Thoughts on Advocacy and Commitment
And who wants to join us on The Writers Retreats?
Dear Lovely Friends,
My advocacy doesn’t cost me anything, so is it really advocacy? It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever been afraid that what I might say could be considered controversial, that I could be considered a terrorist by the American government because I am pro-abortion, against the fascism of our current administration and of course a feminist. How fortunate that I’ve gone my whole life never quite worried about my body being criminalized. Everyone in the world should feel this freedom, but they don’t.
How do we resist? What are we supposed to be doing in this current atrocious moment of history that we find ourselves in? My answer seems to be to keep writing, and keep inspiring others to share their story, to keep making a space for our voices.
I saw a post from a random person on the internet reshared from someone else but it definitely struck a chord.“Joy is a form of resistance" Yes, for the Palestinians. For the oppressed. For the colonized. Not for white people who want to dissociate from the reality of genocide by continuing to uplift and center personal nervous system regulation & happiness to the detriment of the WORLD.” I’ve had this thought many times. I don’t want to dissociate and yet I also know that if I’m not thriving and my nervous system isn’t regulated, there isn’t any way that I can support others.
There are some that are worried that just by sharing the atrocities that are currently happening is performative and isn’t really true activism and others who say that at least by sharing you are doing what you can do. I fall somewhere in between. While I’m not in the protest lines mostly because I don’t live in the States but also because I’m not willing to put my body at risk because I have my children who depend on me.
To me then this also means thinking deeply about how to continue to be an ally. This means working towards what I know I can do. I know that I can encourage others to write their stories. This is something that I’m fantastically good at. Whether that means providing a space every Sunday for brilliant writers to write together and share or if it means creating luxury writing retreats where writers rediscover their authentic voice and go bravely into situations they were afraid to write about.
There is a quote I love by artist Barbara Walker, “With visibility comes worth; with worth comes humanity.”
Barbara Walker has a show at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol until May 25, in case you happen to be close by, it seems amazing. A quote that I love that opens the show:
“To be an artist, to create in times of adversity, is to be optimistic. I have sought to make 'positive' images, or images that will have a positive impact. I love working with people who are not used to having their voices heard. People who are often made visible in only the worst ways. I want to help make people visible in the best ways possible, by creating affirming images that speak of and to humanity.”
I just recently read an excellent essay by Shabnam Nasimi, “Afghan women’s pain is powerful enough to fill theatres—but not airwaves. Reflections on the British theatre debut of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, and the silence beyond the stage.” One line particularly stands out, “They are still trying to be heard. But finding a voice is only one part of the journey. The world must be willing to mentor, to guide, to make room—not to speak for us, but to help shape the conditions so we can speak for ourselves.” This what I hope to with my advocacy.
The Writers Retreat in the Cote d’Azur (May 31-June 7) is six weeks away and there is still a gorgeous shared room available! And The Mystic Writers Retreat (June 26-July2) is filling up! It’s been an abysmal time that we are living in but questions of whether you deserve it or not only feed the systems that are designed to keep us in our place. Keep us from protesting. I’ve heard the criticism about my retreats that people could never imagine spending so much money on themselves, that they’d rather give that money away if they had it. And this is completely a valid argument, I’m all for making money to be able to give it away to causes that you support but also there is a slight reframe necessary here.
The Writers Retreats not only support me but also support my team of women; from the chef who is in business for herself, the photographer who is also making a living taking spectacular photos, the masseuse who engaged in healing people by their touch, my friend Tillie Eze who also has so many healing methods to put you in connection with your higher self, not to mention the women who own the houses who are also in business for themselves and sharing their beautiful homes so that we have a place to call our own as well as being an asset to the group of writers who are coming to be in community and rediscover their passion and commitment to themselves.
So it’s not just a selfish indulgence and even if it was, I ask you to question why that isn’t allowed. Where have you learned not to be selfish and do you even know what that truly means? We put our oxygen mask on first, women have been taught to be selfless much to our disadvantage. Our money, our presence, our energy and alignment touches so many others.
If the Writers Retreats are calling to you but you are afraid that it’s too much money to spend on yourself, I ask you to question that thought. Any investment I’ve ever spent on myself has never been wasted because it’s helped me reach a new level and get unstuck where I wouldn’t have otherwise. We are resourceful when we really want something for ourselves. When we commit to making a decision.
Book a free consultation with me here to discuss if the Writers Retreats or working together one on one are right for you. Even if you don’t decide to come on the retreat or work together. I can guarantee our hour together is precious and you’ll leave with a shift in perspective.
The retreats are happening and I have a feeling you don’t want to miss it!
Love,
Augustine
