244 thoughts on “Shopping in Singapore: Reflections on Racism and a New (make-up) Foundation”

1. It’s a great question ‘Is this kind of marketing what we truly want?’ If marketing is about supply and demand, in some way we are asking for this, we are asking for separation. You blog is glorious in the way that shows if we connect back to our true beauty we would not demand the separation but instead pull towards unifying.

2. Acceptance of our innate love, of the huge love we all are would be a great foundation, ‘Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.’

3. I have often wondered if the purpose of having people in the world with different appearances is so that we see and come to know that on the surface we may seem different, but this difference is an illusion. When we get to know people we see that they are people just like we are and that we are all from the same source, that of love. I wonder if the great movement of people we are seeing around the world is making this more and more possible?

4. A beautiful piece of writing Zofia Sharman captured from a simple interactivity of daily life — the “organised shells of man” = “illusions of betterment, improvement, privileged comfort, arrogance of differentiation, and cultural superiority;
   as determined by border, colour, race, religion or background and so on; intentionally harmful, multi-racial, ethnic origins, cultures or backgrounds
   fosters the ideal of separation; nationality, caste, class, tradition, or custom discomfort, exclusion, war and atrocity we suffer as mankind; country, geographic region and area.”
   That pretty much ‘nails it’. We have the outer shell of inequality Or we have the inner-most connection of Love and ALL of the above is a choice. “‘Being the same’ in this case is not about one’s ethnicity or race, but more about being love.”

5. A great question to ask, and a fact that many forget, ‘Isn’t our natural inherent way as a human race of beings one of unity and oneness, and not separation?’

6. Today at a Well-being group for Women, we were asked to explore and finish the sentence, ‘Did you know that women…’ We came up with a multitude of descriptive words like divine, gently, powerful etc. But then came the question – how many of us believe that of ourselves and live confirming those qualities? There is much for us to discuss when we scratch beneath the surface.

7. I think it says a lot about women’s self-worth in general also that the grass is so often greener on the other side as in many with light coloured skin wanting to get ‘that tan’ and others opting for bleaching to try and make their skin a lighter colour. When we don’t value who we are there will always be another picture of how we think we should look, just out of our reach, that we need to attain in order to think we are ok…

8. As individuals through inter-racial and cultural partnerships we show that we believe we are all the same. However systems and bureaucracies appear to be in resistance of this but this does not prevent individuals making their own choices. Hence power lies not with the systems but with the individual, if we only exercise that authority.

9. “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.”
   If this was the title of a beauty products marketing they would have my attention and consideration that there was possibly products with integrity being offered that supported us to celebrated who we are.

10. Beauty is not just ‘more than skin deep’ – it is vibrational. True beauty comes from an inner emanation that goes way beyond colour, shape or form.

11. As human beings we tend to champion and forever try to improve on our outer shell when, as you describe, it is taken care of by what we hold dear and make real from the inside. Judging each other by our outer shell is fraught with danger and doesn’t reflect our divine origins. Our outer shells go to war and abuse each other, they wear themselves out in the pursuit of perfection and can’t get on top of the continual unsettlement and discontent.

    1. And when we pass it is very clear that we leave behind our outer shell – it is the vehicle that our inner being has used to simply get around.

    2. Yes gabrieleconrad, we have a huge investment in our outward appearance, but until we place more value on how we feel inside, and make the relationship we have with ourselves a priority, we are fighting a loosing battle.

12. We are all naturally loving people who have allowed ideals and beliefs to get in the way of truly loving each other and living without the ideals and expectations placed upon us by society, life would be very different if we accepted everyone as they are with no judgments or conditions.

13. We are never and can never be unified by the image of our physicality, for our unity is found deeper within, where the quality of love is what truly reveals who we are in essence. A quality that cannot be measured and as you say when we begin to look within and we will come to live and know ‘… that this Love is colour-less, race-less that it has no border or region and belongs to no county or one organised religion.’ Yes, and it is from here that we will begin to live the way of true Brotherhood, celebrating the unique expression of the love that resides within us all.

    1. Just as we can never find unity in celebrating difference. On the surface it may seem that way. But if in truth there is no difference then what is the purpose of celebrating something that is not true, other than to keep us separate from that truth and from each other.

14. The very thing that upholds this plane of life is separation/indivualisation. You raise here a great point, Zofia that I hadn’t thought about before – that celebrating our obvious difference is adding to this whole set-up.

15. I’ve often found it strange how westerners tend to like their skin to be darker while in the Far East and Africa there can be a desire to be lighter skinned. But you raise a great point from a simple make-up sample, Zofia – and it’s something we all know deep down: that it’s what is on the inside, Love, that counts.

16. ‘Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate’ very much so Zofia, and anything else celebrated is in fact a division or a differentiation.

17. Even though I’ve read this blog before it still shocks me that people would want to change the colour of their skin, it brings a whole new meaning to the term “feeling comfortable in your own skin”, and it totally negates the fact that every single part of us and every single cm, inch and cell of our bodies is perfectly designed to support us to evolve in life.

18. “If there was acceptance and celebration of an all-encompassing and unifying love, wouldn’t it make it not natural for us to champion, favour, sympathise, like, uphold differences of the outer shells of background, colour, nationality, ethnicity, race, caste, class, religion, tradition, culture or custom?” When I was 18 I was teaching some five-year old children – one of whom was black but who didn’t turn up for one class. .Another child, who didn’t know her, enquired what she looked like. Another child told her that she was the one with pig tails. Her blackness was not the thing that stood out for her – in a class of white children. Forty years on this has stayed in my memory. Racism is taught – not inherent.

19. Having spent much of my life feeling dissatisfied with my very pale skin I now recognise how much this reflected my lack of acceptance of myself generally and what a distraction it was from being true to myself.

20. Love is the universal ingredient in all our foundations so it makes no sense to constantly champion our differences but it feels like the marketing industry has a vested interest in keeping us all desiring to attain a certain look so that they can sell more products. It is only when we embrace all our similarities beneath the superficial appearance of skin colour, ethnic origin etc that we will truly celebrate the Love that unites us all.

21. “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.” I love this Zofia as you say Love is the unified foundation for which we all know to be the catalyst for change in the world and bring separation to its knees and unites us as one, but this is only possible when we first connect to our own hearts and bodies. True change starts with the love we hold for ourselves first and that then has a flow on effect to all connections thereafter.

22. In a world where we are multicultural and of all different colours, shapes and sizes how can anyone say ‘white is the universal colour’ for that is not only blatant racism but has no appreciation of our true beauty that goes way beyond what we look like.

23. Great analogy – we are made of love, it is our true make-up!

24. What a truly inspiring piece of writing Zofia, one that cuts to the core of the what keeps us living divided from each other. The moment we decided to separate from our Soul and set foot upon this Earth, this idea of separatism has been sold to us, be that as it may in fancy packaging that appeals to our desires to be more, be the best, be different than the rest, stand out, be identified etc. While all the while we carry within us a love that is born of Heaven and as such is all encompassing and all unifying. But because we fear dissolving into the great and glorious ‘soup’ of the All that we come from, we fall for the advertisements every time. Buy this to be thinner, smarter, darker, lighter, bigger, better – all of it lies that we happily buy as our spirit continues on its self-fulfilling quest away from the divine truth we have departed from. Reading your words Zofia I feel this truth restored, thank you.

25. Beautifully said Zofia ‘ Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.’

26. I absolutely Love what you have presented here Zofia, it is something we need to realise as a one humanity rather than drive and pursue further more separation and division. Indeed – “In other words, the presence of equal love is the ingredient that unifies us as being ‘the same’ and surely it’s about celebrating this.”

