On Practice
Thinking through the (potential) role of habits in decolonization.
Dear relatives,
This letter is a few days behind the normal schedule, and for that, I apologize. I do appreciate your patience and hope that this finds you healthy and taking good care of yourselves and your beloveds. We can all use more care these days.
Last week, I gave a presentation on breathwork at a local event highlighting women’s wellness. I decided to adapt a previous talk I’d given on the same topic, this time with a much simpler slide deck because no one else would see them. The event was well attended, and at the same time felt intimate. There were about ten speakers, from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. There were also vendors, including one of my favorite local businesses, Unique Candle Co., which specializes in handcrafted soy candles. The gathering proved to be an amazing opportunity to connect with women-identified folks in my community and learn about their work and passion for personal and collective care.
A common theme that emerged out of the day was the role that emotions play in well-being. The landscape of emotional health has been well-studied and documented, and current data highlights the variety of beneficial methodologies. I am personally interested in inquiries that elucidate the interdependent relationship between habit change and improving emotional health. Since 80-90% of health is determined by non-medical factors including habits and environment, this research is both timely and necessary.
My experience at the event inevitably led me to think about the art of practice and how it can be a tool for systemic change. Before the gathering, I’d been reflecting on habit formation and habit change, which are important to consider in the work that I do. People often come to my clinic seeking support with a desired transformation—be it physical, emotional, or spiritual—and more often than not this requires that people shift their habits, to reframe how or what they practice. In the process, I remembered my grandmother's garden, which was the first place that sparked my interest in health and wellness. She was an avid gardener, and through her passion for plants and care for the land, I learned that attention plays a significant role in how we create sustainable habits. Where attention flows, habits form and through regular practice, patterns emerge. This flow of emergence applies to a variety of situations, from how one sets a personal routine, to the scaffolding of an ideology.
It is also important to note the lack of diversity around the topic of habits, likely due to a strong association with productivity and capitalism. A habit is a practice that is intersectional and changes context depending on a host of things, including socio-economic factors, gender, and worldview. I know I’m not the only one who desires to hear more from BIPOC communities on what habits and practices they engage with, both as a means of survival and as a tool for liberation.
In this week’s reading, “Decoloniality and anti-oppressive practices for a more ethical ecology,” ecological research and practice is the central theme. The authors propose and elucidate upon five necessary shifts that could lead to more inclusivity and overcome historical constraints: decolonization of the mind, knowledge of history, decolonizing access, decolonizing expertise, and the practice of an ethical, collaborative ecology within inclusive teams. Decolonial approaches can be applied to every field, and a recent example where this approach would be helpful is the American Medical Association’s active silencing of medical students who proposed a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza. To learn more about this topic, see this post from the Do No Harm Coalition.
Significantly, the authors of this paper begin their list of suggestions with “decolonizing the mind.” The principle of decolonial thinking and practice is intimately connected to the value of spatial thinking, as we discussed in last week’s letter. In “Decolonization is not a metaphor,” the pivotal research by Tuck and Yang, the authors trouble the idea and “remind readers what is unsettling about decolonization.” To decolonize one’s mind requires a praxis-level shift, beyond theory. As I continue to form my thinking on the subject, I’m asking, what role do habits have in the practice of decolonization? How might habit change inform the work of decolonizing the mind, creating shared access, and reframing expertise?
In place of a question this week, I invite you to practice deep listening with me. I am sharing this webinar, “Black Feminist Writers and Palestine,” featuring Clarissa Brooks, Angela Y. Davis, Breya Johnson, Briona Simone Jones, and Jaimee A. Swift. If you’d care to share any thoughts that emerge as you watch and listen, I’ll look forward to reading those in the comments.
With gratitude,
Christian
Updates
The Inner Ecology Winter Solstice Session is open for registration. We will gather on December 9th at noon EST. We’ll explore the wisdom of the Winter season and learn how to align our inner rhythms with the cycles of nature through guided breathwork, acupressure, and reflective journaling.
This sliding scale offering is open to any level of experience, which means you choose the amount that feels good to you. Paid subscribers in the Friends tier have access to all quarterly events. If you want to join us for the workshop, you can upgrade your subscription or register online.
Reading
Next week our reading will take us into the writing of author, essayist, and nature writer, Barry Lopez with “Love in a Time of Terror: On Natural Landscapes, Metaphorical Living, and Warlpiri Identity.” I am looking forward to reading this essay, as I am new to his writing.
Creating
As Winter approaches, I am feeling the pull to prepare for the coming New Year. To be honest, I consider the Lunar New Year to be a more accurate representation because it is connected to cosmic transitions. Lunar New Year occurs at the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and signals the beginning of a new season. The start of November has been about creating space to do more of what I love.