Matricentric Liberation: A Cybernetic Approach

As I embark on dissolving boundaries between traditionally separated disciplines, I do so with humility, understanding the complexity of my task. My goal is to construct a cybernetic approach to Matricentric Liberation Philosophy, an interdisciplinary, communal, and interpersonal endeavor. 

This philosophy seeks to integrate Cultural Complexes, Transformative Learning Theory, and the Neurobiology of Emotion to develop liberating psychologies that benefit both the oppressed and the oppressors in post-normal times, neither thriving without a sense of matricentric kinship and belonging.

The Joy of Inquiry

Addressing trauma and oppression can be heavy, but the process itself need not be devoid of joy. A commitment to the joy of inquiry, as suggested by Montuori (2008), is essential to avoid the pitfalls of reproductive learning (Montuori & Donnelly, 2013) or trading means for a supposedly liberated end. Academia, if not careful, can become a quicksand of colonization, creating stress and overwhelm that stifle novel approaches to self-determination.

“If people are laughing, they are learning. True learning is a joy because it is an act of creation. But there are two kinds of joy. One is characterized by lightheartedness, and the other is marked by fierce engagement and deep concentration. Both give pleasure by increasing connectedness and complexity in the neural networks of the learners.” (Yunkaporta, 2020, p.99)

How one approaches anything can set a pattern for how they approach everything.

Transformative Learning and Unfinished Feminism

Transformative Learning is understood to be an arch of learning which involves remaining with discomfort, until it is integrated into the ability to hold more multiple frames of reference simultaneously. In other words, Transformative learning is concerned with deep systems change, within adult learners and their communities. Such learning stems from adult development research, and the observation that as people build complexity and are able to reach a level of “self-transforming mind” (Kegan & Lahey, 2009) they can consciously hold their own biases, and world-views in inquiry as they observe and hold differences.Such individuals effectively lead, as interdependent beings capable of integrating multiple realities into spiritual and practical wisdom.  

English and Peters (2012) highlight the scarcity of feminist applications in Transformative Learning Theory (TL). Despite 80% of women becoming mothers (O'Reilly, 2019), there is a notable lack of focus on mothers within TL. O'Reilly posits that "Motherhood...is the unfinished business of feminism" (p.14), and Yunkaporta emphasizes that the mother-child relationship is pivotal for any stable society - yet both asset holding and academic scholarship are rare for mothers. 

Barriers to Participation

Mezirow's assertion that “destitute, and intimidated people obviously cannot participate fully and freely in discourse” (2003, p.60) is concerning, especially since marginalized persons, women and mothers in a wage-patriarchy face these very conditions daily. This perspective can inadvertently suggest that those with higher privilege are more capable of transformative processes, which is non-conducive to the future of TL. English and Irving (2012) note that tragedy and violence can catalyze adult transformative learning, often rooted in disorienting dilemmas. As it turns out the barriers to participation in adult TL, had been constructed from the very power-over dynamics we seek to liberate from — and motherers in their unique dilemma of being used for reproductive labor in a wage patriarchy have very complex traumas which when leveraged through safety and protection actually lead to unparalleled wisdom building for us all. Centering mothers via care ethics, transformative learning, and voice in academia will ensure a new vision of ‘the way the world works’ which has never been centered before.

Expanding Epistemological Frameworks

Bridwell's study, "I am not Alone: Expanding the Epistemological Framework for Supporting Marginalized Women’s Transformative Learning," uses an Africentric Womanist epistemology to engage single mothers in "troubling contexts," promoting narrative connection for TL. Studies like these, focusing on mothers and communal processes, could significantly advance TL, historically dominated by male perspectives.

Embodied Feminine in Education

Reclaiming the embodied feminine in education and academia involves learning from the body in relation to place and each other. Oppression and trauma displace us from satisfaction and pleasure (Brown, 2021), making the return to the erotic body through somatic presence, movement, and breath crucial for any liberation philosophy. The fear of receiving can be linked to the Cultural Complex of the Death Mother, while incorporating feminine ways of being allows TL to become an act of receiving, rather than sheer production for a wage-patriarchy (Federici, 2020).

Matricentricity in Decolonial and Liberating Psychologies

Transformative Learning can evolve if educators re-center mothers, women, and body-based decolonial wisdom. Eco-psychology offers insights into how colonized learners project their pain onto women and the earth, connecting it to fears of death and sex (Woodman & Dickson, 1996). This trauma persists as Emotional Learnings (ELs) reinforced by Cultural Complexes (CCs) and body-breath patterns.

