How can the thought of a raisin be thought-provoking? Experiencing my first, true contemplative practice, I assumed the intention of the activity would be silly or farfetched. Without any actual context, all the students in the lecture put the raisin in their mouths. Throughout the contemplative practice, I could completely centralize my thinking to the topic of the raisin. The lights dimmed, and the speaking halted, as each student received time to analyze and reflect on the singular raisin in their mouth. As time passed, more and more questions began to appear in my head. How are raisins like grapes? It’s so dry, but how did it get that way? We never truly dedicate time to reflect on the process behind each product: the blood, sweat and tears that goes through all labor.
Using methods such as the raisin contemplative practice, we grasp better understanding of the background of each product that we encounter. Well, why is this so important? African American slaves were utilized for the benefit for Caucasians in labor work like agriculture. The raisin activity allowed us to be mindful and conscious of our current situation and also expand our minds to the past and the story behind it.