Author and human rights activist Tara Teng grew up in a religious family. Her dad was a pastor at a qathet region church and she was raised in a conservative Christian household.
Teng lived here for 16 years before moving to Langley. One of her many accomplishments, and a bucket list goal for her, was winning Miss BC 2010 and Miss Canada in 2011.
Teng's new book Your Body is a Revolution tackles important but uncomfortable topics for some, such as healing relationships with our bodies, and each other. For years she worked as an independent abolitionist against human trafficking and was presented with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her work.
Teng will present her book at Powell River Public Library on Saturday, January 13.
"[The Northern Sunshine Coast] always feels like home; it's a place that's very very dear to me," said Teng. "I bring my kids back as often as I can, usually at least once, sometimes twice a year.
"My dad was one of the pastors at the Baptist church and the path that led me to where I am today really did start in Powell River. During my childhood, I was raised in a very strict, conservative Christian home. I was homeschooled as a part of the local homeschooling community, and it took me a long time to realize how sheltered I was. I'm still grateful for a lot of my upbringing, but there was a lot that I just missed out on."
For more than 10 years Teng had ideas percolating, possibilities for a book, tackling the topic of what she said is “centuries of body-based oppression built into our societal systems or masquerading as religion."
"There are great books out there, like The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk," said Teng. "There are some really great books that are coming to the forefront right now, but one thing that was missing was connecting with the way social justice, injustice in the world and traumas in the world collectively impact our nervous system, whether that is from different structural things like racism to high control religion."
Teng started writing the book in 2020 and delved into her own personal journey, as well as people she has worked with over the years.
"I spent my 20s working around the world in anti-racism efforts and anti-trafficking efforts," said Teng. "I worked in Ottawa, with a member of parliament and amended the Criminal Code a couple of times to strengthen Canada's anti trafficking laws."
Teng said her work made her realize the way that issues of injustice, oppression, marginalization of anti-racism, sexism and structural injustice is in practice at personal levels in our bodies and nervous system.
"I was seeing the effects of trauma, really close and firsthand, working with survivors of human trafficking,” said Teng. "Then I was working on unpacking my own trauma after I left an unhealthy marriage and started realizing my own trauma that I was carrying in my body."
Teng says scientific research backs the idea that memory doesn't just exist in the mind, but lives in our bodies and specifically our nervous system.
At the forefront of research and clinical practice is van der Kolk, who said that, "Exposure to abuse and violence fosters the development of a hyperactive alarm system and moulds a body that gets stuck in fight/flight and freeze. Trauma interferes with the brain circuits that involve focusing, flexibility and being able to stay in emotional control."
Teng has been working as an embodiment coach, helping people overcome shame, whether it's caused by growing up in a highly controlled religious background or being caught-up in negative societal narratives about body image. Her website states that she, "Helps to dismantle purity culture in a way that is in alignment with a person's values and beliefs so that they can build a healthy, sexual ethic and find their way back to their bodies, overcoming shame."
Teng will read from her book and there will be a question and answer session and discussion. The presentation takes place from 2 to 3 pm.
"I feel so liberated and free and grounded; I'm grateful for the journey," said Teng. "We all have hard things that we go through and it really builds character and shapes us if we allow ourselves to learn from the lessons that life puts in front of us."
Teng said she has been receiving messages from people around the world who have read her book and are finding encouragement and support or getting resources, and transforming their own relationships with themselves and their bodies.
"I'm grateful to be in a place where I've gone through hard things just like everybody else has," said Teng. "I have been able to find meaning to turn that [trauma] into something that I think we're all looking for."
For more information, go to tarateng.com.
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