Actress Lupita Nyong'o holds Sulwe, her bestselling children's picture book
In The Hero
With A Thousand Faces by Joseph
Campbell, the acquisition of the boon, or elixir, culminates an episode of the Hero’s Journey.
Campbell explains on page 211, “The boon that he brings restores the world
(elixir)." An elixir is a “medicine with
the power to cure all ills.” The boon, or knowledge, is
the gift the hero earns for having the courage to undertake and complete the
journey, but it belongs to the world. Like the sun shares its light with
everyone, we are to share our wisdom, or boon, with others. Academy Award
Winning Actress Lupita Nyong’o recently
published a children’s picture book, Sulwe, about lessons she learned about
beauty and self-respect. Lupita’s elixir speaks to the voices of many who felt
unheard until now. Sulwe is a New York Times bestseller. Let’s discuss…..
Childhood Bullying/Adult Bullying
Colorism is favoring lighter skin tones over darker skin tones usually within people of the same ethnic group. Sulwe is teased in school for having a dark skin complexion. The source of this type of bullying is likely a result of a European standard of beauty.
Children are often picked on and/or ostracized for being an "other". If you are different from the majority because of a unique name, religion, or physical challenge, you might be looked down upon or excluded. As children, these scars cause severe emotional
trauma. Families are often helpless and
without tools to solve the problems.
Adults can also be subjected to relational aggression. There is no age limit. Bullying exist on the job, nursing homes and
social communities. As in
childhood, the pain can trigger adult feelings of depression, isolation and low
self-worth. The
pain to the psyche is tremendous.
We Don’t Solve Our Problems, We Out Grow Them
Per Carl Jung, we outgrow our problems. We expand our consciousness
through knowledge and wisdom. Fortunately, our community may offer support groups,
classes and counseling to help us maneuver through the deep valleys we embark
on our journey to wholeness. Not all problems change, so we change the way we
look at them.
Lupita Nyong’o’s Sulwe
In Sulwe, Lupita shares her childhood experiences of not feeling as beautiful as others due to having a dark skin complexion. Eventually, she learned how to feel beautiful in her own skin. The story is beautiful and poignant. While reading
the story, I felt emotional for Sulwe because it resonated with my own
childhood experiences. I highly
recommend the book.
The Halo Effect
Sulwe is not alone. At an early age, females learn to compete with each other
based on physical looks. In schools, females are rewarded for their beauty and
named class or homecoming queens. An obsession with beauty is linked to teen depression
and low self-esteem. The emotional challenges
continue into adulthood.
Unknowingly, we may develop a cognitive bias, the halo effect, which occurs when an initial positive judgment about a person unconsciously
colors the perception of the individual as a whole. We associate one positive
trait, beauty, with a person being overall nice, warm, or fun. Beauty is
associated with being better. The opposite is also true. One perceived negative characteristic about a person assumes other characteristics are negative as well.
Perception is Reality
Lupita Nyong’o was named one of the most beautiful
people in the world by People Magazine. Often, the very
characteristic one is challenged with becomes a boon, or elixir, which can be utilized to make a positive contribution to the world. Belief is the key. For an example, in the cartoon Rudolph the Red-Nosed-Reindeer, Rudolph
was isolated for having a red nose. After leaving his community and going on a journey of self-discovery, Rudolph used his nose to save Christmas. History is full of stories of heroes who transcend obstacles to make positive changes in the world.
The Journey to Wholeness
Jungian psychology, also known as analytical psychology, is
a school of psychology originated by the ideas of Carl Jung. This psychology primarily focuses on the individual
psyche and the personal quest for wholeness. Humans have a strong innate desire to feel ‘whole’ and connected to healthy
relationships. As in the hero’s journey, including Sulwe, true feelings of wholeness and beauty come from within.
What wisdom do you possess which can be used to ease the suffering of someone?
Lupita Nyong'o's Song
Listen to Lupita's song inspired by Sulwe. Notice the song's lyrics about sharing your light for everyone.
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