Philosophy
To understand healing, we must understand how harm is manufactured.
Below I share my applied vales and philosophies, what I have learned about the harm and structures of capitalism and supremacist ideologies, as well as, the possibilities of healing pathways through personal and community centered care models.
These are some of the ideas that I am working on for myself and/or currently embodying in my facilitation, writing, and art:
If capitalism is exploiting my time, energy, and labor leaving little room for me to eat well, clean my space, rest, heal, play, and fight for change, then I must find ways to share responsibilities and resources in communal work, space, and living environments.
If western medicine is perpetuating illness for profit, then I must be and think holistically about my physical and mental healing through yoga, food, herbs, interdependence, empowerment, and other traditional and indigenous medicinal practices.
If I am holding the hurt, pain, and violence inflicted ON me, my ancestors, and my communities, then I must find ways to address and heal from my wounds in an emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual manner. I do this through yoga, ecotherapy, somatic practices, meditations, authentic connection to humans and non-humans, education, art expression, visioning, organizing, self-investment, play, movement, faith and devotion to gratitude and love.
If I am holding the hurt, pain, and violence inflicted BY myself, my ancestors, and my communities, then I must find ways to address, be accountable, and heal the wounds I’ve caused in an emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual manner. I do this through building self awareness and capacity for conflict, regulating my nervous system, education, reparations, divestment, intervening in current systems of violence, organizing, and devoting myself to joint struggles.
If capitalism commodifies and mystifies birth, the body, gender, sexuality, and death, then I must find ways to hold myself and let myself be held and seen by my community while processing and curating my understanding of my body, gender, sexuality, illness, grief, magic, and transition.
If capitalism is isolating and leads me down a path of self-deprecation, depression, and substance abuse, then I must find ways to practice harm reduction, connect with humans and non-humans, find worth in myself, and faith in this world.
If capitalism is destroying the planet that we live, breathe, and nurture ourselves with, then I must find ways to acknowledge her divine power, honor, respect, and fight for her.
If capitalism strips us of our lands, homes, and continually displaces us for the sake of profit, then I must find ways to reimagine home, as well as, work collectively to decommodify, reclaim, and defend our homes.