Eco-Psychology and Mothering

Joanna Macy highlights the parallels between the treatment of the earth and women, calling our epoch the Andropocene (1996). This era has systematically separated mothering from academic, business, and philosophical pursuits to support a global market economy dependent on unacknowledged 'sea of gifts' (Vaughan, 2019). Acknowledging the contributions of mothering could shift economies from exploitative capitalism to a more sustainable, gift-based system.

The Andropocene's Impact

The Andropocene has also fostered a disconnection between creativity, scholarship, and the feminine. Historical disassociation from pre-colonial Goddess mythology has led to a cultural void where the Great Mother is unknown (Woodman & Dickson, 1996). This disembodiment results in violent oppression against women, manifesting as physical and psychological abuse (Canty, 2018).

Death Mother Archetype

The Death Mother Archetype, an oppressive shadow of mothering in domination culture, arises from societal and personal trauma wherein mothers are only allowed a small range of emotion about mothering. The overwhelming experience of solo nurturing without community support can lead to the internalization of the Death Mother gaze, where receptivity becomes synonymous with defeat. This results in cultural complexes that hinder gifting and receiving, impacting transformative learning.

Neuroscience of Memory and Transformative Learning

Understanding the neuroscience of memory is crucial for transformative learning. Emotional memories, distinct from historical memories, can be changed while retaining the historical facts. Emotional memories, driven by sensory experiences, influence behavior and nervous system responses (Ecker, et al. 2012).

Role of Emotions in Learning

Ali and Tan (2022) emphasize the centrality of emotions in motivating adult learners, impacting learning outcomes. Emotions, as psychological constructions, arise from making meaning out of sensory input and prior experiences. Breathing patterns during stress and sleep cycles play a critical role in consolidating or "locking" neural networks, making behavioral change challenging if not addressed properly.

Memory Reconsolidation

Memory Reconsolidation (MR) offers a process for lasting change in the brain. By juxtaposing incompatible learnings with activated emotional learnings, "locked" synapses become "plastic," allowing for the dissolution of unwanted pathways. This process necessitates deep attunement to subtle cues like body language, facial recognition, and breathing.

Applying Transformative Learning and Memory Reconsolidation

For transformative learning to be sustainable, it must address implicit emotional learnings. Constructive disorientation, where disconfirming experiences challenge known constructs of reality, is key. However, trauma-induced disbelief in personal efficacy can undermine this process. Effective MR requires recognizing and accepting current realities, engaging with concrete scenes or memories embedded with emotional learnings.

Attunement and Implicit Memory

Attunement, the ability to be deeply responsive to subtle cues, is essential in supporting learners through transformative processes. Thomas Hubl's work on attunement and intergenerational trauma provides valuable insights into addressing implicit memory. Understanding symptom-requiring behaviors as coherent responses to emotional realities reframes the transformation process, emphasizing acceptance and deep recognition.

Redemptive Kinship and Unthought Futures

Matricentric Liberation Philosophy promotes the reconsolidation of memories for liberation, emphasizing care ethics that extend wellness to the interpersonal realm. Recognizing that others' wellness is interconnected with our own, this approach advocates for more matricentric, neurobiologically informed praxis in Transformative Learning Theory - based in an understanding that our capacity to transform lies in helping each other imagine and feel the gifts we have yet to feel and expereince. Sadar’s work on Post-Normal Times indicates the necessity of imagination in the creative solution for wicked problems we face in a late-stage andropocene.

Matricentric Societies and Governance

Historically, earth-honoring indigenous societies have practiced sustainability with social kinship at the core of governance and decision-making. A matricentric worldview, enriched by affective neurobiology, can enhance Transformative Learning Theory by addressing the mother's role and the needs of learners for emotional and psychological transformation.

Conclusion

To create truly liberating futures, we must integrate matricentric perspectives and neurobiological insights into transformative learning - and mirror that with body/land-based ways of knowing. Addressing the embodied feminine, emotional learnings, and the systemic impacts of the Andropocene can lead to a more holistic, contextual and effective approach to education and societal transformation. By reconnecting with the gifts of mothering and embracing the joy of inquiry, we can foster deeper, more meaningful learning experiences that liberate and empower all individuals, with the most vulnerable center-heart.

*This article is a summary of academic paper which has detailed citations, for more reference or to experience an event dedicated to reversing the impact of matricide, and wage-patriarchy through power, embodiment, joy and community - contact us!