Decolonization & Spiritual Bypassing at ARPI: A Path to Reconnection

What is Decolonization?

Decolonization is at the heart of ARPI's journeys. As an ethno-therapist, I approach it not just as an intellectual or political process, but as a deeply embodied path of healing. It’s about unlearning dominant narratives inherited from colonial systems and also about mending the disconnection from our own histories, bodies, and communities. Decolonization means returning to wholeness, reclaiming the parts of ourselves that were silenced, suppressed, or forgotten. Through ARPI, we create a space for participants—ARPI walkers or caminantes—to explore how colonialism has shaped their identities, beliefs, and behaviors, and to reconnect with ancestral wisdom, whether indigenous, European, mixed, or even simply a reconnection with their true selves.

In ARPI, we don’t treat decolonization as a one-size-fits-all path. Every person carries different layers of history. That’s why our work is rooted in these key pillars:

• Awareness – Becoming conscious of the internalized beliefs and behaviors shaped by colonial and patriarchal systems. ARPI offers tools to identify and transform these patterns into narratives that are more aligned with authenticity and self-respect.

• Rest – Reclaiming rest as a radical act of healing. In a world that glorifies exhaustion, ARPI invites you to slow down, to honor your cycles, and to remember that rest restores your connection to the sacred.

• Purpose – Rediscovering your root(s), whether by reclaiming indigenous practices, embracing your mixed heritage, or accessing ancestral wisdom obscured by modern systems. This isn’t about romanticizing the past, but about grounding your life in values that feel true.

• Interaction – Reconnecting with others and the Earth through reciprocity and humility. Decolonization includes the way we relate: with integrity, respect, and an open heart toward the stories and paths of others, while staying grounded in our own.

Whether your background is fully colonial, mixed, or rooted in First Nations or indigenous ancestry, ARPI helps you navigate this process with care. For those with colonial roots, it’s about unlearning harm, softening ego, and rediscovering erased wisdom. For those with mixed heritage, it’s about healing duality and learning to hold both sides of your story. For those with indigenous lineage, it’s about restoring what was taken and reviving ancestral strength.
 

What is Spiritual Bypassing?

Spiritual bypassing is when we use spiritual beliefs, practices, or language to avoid facing our emotional wounds, pain, or uncomfortable truths. As an ethno-therapist, I see this often: people hiding behind mantras, rituals, or positivity to escape their deeper wounds. Instead of allowing ourselves to feel grief, fear, anger, or shame, we cover it up with “everything happens for a reason” or “just let it go.”

It can look like always trying to be light and love, avoiding conflict, or numbing ourselves with practices that should be helping us reconnect. But true healing can’t happen if we bypass the truth of our humanity. Growth doesn’t come from escaping what we feel—it comes from sitting with it, from being real, raw, and honest. In ARPI, spirituality means integrating all aspects of who you are, not escaping from them.

This work is not abstract—it’s grounded, real, and embodied. It is a practical process of coming home to yourself. ARPI invites you into a journey of reconnection, not only with your ancestors, but with your body, your truth, your community, and your path forward.

Together, we build bridges to our roots and move forward into lives lived with intention, rest, and deep presence.