a grounding exercise

Thank you for being here. I am grateful for the curiosity that has led you to this moment and this learning journey. Before you dive in, I invite you to find a comfortable position wherever you are and take a deep breath in. Hold the breath for three counts and then breathe out. Repeat as many times as you need until you feel grounded in place.

Now, I invite you to ask yourself:

• What’s on my heart at this moment? What led me here?

• Am I fully present in this moment? If not, what’s something that could bring me closer to presence?

• Where am I feeling resistance? Is there something that could help me soften the edges at this moment?

The works cited in this syllabus may be inspiring, challenging, familiar, healing, illuminating, and frustrating (sometimes all at once). This breathing exercise is meant to help anchor you as you take it all in. Feel free to return to it as many times as you need, whether through this learning journey or elsewhere.

know your positionality within this learning journey

There is no right or wrong way to engage with this syllabus. This is an experiment and you’re encouraged to be an active participant in whatever way feels best aligned for you. The only thing I ask is that you employ self-reflexivity and move intentionally through the works. I invite you to unpack your politics of location within this learning journey. Be mindful of how you engage this material, the space/power you occupy, and the social networks who might have access to this through you. Are you indigenous to the land you currently call home? Are you someone who has been historically dispossessed and/or marginalized from your land, history, and culture? Are you someone who has benefitted from resource extraction and capital accumulation across generations? Do you currently benefit from institutional recognition and/or support? Sit with these questions (and create your own) as long as you need to. Write down your findings and save them for your reference.

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syllabus structure

This syllabus is not organized by linear time, nor a concrete list of goals or assignments. It’s based on intuitive knowing. Intuition is based on your gut feeling. You can locate it within your sacral area in your body. It’s said to be an instinctual knowing that may not necessarily be based on linear logic. Your intuition is meant to protect you and lead you towards your personal evolution. Many afro-descended and indigenous mythologies of Abya Yala regard each of the elements (fire, water, earth, air) as living beings that hold equal regard as animals and humans in sustaining the past, present, and future of the world. They are often consulted for guidance through transformational and transitional moments before rituals and demonstrations of collective resistance against the state. 

fire: passion, will, resistance, action

water: intuition, feeling, healing, ancestors

earth: practical, nature, body, roots

air: expression, intellect, creativity, idealistic 

You may choose to follow the elements in whatever way you feel called to them. A few suggestions of where to begin:

• Choose the element that corresponds to your natal sun sign of the zodiac
• Choose the element that you’d like to get to know better
• (If you have access to a tarot deck) Choose the element that corresponds to the first card you pull (wands=fire, cups=water, pentacles=earth, swords=air) 
• Choose the element according to your favorite Avatar character

Repeat this process until you’ve become acquainted with each element. Feel free to return as many times as you need for guidance. Each of the subpages correspond to a different element. Each page will feature a video with journaling prompts for you to sit with and reflect on. You may choose return to them before/during/after diving into the texts and films.