27. What a powerful blog Zofia – “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or color.” More is not to be add except the one question – where can we buy this universal (make-up) foundation?

28. As you beautifully say Zofia, we can actually celebrate the outer differences when we let go of these being what define us. We appreciate each other’s beauty and unique expression — no two expressions and no two faces are the same, and in that we can see another aspect of God being expressed on the earthly plane. This is what we conveniently miss when we make it about the outer differences. We distance ourselves more and more from the divinity we are all innately from.

29. A true religion ‘not of the organised shells of man.’ I love these closing lines and the depth of truth the whole article imparts; that deep down we all know we are the same, from the same source, the same place and the outer differences matter nought when we connect to the universality of god’s son, accessible to us all.

30. When two people are allowed to look into each others eyes and given the opportunity to really see/connect with each other. Then it is impossible to hide behind the anonymity and separation of race,religion, nationality, culture, gender and so on. For the ill affects of disregard and abuse to be carried out and take hold.

31. Outer differences and appearances are not who we are. We have been taught to always look to a person’s outer appearance or personality. I remember before this, there was a time when I knew everyone and everything by its quality of energy, and this was way better than always pandering to what is on the exterior.

32. One only has to see small children together and they do not see difference at all. Even those that end up seeing and treating people as different in the harshest of ways, would never have as a child. We have so much more in common than we realise.

33. thank you Zofia, this message needs to be, especially in this age, repeated again and again because the divisions in society and cultures and civilisations runs so deep, and there are so many hurts their people choose to keep bringing up to keep the separation… But at the heart of it there is the deep interconnected heart of humanity which we can all turn to to reconnect and to know indeed that we are loved and love itself.

34. Your comment – ‘Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour’, makes everything about life so simple. Life is encompassing of all the small to large differences in the most inclusive way because all that matters is the love we are and living that love – and this is all and applies to all. There has been an explosion of true understanding within me that whilst I may look at another and see a different colour skin, shaped face, way of dressing or economic standing, there is and will always be a commonality in which we share and that is – that we are Love. The fact that we are all ‘Love’ means that in truth there can be no divide, and no matter what make-up colour chosen, there never will be and can never be separation of people.

35. I spent many years living in a minority ethnic community and one of the things I found most shocking was even though they themselves faced racism on a daily basis and felt the pain and hurt of this, there was still a strong prevalence for those that had experienced racism to then chose to express in a racist manner.

36. I feel racism stems from ones dissatisfaction with oneself and fear. Fear can be something that is slowly reinforced in us as we grow up and then becomes what we believe to be our own thoughts. Why I feel the dissatisfaction with oneself plays a big role is because rather than address that we feel this way about ourselves we start to project onto others this dissatisfaction. Racism is alive and thriving in today’s society and is one of the greatest means for separation of humanity.

    1. and creates so many more hurts than what we start out with in the first place.

37. Such an inspiring blog, Sofia.
    “Love unites and harmonises. Difference divides, separates and excludes”. There is such an emphasis on culture to day and all I can feel is the racism it breeds. Love is the common denominator for us all and we are all equal in that love.

38. This is a bombshell of truth on the hidden ideals that be-lay in all shopping, purchasing and in fact all our day to day lives when it comes to racism and cultural division. It is clear our world is becoming more and more unified with the presence of more and more multi-cultural societies and countries everywhere across the globe. Yet, despite this there is a stubbornness the underlays our consciousness the views these apparent physical differences as differences between us, when they are exist only on the surface level

    1. What I have found quite beautiful is how it is on a surface level this attitude stems from , yet people who are born of mixed heritages are quite physically beautiful. It is as if nature is saying there is no difference between people who come from different backgrounds and when we conduct our relationships in this manner beauty stems from this.

       1. And a world unified through seeing culture and heritage in this way is a very very beautiful thing.

39. Great contribution Zofia, it reminds me of the senseless atrocities that have happened in south east Asia and around the world and how the people who have lived through them must desperately search for reasons why. The colour of skin has been used as a convenient excuse for the arrogant spirit to make itself more powerful than others. An utter falsity.

40. Yes the ‘acceptance’ of other cultures and colours of skin in itself says that we are in separation.

41. ‘If there was acceptance and celebration of an all-encompassing and unifying love, wouldn’t it make it not natural for us to champion, favour, sympathise, like, uphold differences of the outer shells of background, colour, nationality, ethnicity, race, caste, class, religion, tradition, culture or custom?’ Yes Sofia, it is so often said that ‘Love is the way,’ but rarely is it said with the truth of the One and Unifying Love that we are all originally from.

42. Our differences and personal identification tags as you describe them Gabriele are more and more championed and are like a trophy to be obtained. Competition, comparison, obtaining whatever is the ‘new black’ – white skin on naturally darker skinned bodies- is true evidence of how as a global community we have allowed our ‘self respect’ register to become so broken.

43. The term ‘laid bare’ resonated within me Liane. No need for defense or protection, just the purity of who we are and who we innately know we are. We can never stop feeling, embracing and expressing the truth of who we truly are and connecting with that truth in others so we all eventually feel our ‘foundation from which our beauty is laid bare.’

44. Wow Liane, I love what you have shared – “laid bare” reminded me of the vulnerability and essence of the love that we are – no bells and whistles, no fancy flashing neon lights, no sales and marketing team, not even love in disguise as an emotion – just simple love from where our true inner beauty shines.

45. It certainly is rachelmurtagh1! Thank goodness for Serge Benhayon – someone who teaches about brotherhood and “universal sameness” through his work, and through his livingness. An absolute inspiration. And here we are living that inspiration and celebrating ourselves for WHO WE ARE and not what we do, look like or which team we barrack for.

46. Your insight is refreshing Zofia, we do live with insidious prejudice every day. It never leaves us alone, it enters our conversations and permeates our thoughts without us even knowing. The world tells us to be unified is to celebrate the difference in others but what if that was the biggest lie of all?

    1. Well said. This is a great point that proves “good doing” can actually be the most harmful, keeping us from true brotherhood.

47. Is this the image we want our young people of today growing up to aspire to and fit in with? Absolutely not.
    Zofia, what you have shared here is profound and has shed so much light on the fact that love is our natural foundation.. in every way possible. What you have also shared is very powerful in calling out a way of being in our society that is not our true way of living and therefore only set to cause more hurt, harm and separation. It has been with much appreciation that I have taken the time to read your words and celebrate them for their power as conscious breaking in our world today. Thank you.

48. Love – the universal foundation that applies to everyone equally; so beautifully expressed in your blog Zofia. And by contrast, how insidious is it that top fashion houses / beauty brands promote anything but, and seemingly ignorant to the level of irresponsibility they wield with the enormous position of influence they hold.

49. Very powerful experience and reflection of what is happening in our world today. A ‘NOT’ so ‘SUBTLE’ distraction from what the truth really is- that we are all in essence the same, we are love first and re-connection to self will make that clearly known. I loved your comment – ‘Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour’. Thank you Zofia for sharing.

    1. Yes ch1956 beautifully expressed. We are all connected by love but some may fight against that or choose to distract from it but essentially we all return back to one unified love. It is the universal (make-up) foundation that we are all bound too no matter what the world tries to put in our way.

50. As you say Zofia, “If we stood unified as a race of human beings identified . . . by the universal truth of the Love that we are equally, how then would things be?” If this came about things would likely be ‘Heaven on earth’. Bring on the Love for all, equally so!

