Ubuntu: (oo-boon-too)

The Essence of Being Human:

My Humanity is Caught Up & is Inextricably Bound Up In Yours

A classical African concept, ubuntu is a humanist philosophy focusing on the interconnectedness of humanity.* Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes ubuntu as:

. . . . [T]he essence of being human. It speaks of the fact that my humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. I am human because I belong. It speaks about wholeness, it speaks about compassion. A person with ubuntu is welcoming, hospitable, warm and generous, willing to share. Such people are open and available to others, willing to be vulnerable, affirming of others, do not feel threatened that others are able and good, for they have a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that they belong in a greater whole. They know that they are diminished when others are humiliated, diminished when others are oppressed, diminished when others are treated as if they were less than who they are. The quality of ubuntu gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite all efforts to dehumanise them.

The act of being vulnerable, of removing boundaries, of stopping yourself from labeling or judging another as “other” is so simple, yet so pervasive. This concept resonates in so many aspects of life: interactions with people and nature; relationships; situations; difficulties and successes. Once you realize your intrinsic connection with humanity, once you see similarities in place of differences, you become more compassionate and understanding, less defensive, and feel less isolated. Life becomes easier, more meaningful, peaceful, and enjoyable.

Make an effort to notice how your actions and reactions significantly affect those around you, and, likewise, how deeply you are affected by the actions and reactions of others. Become the observer of your thoughts and actions and the world around you. It’s the little things that have a lasting impact: smiling at an oncoming shopper in the grocery store; waving at the driver who let you ahead in traffic; making eye contact; saying “thank you” or “have a nice day” and actually meaning it; not hiding behind your cell phone or book or computer when you’re alone in public. Create the beauty you want to see in the world by embodying the concept of ubuntu.

Let go of the isolationist mindset. Forsake your experiences and emotional responses that make you feel separate from the world (feelings of inadequacy, fear, loneliness, and rejection) and feel a deep sense of connection, of responsibility for creating an extraordinary life and a more delightful world. You might be surprised at how much easier it is to give, and how much more there is to receive when you’re not working so hard to defend your identity, your separateness. You are not alone and you never will be. Your problems are my problems, my difficulties are yours. We can exceed what we thought were limitations by reaching out and lifting each other up – allowing each other to see and achieve new and greater possibilities, thereby manifesting a more amazing reality. Ubuntu!

* On a personal note, my mother and her side of the family are from South Africa. My visits have been brief but significant; I feel a strong connection to this marred but magnificent country, and a deep respect and adoration for the enduring spirit of its people.