Friday Philosophies: Cultural Relavatism and Spirituality with Lenéa Sims

In this episode, Michelle and Lenéa discuss cultural relativism and its implications for understanding spirituality, mental health, and different ways of knowing. They explore how cultural lenses shape our perspectives and how colonialism has imposed Western views onto other cultures.

Lenéa shares insights from her studies in indigenous and decolonial psychologies. Tune in to learn how embracing a more spiritual perspective and cultural humility can help us better understand both others and ourselves.

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Key Takeaways

  • Our clothing choices can shape how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us, affecting our confidence and interactions.

  • Cultural relativism asserts that cultures are best comprehended when examined within their own unique contexts, rather than being assessed through the lens of external cultural norms.

  • Spirituality and evidence-based approaches can each offer valid ways of comprehending experiences, depending on the cultural context.

  • Holding space for multiple perspectives and uncertainties is vital for understanding various worldviews.

  • Labels and diagnoses can sometimes be less useful for understanding ourselves than noticing our natural ebbs and flows.

  • Finding the balance between obligations and allowing oneself to move at a natural pace is challenging but important.

“For anyone wondering, “What is cultural relativism?” Basically, this view suggests that a culture can only be truly understood and judged by the behaviors, norms, and values within the context of that culture. We can’t judge, for example, indigenous psychology through a Western lens. Similarly, we can’t judge what’s appropriate in Canadian culture by the way people in Taiwan exist. They’re different, and one isn’t inherently good or bad, better or worse. There are plenty of cultural experiences that might be considered inappropriate, dangerous, or even abusive by your standards and practices, but in another culture, that’s just how things are done.”
— MIchelle Pellizzon-Lipsitz
“That brings me such relief in so many ways when I think about a patch of flowers and how they’re all different. None of them are good or bad. None of them are worse or better. They’re just all different. I know it’s a super basic analogy, but it’s really true. At the end of the day, your brain is your brain, and it works how it works. Getting to know it, understanding what supports you and what doesn’t, and being able to do that in a joyful, peaceful way will always feel more joyful and peaceful than sitting there and trying to figure it out.”
— Lenéa Sims

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    • Decolonization, empathy, and perspective-taking

    • Lenéa’s biggest learning from her master's program "Decolonizing My Own Mind and Heart and Understanding the Interconnectedness of All Things"

    • Recognizing the gap between personal worlds and how it can help build empathy and understanding for others

    • Practicing reflexivity to hold multiple perspectives and see potential for different viewpoints

    • How is it important to have compassion for oneself

    • Lenéa and Michelle’s experiences seeing ghosts

    • Lenéa’s spiritual beliefs and experiences

    • Cultural relativism in psychology and spirituality

    • Understanding a culture's norms and values within its context, rather than judging it through a Western lens

    • The need for a "thirdness consciousness" that acknowledges the distance between cultures and recognizes their unique perspectives

    • Categorization, understanding, and expectations in relationships

    • How humans categorize and label people to feel safe, yet may lead to a lack of nuance in understanding

    • The limitations of cultural norms and expectations, and the potential for surprise and growth when these expectations are challenged

    • Michelle and Lenéa’s experiences with sleep paralysis, including hallucinations and the cultural beliefs surrounding it

    • The limitations of science in understanding the unexplained

    • Embracing indigenous psychology and spirituality in modern society, despite the prevalence of scientific understanding

    • The need to move away from evidence-based understanding and embrace a more spiritual perspective on life

    • Spirituality, Western perspectives, and decolonization

    • How the course "Creators Cashing In" may help nonlinear thinkers organize, get clear, and monetize content

    • Decolonizing education and developing individual ethics for navigating conflicting beliefs and values

    • The future of cultural relativism in learning and knowledge transfer, and the importance of generational shifts and translating ideas for the general public

    • Why is it good to question the usefulness of diagnostic labels, rather than simply accepting them?

    • Embracing ones natural ebbs and flows and finding ones own pace, rather than trying to fit into preconceived notions of mental health

    • Finding balance between inner peace and external pressures

    • Maintaining a connection to oneself and the world, and the importance of slowing down and allowing oneself to be human

    • Practicing being low energy and introspective while still completing tasks, trusting that it's enough to be human

    • Podcasting, personal growth, and creativity

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