51. I agree Victoria it is backwards – such poor business strategy and marketing is actually quite disturbing as it reveals how much we have allowed and accepted a narrow ideal of how we should look to infiltrate – the company could only do this because around the world we have fallen into line and tried to live up to the narrow benchmarks of how we should look and be. If we (humanity) were saying no to this the company and industry would naturally align.

52. Zofia you turn a popular response to racism on its head here, for how many years now has it been touted that celebrating diversity is the antidote to racism? There is so much to be ill at ease about when it is still about championing diversity. What you write about is a shift towards true freedom in our world – a unifying love within that is equal in everyone sounds far more intelligent to me.

    1. On one hand you have industries that idealise whiteness. Then there is a reaction to that overt racism. It talks about accepting people of colour and the diversity of cultures. The reaction is always the opposite to the ‘wrong’ in order to get it ‘right’. But celebrating diversity does not unite us, but separates us more. If we leave behind right and wrong and use truth as our compass, we will arrive one day to a oneness. Because the truth is that we are the same under the 3mm of skin.

53. ..or tongues work ; ) …but in truth it is conscious presence isn’t it? Our Conscious Presence is a Conscious Present.

54. ‘the presence of equal love is the ingredient that unifies us as being ‘the same’. Were this truly understood and lived as humanity’s unifying principle, the world would be a truly harmonious place.

55. Thank you Zofia and Jennifer, I agree, the only teachings I have found that inspire all to love equally, as one unified brotherhood, are Universal Medicine presentations by Serge Benhayon!

56. For me it seems that all of us feel that underneath everything else we are one and the same and the ever-growing strive to make our appearance less and less individual seems like a cover up for the fact of how far we have separated from each other.

    1. This is revelatory for so many people, ‘that underneath.. we are one and the same”. Sometimes when we uncover this hurt for ourselves we can deeply feel the hurt of our choices to hide our innate natural ability to conned with others, but when we do this from a place of acceptance and appreciation for our willingness to now reconnect we can easily let go of that hurt by supporting ourselves. Making the choices to know ourselves in full, and live this connection, quality and equality daily. Acceptance is the antidote! that and saying No to what does not feel right and Yes to all that confirms who we truly are.

57. Beautiful isn’t it that the true foundation and our true make up comes from the inside and out and doesn’t have to be applied from the outside.

    1. It is beautiful and also really simple. It’s amazing to ponder on the memory that I too was once deeply invested in this outward appearance and recognition for it, that actually set a foundation for me based on colourless and pale tones that never represented or reflected the true me at all.

58. Hallelujah!…..Heaven’s beauty salon

59. This really goes to show that we still have such along way to go until we have true unity and how deeply rooted our separation is. I find it unbelievable that more samples in all the shades were not on offer and how they just seemed to think this was Ok. The fashion world has a lot to answer for with how it tries to paint a picture of how we should look with body size and shape. When will inner beauty become fashionable?

    1. This does show we have a long way to go I agree Kevmchardy – but now we all know that one by one we do and can make a big difference. I smiled as the other day I purchased an item of clothing and the label read “One size fits all”

60. So true Lucinda. The fact that only white foundation is available is not just a marketing ploy or supplying an obvious demand. It’s directly related to how we have not accepted each other as members of the human race.

61. Wow Zofia – this is such a powerful statement; ‘To know and experience racism or division on any level is to equally know and no longer deny the urgent necessity to return back to the core and inclusivity of the Love we are from..’
    You are so right that we have become very clever at figuring out how to walk away from love – even though that is what we really want.

    1. Agree hvmorden, super powerful statement! To know one, we must know the other and this is what we must come back to – deep down we all have a longing for the inclusive and all encompassing love we are from.

       1. Thank you Sara – a beautiful expansion

    2. so true ladies
       – this is such a powerful statement; ‘To know and experience racism or division on any level is to equally know and no longer deny the urgent necessity to return back to the core and inclusivity of the Love we are from..’
       and yes the spirit is extremely clever at figuring out ways to distract us from connecting with love.

62. What you have presented here Zofia is visionary!

    In your words, you’ve depicted the future of mankind. We can’t keep going the way we are – imprisoned by own own nationalist ideals and ‘only white foundation will do’ beauty culture. While nationalism is celebrated for keeping tradition, culture and the past alive, it also keeps us from the 1 unified loving way that is described here. While marriage, friendship, work and life might transcend ethnic groups in many countries around the world these days, frequently ethnic and cultural barriers appear to keep these connections from being as unified as they otherwise could be.

    While there is a lot of development needed to get there, eventually the only way of life will need to be as the unified people described here.

63. Great point you make here Zofia about how celebrating our race, culture, skin colour etc.- whether it be as a minority or the majority – fosters separation between people.I can feel how we are taught this separation and that as children we do not discriminate against others or even ourselves until something from the outside tells us that we should – surely this shows us that love and unity is our natural way of being?

64. It is fascinating to see and hear that this is how people view themselves and what it is that they need to ‘do’ to be accepted. It is such a set up that we fall for, looking and finding the things that are wrong with ourselves and finding the solution to ‘fix’ this so we can fit in and be ‘normal’. I say no to this way of living and connecting instead to the inner beauty that needs absolutely nothing just being the beauty that I naturally am. It is so much more fun and enjoyable and I actually feel beautiful and full of life.

65. What makes us special and I believe that we all are is that we each have our own unique expression and having what we feel on the inside reflected in how we look on the outside is what makes the world an amazing place to be.

66. Yes Adam, it is so rare to find someone at ease and the marketing is such a set up to play on that unease, you can look like this, more beautiful, yet when I look at the “perfect” model of what is beautiful I no longer see beauty as it all looks false and unreal. True beauty needs a large dose of love and that is found when we accept ourselves and all our imperfections, and also are willing to do the same for others.

67. I’ve had the same experience in Vietnam, Adam. Almost every woman in the tailor shops I visited would compliment me on my ‘gorgeous white skin’… And I can tell you I certainly don’t share their opinion! Quite the opposite!

68. We are one humanity, and the separation that comes from so many old paradigms will be continually exposed for what they are, manufactured arenas of division that are not inherent to who we truly are, and one day will certainly no longer be there.

69. When you write that – believing the earth is flat – it shows how ridiculous it actually is and that we are in a transition, still a way to go, that it is not about outer appearance like skin colour, male-female, clothes, size of your breasts, but what we carry inside and that that is equal in all of us. That may still be like cursing in the church, but one day it will be accepted as natural. Let’s start ourselves by living that expression.

70. Yes Amelia, case in point for the blog… we have lost connection to the love we are, and now identify ourselves by the outer appearance. How can we be at ease with ourselves when we aren’t connecting with what truly is us.

71. Well said Jo, this ought to be compulsory reading for all of humanity… I love the line ‘the universal color is not white, it is love’!

    1. Yes I love this suggestion that ‘love’ is the universal skin colour! Hear Hear

72. What a magnificent and profound blog Zofia… there are many great points but one I particularly loved was ‘promotion without any presence of love only further fragments or causes division, exclusivity and inequality.’ If love is our one unifying point, then this statement is worth deeply pondering for it essentially explains why the world is in the state it is in.

73. “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.” – Beautifully expressed Zofia. Growing up as a child I was could never understand people’s racist comments to others, it was obvious to me we were all equally the same. It is sad to think that racism is still so prevalent in our society and that people arrogantly see themselves as being more superior to another and even kill others who they believe are lesser due to the colour of their skin. Thank you Zofia for highlighting this very important topic.

74. What you express here, Sandra, makes such sense to me. I agree, “lets uncover all our crazy little games to hold us separated and meet energetically more and more unvarnished”. Well said, thank you.

