See No Stranger Discussion

Everyone is invited to read "See No Stranger" by Valerie Kaur this summer. Together we'll gather for a reflective conversation online on Tuesday evenings at 7pm (running from June 22nd to August 17th).

Discussion Questions...

Love for Others

Chapter 1 – Wonder          6/22/2021

What does the practice of wonder look like in your life? What does the warrior-sage mean to you? Are there any people in your life or leaders past or present that you consider a warrior-sage?

Chapter 2 – Grieve          6/29/2021

What does grieving with bravery look like? How can you be brave with your grief? What could grieving with ​all ​Americans have looked like, after 9/11, including Sikh and Muslim Americans, “the ones who looked like the people we feared” (p. 63)?

Chapter 3 – Fight          7/6/2021

What motivates you to show up and fight for a cause or to protect someone? What are some national moments of grieving that motivated you to fight for others? What did you do to fight alongside them?

Love for Opponents

Chapter 4 – Rage          7/13/2021

Why is rage an important practice in loving opponents? In loving ourselves? How does Valarie define “divine rage” (p. 133)? How do you understand or relate to divine rage? Where are we witnessing or experiencing divine rage in the world right now?

Chapter 5 – Listen          7/20/2021

Valarie writes, “We can have all the empathy in the world for a group of people and still participate in the structures and systems that oppress them” (p. 144). Can you think of examples from your own experience where you've seen this to be true? How could we make sure that our empathy translates into action? What do you find most challenging about the practice of listening to opponents?

Chapter 6 – Reimagine         7/27/2021

What do you think ​reimagining​ the world involves? If you could reimagine the world, built on the core values of justice, equity, and revolutionary love, what would that look like? What would that require of us, today, to build that world?

Love for Ourselves

Chapter 7 – Breathe          8/3/2021

How does Valarie distinguish “love for ourselves” from other definitions of self care? In what ways is loving ourselves a form of labor? How do we transform self-love and self-care into a collective practice of love for ​our​selves? How do you understand ​Chardi Kala? ​Have you ever experienced this, or something like it?

Chapter 8 – Push          8/10/2021

What is the role of accountability in the practice of revolutionary love? What would accountability look like for our nation and its past and present wrongs? To whom do you hold yourself accountable, and how?

Chapter 9 – Transition          8/17/2021

How do you understand what ​transition​ means, metaphorically, for ourselves and our nation? How can understanding this stage of ​transition​ help us to respond to our political challenges in present time? Which of the following is most challenging for you to practice: love for others, love for opponents, or love for ourselves? Why?