encourage you to ask your parents or relatives about their experiences. Be open to their answers and try to limit your judgements as we are all on our own spiritual journeys. Their normal is not our normal and that’s okay. Start with questions like:

When did you immigrate to the United States? or Where were you born?
How old were you when you moved here? What was the reason you and your family moved?
Did you witness any war, famine, crisis, or violence? Was your government helpful to you? How did you survive or cope during that time?
Did you think, write, and communicate in English or another language? Were you encouraged to learn English? How did that make you feel?
Did you ever experience any bullying, discrimination, neglect? Were you ever ostracized in your community?
Were you allowed to date outside of your ethnic group? Why do you think that is? Do you agree with that tradition? Why or why not?
What kind of meals did you eat in your home country vs. the United States?
Do you enjoy going back home? Would you ever want to move back to the motherland?
Did you have any dreams or aspire to pursue any career in particular?
What are your hopes and dreams for me?

After going through some of these questions, journal your thoughts and feelings about what you have learned. If you have the capacity to go deeper into your practice, you can engage in healing mediation.

TRY THIS GUIDED MEDITATION

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A post shared by 🍜 J A S M I N E ⚔🐉 (@swirlybae) on May 10, 2020 at 7:45am PDT

1. Think of a relative who has endured trauma or cultural challenges. You don’t need to have any proof of it, but just a desire to help heal. This person can be living or among the heavens. If there is an item or object that reminds you of this person, please feel free to have it close by.
2. Sit on a pillow on the floor, palms up on your knees, shoulders relaxed.
3. Take in a deep breath, feeling the Earth’s gravitational pull. Continue to inhale for a count of six and exhale slowly for a count of six.
4. Think of your your chosen relative or family member. Feel the energy or essence of their spirit and life journey for several seconds.
5. Now take a moment to create a safe, loving, non-judgemental space in your mind. This should be a peaceful, calm and spiritual place. Maybe it’s a beautiful stream or in a garden or by the ocean, it’s where you feel safest. This is called our “resource”.
6. imagine your relative stepping into this resource space as you welcome them with open arms.
7. Now sit with them in your mind and meditate for a moment. Come back to your breath. Send them whatever energetic vibration you feel they need most: love, care, generosity, compassion, forgiveness, etc.
8. After another minute, gently come back to the room. Bring your hands to heart, sending a final vibration of love and gratitude."

After going through some of these questions, journal your thoughts and feelings about what you have learned. If you have the capacity to go deeper into your practice, you can engage in healing mediation. I’ve laid out a guided meditation for you to try:

This meditation is just one of the many ways in which we can begin to heal the ancestral traumas we are still connected to. As you go out into the world, try to see it through a lens of understanding. As we celebrate #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth, my wish is that you will continue to respect and pay homage and explore your roots. We are all interconnected in this together. Engage in dialogue with friends and family, tune into the resources around you and educate when you have the energy to do so.

I leave you with a list of some of my favorite projects celebrating asian pacific americans along with resources and tools to help you begin your research! PBS has put out a wonderful documentary on the history of Asians in the U.S. and I love CUNY TV’s special called Asian American Life! Also check out my interview below with my mom for Mother’s Day and #APAHM!