75. I agree, Elizabeth, we certainly have a long way to go. How sad that we constantly compare ourselves with others, when we are connected with ourselves, we can feel that we are actually absolutely equal with everyone else. No one is ‘better than’ another. Yes another ridiculous belief that one skin colour is better than another.

76. It is quite extraordinary. I wonder what goes through the minds of people when deciding that their company will only create and offer a small selection of colours for foundation.

77. I agree Rebecca, great line Zofia and so true

78. Absolutely ludicrous as you say Adam, to be always wanting what you don’t have and constantly looking out for what defines who you are. Until this comparison and lack of self-worth is acknowledge and addressed this will continue. I know for me this is something that I keep catching but the more I focus on my connection with myself and feeling my beauty within then this doesn’t even cross my mind to look out.

79. I agree Jane, I have also now moved more to feeling my own way with what style and colour to wear and as you say it feels liberating to flow with what feels true for me.

80. Absolutely Elizabeth, I agree completely.

81. Awesome Zofia. The link between everyone and everything does exist and is certainly alive and sitting right at our fingertips. However, we haven’t, either globally or locally, quite been able to submerge ourselves into the Love that is already here. Those that have can see and feel the connectivity if this is chosen.

82. We think our modern world is more and more accepting of colour and race differences, but obviously not, as your experience shows here Zofia. We are probably more than ever still falling into the comparison trap and making it about outer appearances and totally dismissing the only thing that will ever tell you the truth of who you are. Our own tender, equal and universally loving, inner hearts.

83. A very powerful blog – thank you Zofia. I often reflect on the fact that while we all look different on the outer our bodies are all made up of the same particles, we all have the same organs, we all have blood flowing through our veins, take away the focus on the outer and focus on what is within and we can feel that we are all the same and that within we all have an essence that is love.

    1. Exactly Bianca. It reminds me of a video I saw where a large x-ray screen showed the skeletons of different couples together kissing or hugging and how you couldn’t tell what gender, race or culture someone was – again showing that we are all the same underneath!

84. Thanks Zofia for sharing, it shows that racism is still alive and kicking on so many levels there, to separate us from God and connection to ourselves first and then others. When in Asia 25 years ago I was amazed by the fact that people were also trying to make themselves look more white as it considered to be a reflection of higher class person. While we were doing the opposite and browning up.

85. I agree Adam, this is also about body image and how we never are content with the way we look and are forever comparing with what we don’t have. When in fact if we were to stop and feel we would discover we are all made up of the same ingredient and that is love.

86. Adam you are making a great point – we are never at ease with who we are and consequently not at ease with what we look like.

87. Rebecca I couldn’t agree more – just imagine.

88. A fantastic blog Zofia, and highly important questions you are posing. It is so true that if we accept that we all come from Love and choose to re-connect with it, we will no longer be at the mercy of our hurts and reactions or have the need to live up to an external expectation.

89. This blog has given me more awareness into being more open to racism, especially in the areas that are not so obvious in my every day life. Thank you Zofia for sharing.

90. I agree Victoria that would be something else!

91. I agree entirely Victoria. How truly powerful must we actually be, that such a veil is placed so tightly over so many of our eyes, as to not acknowledge ourselves, our beauty and the power of our presence as women, at a fundamental level?
    There simply cannot be enough exposing of these shackles which so unnecessarily constrain…

92. That’s it exactly Beverley. It’s not until you see the impact of such (I have to say, ‘insane’) beliefs ‘in action’ that you are stopped dead in your tracks… How enslaving, and how perpetually diminishing of all that a woman (or man if he so aligns to such ways) naturally is – until, that is, she (or he) chooses to see through the miasma.

93. I love this.. ‘By design, we are naturally loving and good people, not intentionally harmful.’ So true, and great to start talking about the things that take us away from this.

    1. I would also say that it is great to start talking about the things that make us the same because when it comes down to it we are all the same.

94. “Love is colour-less, race-less, that it has no border or region and belongs to no country or one organised religion.”

    “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.”
    And it is only through the embodiment of true love for oneself first and then brotherhood can positive change occur.
    Very power-full blog Zofia.

95. That is beautiful, Natalie, and this knowing that ‘we are all exactly the same and come from the same place’ allows us to return again to this way of living with one another in true brotherhood.

96. I agree Adam – we have become, as a society, so obsessed with our ‘outer shell’ that we can no longer see how ludicrous life is becoming. We adopt these different distractions to keep us from feeling the real hurt of becoming separate in the first place. When we are ready to let go of these hurts we will come together again in a harmonious way that does not strive for outer differences to better the way they feel.

97. I’m absolutely stunned that people would want to change the colour of their faces, and that this has become common place. There is such a deep self loathing in this and lack of appreciation for our own unique beauty – it completely misses the deeper truths of life.

98. So true Adam. We seem to be always seeking the opposite of who we naturally are, a relentless seeking born from a deep separation from majestic inner qualities that we all inherently own. When we do begin to realise our own worth and beauty from the inside out, our whole relationship with our body image and colouring changes. There is nothing more truly delightful than meeting a person who is at complete ease in their skin and radiates with an inner joy that lights up their eyes and whole being. True love and joy is not a product to be sold over the counter or on a sun bed, they are qualities that can only be found and nurtured within.

99. Thank you Zofia for this very interesting blog. Isn’t it interesting in how much we use make up or clothing to turn us into something that makes us less unique and outstanding, instead of bringing this out more and support what we are underneath our patterns and behaviors?

    1. Yes Michael, and then we are free to dress exactly how we feel to on any given day. To dress in a way that celebrates our inner-beauty.

100. This is spot on with what I feel – the world of business and marketing RESPONDS to what humanity demand. This is a clear reflection of the fact that we do not accept ourselves, knowing that we are not living the truth of who we are innately, which Zofia defines well in this blog, so we look for outer aspects like to our body shape, skin tone, culture, religion, favourite sporting team etc to attempt to modify these to re-define what we know we are not but without ever being truly honest about what is going on at the core.

     1. so true Greg I agree with all of what you are saying and for marketing to be responding in this case with lighter foundations it is a pretty clear indication that woman are not accepting their skin colour and wanting to appear fairer than they are. Different cultures, countries, fashions it all that same thing a lack of self acceptance. Here is Australia lots of people want to appear darker than they are so marketing responds with a huge range of spray tanning products and edible malanotan.

101. Comparison…. the grass is always greener, except for when you get over there and find out that it wasn’t as good as you thought, damn, have to find something else to fill the void.
     There was a story on the news lately about a little girl who didn’t get the part because, as she was told “the queen wasn’t black”, that is sad enough, but the follow story was worse – that little girl tried to scrub her dark skin to make it white!!!! How powerful are a few words, that come with a world of racism and comparison.

102. Or just not aware of the all, it’s very compartmentalised thinking.

103. I resonated with your comment Carmel as I lived in the Middle East for a lot of my childhood. In my case, I looked more Middle Eastern than English, so the comments about where I came from were from my friends at boarding school, who found it didn’t fit the box to know I lived abroad but was English and I definitely didn’t have the roses and cream complexion that they thought I should have! At times I felt I didn’t fit in either country. As you say these things can bring separation – all because of the colour of our skin. Crazy but true!

     1. I raised my children in Bali where their friends came from every corner of the globe. It was so inspiring to witness how they interacted. There was a large community of expat residents, there were local kids and lots of mixed Indonesia – Western ones plus the kids that came as tourists every year between May and September. It was a place where their biggest concern was finding a way to communicate because they had so many languages between them. By the age of 3 these hundred odd children settled on English and Indonesian as their common language, with smatterings of French, German, Hebrew, Dutch and Spanish when a word from any of those languages just seemed to best describe the situation and ‘sound’ better. These children were well travelled and came with stories to tell of their adventures from all over the world, it was a community where skin colour, nationality and gender were investigated and celebrated. They wore ‘love’ as their foundation, naturally so. Perhaps we need to turn to our children to learn about true brotherhood and Oneness and stop imposing our separative ways upon them.

     2. My experience Carmel, Lorraine and Shirley-Ann was to have been born in Africa of African parents but from the age of 7 lived in the UK with English and Welsh parents. The emotional separation from my birth mother was bewildering, but the transition to my new family surprisingly easy, We (my brothers and I ) just accepted the new and very different family. At primary school we, the only black children, were in the main accepted by our new Welsh friends. My skin colour became more apparent and an issue for some in adolescence and as a teenager. At times I felt confused when even those I considered to be my friends used terms that degraded black people in my presence. I questioned why things had changed and once asked myself ‘ If I had been born white would I treat black people the way some of them treat me?’ I now know that separation and racism is not the preserve of one specific race.

104. Elizabeth I smiled at reading the truth of your point. One day everyone will get to know that skin deep is a ludicrous assumption of who a person is, just like it was believed the world was flat. The question is how long will we take to wake up to the truth?

105. What a powerful blog. Humanity has such a huge focus on our differences and the celebration of them is seen as a good thing. The celebration of our oneness is not so common yet we are one humanity.

     1. So true Nikkimckee, it seems that we celebrate or denigrate our differences instead of celebrating how in essence we are all the same, love.

     2. When our difference are championed, is it any wonder that things like racism, low self esteem are so prevalent. Is it time to start celebrating that we are all equal but with unique expressions.

        1. I love that Rebecca Briant – “That we are equal but with unique expressions”.

106. Love it, such a great article! “‘Being the same’ is about equality with another. Choices to support or promote any particular outer shell because of the shell doesn’t ever do anything to truly support because promotion without any presence of love only further fragments or causes division, exclusivity and inequality.” This reminds me of the racial and ethnical struggles I observed while living in Guatemala. The celebration and longing for white superiority is paralyzing and brought massive violence and misery to this country. The struggle for unity in diversity will never be reached if the foundation is not love instead of ethnical identification.

     1. The behaviour in places like Guatemala needs to be seriously looked at. Just because racism isn’t AS obvious in countries such as England, Australia and America, doesn’t mean we can turn a blind eye on those places where it is still a major aspect of day to day life for everyone.

        1. Thanks for saying this Susie. England, Australia, America and Europe are by no means free of this but there are places around the world in very deep division – and consequently a very large number of the world population live with the threat and, as you said Susie, the’ day to day’ reality of horrendous violence. I find it incomprehensible to grasp the lived extent of all the wars and tensions around the world due to religious and race tensions, not to mention all the lived sexism in many countries especially India and China where millions and millions of women are treated as less. We sure have much to heal.

107. It is remarkable how such attitudes and beliefs that are so fundamentally divisive and unloving towards our fellow brothers and sisters have so insidiously seeped into all aspects of life. I consider myself very open hearted, loving and caring and at times I am shocked about how unloving some of my own beliefs and assumptions turn out to be when they are pointed out. It is great to pay attention to such outplay of love-less mentality that has been with us for eons and say no to them when we see them. Thank you for this blog Zofia.

108. I know Elizabeth – quite shocking really, but very revealing about where we are at as a human race. Thank you Zofia for raising this topic, which I am sure is quite taboo. Your writing has exposed how backward and narrow it is to still hold these views. How do they support us to grow and learn?

109. Yes Adam, I too have been seeing this. That darker skinned people choosing to whiten and whiter skinned people seeking to brown. It seems that we as humanity, are not comfortable in our own skin. This then it seems, is taken full advantage of by the beauty industry.

110. What could we call it, express-yourself instead of make-up, it is curious when you start to look at words and how we use them and what that actually means, we use them with out thinking about it yet it has an impact on us and keeps us living a much smaller life than is necessary.

     1. Yes! Words are powerful – we should need a licence to use them.

     2. very good point Vanessa – make-up is actually just a form of expression, so what Zofia shared about racism being hidden in the beauty industry is actually a lot more serious than you might originally think..

     3. A great point Vanessa – make-up bringing forward the image that we have to create a face and in this example a skin colour, rather than ce-le-brate who we are. These products could easily be called ‘celebrate’ or ‘express yourself’ as you suggest. Maybe then we would have foundations that accurately represent the colour of our skin.

     4. Absolutely, Vanessa. We often accept words at face value, but do not actually look at what they are truly saying. As a result we end up using phrases that, as you say, keep us smaller instead of harnessing the true power of words which can be revolutionary and evolutionary.

111. Any kind of separatism can cause conflict and we have a world full of it, the time has come to unify together as one race of beings.

112. Race and nationality are only skin deep, underneath those few millimeters of skin, we are all the same. I am learning to hold what I feel (the love that we are) above what I see.

113. I agree and you have presented it very well. Love is our foundation, our make-up for all. Separation only needs to be subtle but it is still present.

114. We are all like snowflakes, each with a unique beauty of design and shape, incomparable, yet its made of the same qualities ‘stuff’ which is snow….we are all made of the same ‘stuff’ LOVE and each of us in expression is divinely unique…not different, better, worse, its non comparable. Because each of our expression brings a part to the whole of our humanity!

     1. Such a beautiful description Karoline.

115. That old saying beauty is only skin deep seems to be the basis these companies work on to sell their products. Are they even aware that they are promoting racism and in a subtle way promoting division amongst people. True beauty is reflected by the way we live and has nothing to do with skin colour or from where we come. “Love is the real identity to celebrate – this is the universal foundation”.

116. ‘It is in fact our return’ kathrynfortuna. It is oh so simple and yet we can complicate life so because of our own self identification and emotional attachments. We need to keep claiming the simplicity and gradually eradicating the thoughts that take us away from its truth.

     1. Good call bernadetteglass – if something smells complicated, it offers a great point to check in and see if we are following a thought that is taking us away from truth. If it is not serving of everyone, is it really serving us? It feels so loving to make our choices in this way – not about being selfless – but just remembering that each choice we make impacts on everyone and the responsibility in that.

        1. The word ‘truth’ is resonating more and more for me Simone. It is a beholding word that is unifying and immediately arrests any fight, external or internal about right, or wrong or ambivalence. It is expansive and undeniable.

     2. The truth certainly is “expansive and undeniable”. Just like your comment bernadetteglass. I feel like a bomb went off! Smashing the deeply ingrained ideas that there is a wrong or right, when like so many ideas in society – it is just an opening to separate from each other and from ourselves. I really love your expression of this in saying that Truth “immediately arrests any fight, external or internal about right, or wrong or ambivalence”.

        1. Feeling truth has become my one and only radar. It is where my defences, hurts arguments, protections of any sort are sorted – like separating the clean washing from the dirty clothes – you can smell the difference!

        2. Ha ha bernadetteglass – I love that analogy. Perhaps that is where the saying “I smell a rat” came from?! I am enjoying being more honest with what I am feeling and understanding myself more. The more I develop my awareness of what I am actually feeling and expressing from this feeling, the more honest I am becoming. It is a beautiful unfoldment and an amazingly powerful process.

117. There are so many great questions asked and great answers given as to why we celebrate or react to our outer shells and seemingly ignore the universal Love that we all hold within us. I particularly liked when you spoke of “a true religion not of the organised shells of man but of God and the oneness, divinity and Love being where we are truly from.” Here Here. Thank you Zofia.

118. “With the assistant’s reply:“the universal colour is white”…is a response that just doesn’t make sense, but culturally is the ideal. Universally we all different shades and tones and yet we have white Europeans wanting to tan each summer to look “healthier” and not be so white. As you say Zofia what if we “learnt to discard identification or being owned by and invested in our outer shells as being who we are as a determinant of our worth in the world, and instead carried acceptance of the innate Love we are –” Now that would be a game changer.

119. Absolutely Joshua, well said, and it can be clearly felt that Zofia writes from a place of equality for all.

120. There are many ways that racism plays out, sometime the subtle ones are hurtful because it shows how ingrained racism is. Thank you for starting this conversation Zofia, there is much to discuss.
     I love to see children from different cultures playing together, naturally enjoying each other’s love. Children see clearly the external differences, can talk about them freely and innocently but usually don’t because they realize the differences do not matter. Anything that gets in the way of the playing does not matter. We could all learn a lot from our children.

121. Amazing, worthy, worthwhile blog. I can certainly see myself reading this in the weekend national newspapers. We are not skin colour as you so beautifully explain and the arrogance that allows that mind set to continue needs to be exposed.

122. Love what you have shared Zofia – and yes so true that it is the inside, our essence deep within to be celebrated first and then from here to bring it out. There is so much identification with the outer which does cause such segregation and separation between us all, and is so not necessary nor needed. Love is our universal foundation!

123. You nailed it, Zofia, thank you. Love is an universal make-up/foundation that unites everyone.

124. The crazy thing is that true brotherhood is what we all crave. We know that there has to be a different way because we know that life simply isn’t living up to what we know, and yet we are so stubborn at hanging on to our what we feel identifies us as individuals that we can’t get ourselves out of the way of it! A new paradigm is needed and it has already been shared, but how many of us are truly open to making that shift?

125. Absolutely spot on Shirley-Ann and Zofia, love is completely indiscriminate. When we focus on what is the same between us rather than what is different we can just be natural and harmonious.

126. I live in a multi cultural city where people can come from all over the world and bring their culture with them. What I have noticed is that strong identification with a religion, culture or nationality separates communities from each other, that could otherwise be united by another commonality. When we come together in a big multicultural melting pot we get an opportunity to really get to know people from different backgrounds and see that we are all the same and that we all have love in our hearts – our greatest thing in common.

127. Love this comment Belinda, it is as if we are wilfully ignoring the fact we are made up of energy! And that comes first – fact.

128. It is amazing the inspiration and reflection that everyday situations can provide. Thank you for sharing this Zofia. There seem to be increasing numbers of “teams” that add to the separation and division that already exists in the world. These made up divisions provide further opportunity to prevent us from feeling the equality and foundation of love that we all have. If only they sold this foundation of love at a fashion counter, then maybe we could realise that it is the true foundation there for us all equally.

129. Naren you make a great point – that people perhaps are desperate for connection and think they can find it in similarities- in this case the colour of one’s skin, when really they’ve stopped short of realising we are all one no matter the superficiality of skin, language, socio-economic group, culture, our beliefs etc.

130. Yes Alison, this is a shocking statement. It seems absurd that people are trying to whiten their skin or are happy to use foundation that is totally the wrong shade. There is definitely room for embracing our natural beauty, exactly as we are.

131. Zofia you have opened a whole new way of looking at racism. Who would have thought the colour of a foundation promotion can have racist undertones.

132. How true Jeanette and Zofia – love will always be en vogue, is timeless and so fitting for every moment and occasion :o)

133. “LOVE as the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’”. I can not imagine anything more gorgeous. Whatever make-up is applied after that cannot help but be in celebration of the beauty that is within every one of us.

     1. Yes, this feels absolutely beautiful Golnaz – a true celebration of the equality, exquisite beauty and connection that exists between us all.

134. Wauw , and wauw. Zofia , you amaze me, every single time I read your blogs. So powerfull. This one made my mouth fall open. Wow. I realised so much , and everything you write is just so true. I felt deeply how racist it actually is to sympathise.. A thing that I made as “normal” in my life. A big wake-up and it is opening up my eyes, and I know the urgency for me to absolutely let this sympathy go. It is not innocent. Time to be wise. I will work on this further. Thank you.

135. Simon I agree with you taking responsibility and not blaming society or others because wea re part of society so it is important to speak up and Zofia has so beautifully in this Blog.

136. So true we see difference celebrated in the world and yet there is so much that could unite us if we choose to appriciate it “Love unites and harmonises. Difference divides, separates and excludes.” Love, is what I would suggest we all seek over everything else, it is the perfect choice to build a true foundation of unity within humanity.

137. So true we see difference celebrated in the world and yet there is so much that could unite us if we choose to appriciate it “Love unites and harmonises. Difference divides, separates and excludes.” Love I would suggest, we seek over everything else it is the prerfect choice to build a true foundation of unity within humanity.

138. I remember as a child watching a tv show depicting the slave trade in North America – I used to go to the toilet so noone could see me and ball my eyes out. I was devastated at the separation and racism in the world – through my innocent child eyes I knew and felt the one equal love we all are and the devastation I felt which was playing out in my body. On reflection as I write this, I can feel how interesting it was to find somewhere to ‘hide’ to release my emotions. I absolutely knew that those around me did not share this same awareness and perhaps the devastation was more that it was still playing out as much in the world around me as it was in the 1800’s.

     1. I too Gina remember as child how much it hurt to see the cruelty in the world where people were mean and unloving to each other…but i took salvage in ‘one day when i grow up it will be different…’ but it wasn’t…..but now i have developed the understanding how painful it is for us when we live in separation from each other and even ourselves. But when we bring love into our lives it over time changes everything, it brings us together….something we all have within us…just can get lost on the way…so we seek it in our differences outside of us…if i have white skin then I’m part of, ‘loved’…If i look a certain way…then i’m okay, worthy, loved…..racism etc is like a filler to feel better about ourselves by putting another down….coming from deep pain of lack of love.

139. Zofia, amazing article. Reading everyone’s comments is also great! You have really made a huge point for everyone to look at. How racism and separatism are still very, very active in the world and we have not advanced or fully moved past this. It all starts with us to actually notice it and then share it, like you have done here as the first step to making a change.

     1. So true Ariel, we have not moved very far from a very ancient belief that the colour of our skin somehow makes us different from each other. The animal kingdom does not differentiate, why should we? Zofia has brought it home just how normal it is for racism to still exist in our societies, yet we pride ourselves on being an advanced race. The two don’t add up. Definitely time to break the consciousness and choose to feel our commonality, the love within us, rather than focus on differences that are only skin deep.

140. I also got to feel how much racism is still being prompted. It’s happening in subtle ways but I don’t feel racism will ever be completely gone until we all live as complete equals.

141. well said Belinda… I was actually shown a photo today by a friend which is so in line with this blog and It had peoples arm’s next to each others with all different skins colours and said something about we are all blessed to have the fun of colourful people but our souls are the same colour. So even though we look physically different, inside we are the same.

142. Great comment Simone. It really is true what you say and even though people are trying to make everyone ‘look’ the same we really are distancing ourselves from each other because we cannot be who we are in full.

     1. So true arieljoymuntelwit. There is an aspect of “trying” to be something we are not, or more than we are – when we are actually already everything and by “trying” we are actually not expressing who are we in full, as you have shared. Lately I am learning that the more I deeply accept everything about myself and celebrate myself – the more I see everyone equally for who they truly are and what they bring.

143. When we see images of planet earth from outer space, there are no lines dividing up the continents. Being mixed race, I have often been asked if I feel more British or Japanese. I have always answered that I don’t feel to be either, I’m simply me.

144. Naren, it seems the issue is very stark in the United States which is not to say it isn’t a global issue, and often a subtle one. When we step back we can see how clearly race defines opportunities and how diversity can often be forced without real equality. Yet it need not be forced when there is an appreciation of our similarities, not our differences, in this feeling skin colour becomes obsolete, completely irrelevant.

145. Gorgeous blog Zofia. Yes racism is sadly still a big issue in our society – I often see it in College; people are still teased and discriminated against because of the colour of their skin. As you say we should be celebrating and appreciating everyone for their differences and the identity we should be celebrating is LOVE.

146. This blog made my whole body tingle. You express so beautifully on this subject Zofia and I can feel that racism is really no different to comparing myself to another and deciding I am more or less in any way.

     “it shows a true religion not of the organised shells of man but of God and the oneness, divinity and Love being where we are truly from. This religion is Love” So beautiful.

     1. I love your point Leonne on comparison. Racism is exactly that. No matter what end of racism you are on, thinking you are better or being seen as less, you are comparing yourself to another and not holding yourself in love equally to all.

147. ‘racism continues to be deeply rooted in the psyche of our everyday shopping lives.’ for me Zofia the ‘token’ ethnic person in advertisements is just as inappropriate.

148. So beautifully expressed Zofia. We are all uniquely love, that is our universal (make-up) foundation.

     1. It is naturally in us all….we know how to love….its coming back to it!

149. In the absence of love we suffer from many things and the separation that sadly divides us for now causes much harm…. especially when ignoring the beauty of the equality we share in essence and the power of true brotherhood.

150. Absolutely katinkadelannoy and this blog exposes one of those more hidden and deeply harming tools of separation. By calling this out, we have the opportunity to replace that separation in our foundation, with equalness.

151. “….separation is created, reinforced and sold. Even a hint of preference of colour reinforces this separation, whether it be for a whiter than white skin shade or a tanner than tan – no matter which way we look at things, embedded are illusions of betterment, improvement, privileged comfort, arrogance of differentiation, and cultural superiority.” A ground and consciousness-breaking article, thankyou Zofia.

152. Agreed – its so ingrained that it has become normal and we do not even question it… until reading a blog like Zofia’s.

153. I love the fact you have brought it back to humanity Andrew, a unified group of people who all fundamentally have the same divinity with us. I’ve always been intrigued though by the way in language that we include “race” in this….

154. Absolutely Zofia, and I particularly liked the fact that you did not hold back from including those that react to racism, creating a counter movement of equal separation: if we “carried acceptance of the innate Love we are – would this then mean we’d be able to let go of offense, reaction, or resentment to racist comments or ideals”? This is also a great question.

     1. It’s a very good point about the reaction to racism. I have a child of mixed race and I often find that people want to avoid acknowledging his skin colour. They think if they do it will be considered racist. But he does have darker skin and it’s an observation of fact. It is ok to describe someone with blonde hair as having blonde hair, but not ok to describe someone with dark skin as having exactly that. It is not an identification but a physical description. When there is an identification with the physical description it can take away from our oneness as humanity.

        1. Gorgeous story Nick.

155. interestingly enough I have a similar issue, just on the other end of the spectrum. When I shop for foundation i have a struggle to find a shade for pale skin that isn’t orange. Its like the researchers and marketers have never met a real human being – all the shades are varying degrees of orange. It shows a lack of connection to the people actually using the products, knowing women’s insecurities will push them to buy the foundation anyway. I don’t see any fountains for darker skin tones in the supermarkets or drugstores, even in the high end it can be rare, and yet these people make up a vast majority. A simple example perhaps, but profound it what it exposes in our mindsets.

156. Wow Zofia your writing is pure GOLD. It holds so much wisdom that I will come back to it every day!! Your all encompassing view of equality is groundbreaking and your clarity and simplicity brings it all back to life: a religion of love.

157. Love is the foundation of our society- such a simple way of being but in reality a challenge for most of us. It is not only on colour and race that we discriminate but also on voice and accents- this discrimination permeates our society. What you have shared here Zofia is so insightful- it needs to be published everywhere.

158. You are so right Zofia, in celebrating our different cultures and origins we are seeing ourselves as ‘different’, so, in truth, it all comes down to tolerance. Tolerance of skin colour, culture or ethnicity instead of true acceptance. Great blog, thank you.

159. Wow Zofia. Such power in your words deeply exposing the falsehood and separation that is celebrated and championed in the name of diversity.

160. Absolutely Zofia ‘Love’ is definitely a “Universal (make-up) foundation that can be applied to everyone – regardless of skin shade or colour”. Great sharing thank you.

161. That is an awesome peace of truth you are presenting here to the world ! Thank you!

162. Very true Joshua, well said.

163. ‘I see beauty in the races of all colours…’ – a gorgeous example of what it is to be in connection rather than separation. Thank you Beverley.

164. ‘Everyone looks different from everyone else, regardless of skin tones’. Yes, and whilst accepting that racism is indeed a big issue and needs to be called out as this blog has, there is also the deeper awareness that even within the same race we see difference rather than oneness. Perhaps this is because we rely too heavily on the ‘evidence’ of our eyes rather than the innateness of the connection we feel within.

165. Wow Zofia – this is truly power-full. When we fully accept that the ‘make up’ of our beingness is Love – all of us equally so – then all those separative notions are rendered naught. What glorious healing this blog brings, thank you.

166. Much of the purpose of foundation and of makeup in general is to create a veil across the face, an illusion of the ideal skin. No matter the culture or nationality, this veil is what many women seek.

167. I love this statement ….

     “on some deeper level we feel and know we’re all from ‘the same place’? And with this, feel the natural pull and desire to be the same i.e. part of one humanity, and not separate or exclusive to this as determined by border, colour, race, religion or background and so on’.

     We feel this most strongly when something unites us like a natural earth disaster or we have a common goal to come together and be one putting aside our differences until such time the crisis is over and we start to make it about ourselves again and what we want instead of seeing how would we want it to be and living in a way that respects everyone at the same time and allows a greater understanding for other people not a judgment or a blame. We all have our things to look at, no one is perfect, but we can learn not only from each other but from past mistakes too – would it be possible that there is no right or wrong just merely an intention for why we come together and how we are together. We don’t need to wait for the next crisis to happen to have that unity in our life now.

168. This is so true Andrew, ‘championing differences and competition between cultures is actually also very divisive and damaging and maybe is even where racism first starts? We are all from the one ‘race’, the ‘human race’.’ I notice in pre-schools and schools that there is a lot being taught about different cultures and hence teaching differences between people, it is beautiful and feels much more true that we are all a one ‘race’.

169. Love is certainly Universal.

170. “Love unites and harmonises. Difference divides, separates and excludes.” Pure gold and wise words Zofia.

171. A very powerful and insightful blog Zofia. There is much to ponder upon here.
     “To know and experience racism or division on any level is to equally know and no longer deny the urgent necessity to return back to the core and inclusivity of the Love we are from: living and knowing that this Love is colour-less, race-less, that it has no border or region and belongs to no country or one organised religion”.

172. Wow I hear what you are saying and this is a great discussion to have; I am sure I will be reading and re-reading this again but for now I just want to say one thing …. lightening a vagina! Realllly 😮😕😁

173. Zofia, this blog feels monumental in the issues that it is addressing. I love how from a simple observation in a beauty shop you have encompassed the entire world.

174. Zofia, your line: ‘In other words, doesn’t this celebrating go against the truth of unity or oneness that we feel on a deeper, innate level?’ says a lot for the state of humanity when this seems to be normal behaviour, to celebrate separation and comparison, when in actual truth we are all connected. Therefore any sense of separation that is felt or experienced is harming to humanity and is perpetrated as fighting against and reaction to the harm/hurt inflicted upon people resulting in more conflict. This is the macro result of a discriminating and separative ideal.

175. I love this line “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.”
     Thank you for sharing with us. I went to school in the Caribbean where I was the only white girl and I have experienced racism and being the minority…but why do we seperate when under that layer of skin, we are all the same.

176. Zofia, you have brought to my attention something I have never considered before. The possibility that when we celebrate ‘difference’, we are choosing separation and not oneness. It makes complete sense, and yet I feel so attached to making a point of someone’s culture, race, nationality that is different to mine in an attempt to be ‘inclusive’, but now I’m pondering on what my idea of inclusive really means…perhaps I’ve been unintentionally exclusive this entire time.

177. Great blog Zofia Sharman, racism does not belong to the human race. When we come from love as being our basis we would celebrate all the different expressions of people, including their nationality and skin color, as we all together represent the whole. Love is our true nature and it is where we all belong.

178. Zofia I agree – we are all innately equal by love – to celebrate that and not the outer shell of difference is the way to live. When I’m with people from different cultures it’s the person I am communicating with, not their skin colour or ethnic background. Thank you for bringing to our attention the insidious racism that still pervades society.

179. This is a very powerful blog Zofia. Discarding our ‘outer shells’ and knowing ourselves as and by Love would completely change the world as we know it. It would make skin colour insignificant and trivial as it is not our skin that matters nor our culture or beliefs, it is Love that unifies us, as the one constant, unchanging essence within us all.

180. You raise some big questions here Zofia and ones that I don’t hear talked about very often at all. It’s like people get this message – “Love unites and harmonises. Difference divides, separates and excludes.” – but we are not choosing to live it. Your sharing here would spark some interesting conversations around tables no doubt.

181. Zofiam this line sums up everything for me in this incredible blog, “this Love is colour-less, race-less, that it has no border or region and belongs to no country or one organised religion”. Love just is and it is for everyone, thank you.

182. Such brilliant awareness raising of how the subtle ways of perpetuating separation filter through our everyday life, thank you Zofia. As you share the beauty industry does this so very well in many forms with reference to our outer shell no matter what colour, size, age etc. everyone is fair game. I love what you share here “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.” Lets make this the leading line in ALL advertising for make-up, as you say offer what unites and brings equality to All. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if every beauty product had a phrase that represented and connected people first before selling the product? People before product a concept that one-day will catch on when we can’t abide the lovelessness anymore.

183. Zofia, if we recognised each other as the equal love we are within, the world would be harmonious since the needs and beliefs and ideals would fall away in the light of the truth.

184. Hello Zofia Sharman and the irony is not lost on me that it appears in Asia with skin tone we are wanting to be whiter while in areas of the world there are people trying to be darker. It seems depending of where you live in the world it governs the ‘sales’ pitch you will receive. This is a great point and question, “If we stood unified as a race of human beings identified not by our differences of which country, geographic region, area, or ethnic race we are from, but instead by the universal truth of the Love that we are equally, how then would things be?” Thank you Zofia Sharman.

185. Division, what an important topic Zofia. I, being a white woman, have never suffered from racism. Yet I know about differentiation for having applied it myself or being thought different. When I came to Australia many years ago, the mere fact of my nationality gave me a ‘halo effect’. I remember a fellow employee telling me I was not a wog, because I was (nationality suppressed)! I must say that although I was very shy and not in the least outgoing I did carry deep inside me the absurd arrogance that indeed WE are so much better at many things. I married outside my religion and culture and felt the impact of being different. Now the division was applied to me and it is a very uncomfortable feeling. I am lucky to work in a field where I meet people of many nationalities and skin hue. I have shed many of my prejudices and through the teachings of Universal Medicine I keep deepening my understanding of inclusivity and true love.

186. Thank you Zofia for this blog on true equality.
     ‘Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.’

187. WOW, Zofia this blog holds so much wisdom. I love how you explore separation from the make-up foundation and how you expose that it is in any detail of how we live. I call that true philosophy!! I absolutely love your definition of equality!!!! “Being the same’ in this case is not about one’s ethnicity or race, but more about being love. In other words, the presence of equal love is the ingredient that unifies us as being ‘the same’ and surely it’s about celebrating this.” Thats a blog I will reference to in future equality debates!!!! Absolutely awesome.

188. However different we may be in terms of colour or race, Love has a way of feeling the same no matter what shade we are and, when connected to, the differences disappear before your eyes.

189. Wow Zofia, what a blog! Thank you for your powerful words. “Love unites and harmonises. Difference divides, separates and excludes.” Yes it does, and you have portrayed this beautifully here with your own personal story.

190. Your blog really gave me the opportunity to reflect on racism, race and what we hold onto to define and identify and divide ourselves the one thing that can unify humanity is acceptance of the innate Love we are.

191. Thank you for this very powerful blog, Zofia, expressing strongly and clearly how racism and separation still exist, and the dangers of the old way of thinking about diversity celebrating “different multi-racial, ethnic origins, cultures or backgrounds and say we enjoy all this because of their ‘uniqueness’ or ‘difference’.” That is so revealing, and I am sure is not not understood by most how equally divisive it is as open racism. It occurs to me that the celebrating of others is about the unique quality and expression we each bring to our lives and the lives of others, so that we can all live and work together in harmony.

192. Where solutions are sought instead of truth, societies are running lies and foul versions of what could otherwise be true brotherhood.

193. Thank you for speaking up and speaking so frankly about the current state of play. We can often think that racism no longer exists as most countries no longer have outright brutal acts occurring, but the subtleties that you speak of like in this experience at the beauty counter can be just as brutal. It is only from living a more loving life that I feel as a black woman a more equal part of society as in truth regardless of the colour of our skin, love loves regardless of what one looks like.

194. We are all the same underneath no matter what the race, colour or creed. It is inevitable that we converge into one global culture though it may take some time yet.

195. We are all the same underneath no matter what the race, colour or creed. It is inevitable that we converge into one global culture though it may take some time yet.

196. ‘Just imagine that if we each learnt to discard identification or being owned by and invested in our outer shells as being who we are as a determinant of our worth in the world, and instead carried acceptance of the innate Love we are -…’
     I always enjoy it so much when I meet new people very much on face value. Building a connection in that moment with whatever it is that you are doing, not needing or knowing each other’s ‘identities’, just being human and enjoying a real connection with another.

197. A universal (make-up) foundation, love it Zofia. “Surely LOVE is the real identity to celebrate – this is the ‘universal (make-up) foundation’ that can be applied to everyone, regardless of skin shade or colour.” So true.

198. Powerful words Zofia that smash the ‘need’ for an outer shell to reveal our common inner most which is the one and the same LOVE that these shells protect resulting in the all sorts of divisional justification.

199. Zofia,
     Racism is still in so much of our society and is hidden in many ways that we have yet to see and expose. I love the way you have exposed it here and the way that you have put forward that love is the element that is missing when racism is present. Love is the only thing that can and will reunite everyone in our world as when it is present in our body it is impossible to separate any one human from another.

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