Sustaining Spirit: Self-Care for Social Justice

by Naomi Ortiz

“must read” - Adela Nieves, Traditional Health Practitioner, Taino (Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean) Caring - Volunteering - Always too much work to do - Burnout Does this sound familiar? Burnout is a vicious cycle. Naomi Ortiz went through this cycle many times before she This Is Not Working. Sustaining Spirit shows how she broke the cycle of burnout and brought balance into her life. “Sustaining Spirit takes us on a poetic and layered journey” - Lisa Hoffman, International Human Rights Activist Naomi provides us with a guide to self-care, sharing her journey and the strategies she’s learned from interviewing over 30 social justice activists. “beautifully crafted and exquisitely written” ” - Melanie Morrison, Allies for Change Here’s a taste of this remarkable “We live in a world where there is a raging storm swirling around our bodies all of the time. Wind blowing so hard we can’t catch our breath. Do not get blown away in this raging storm. We need you. You have so many gifts to give. ¿Y dónde está tu ombligo? Where are you rooted? How does one grow roots in the midst of this storm, you ask? Growing our roots is a leap of faith. We must trust ourselves that where our roots wander and how deep they grow is just right. In knowing where our roots grow, in tending to how and where they spread, we make a commitment to ourselves that we can survive here. Self-care is a practice of returning. Of remembering. Of noticing. Be gentle. When living in a way where many truths exist at once, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the possibilities and the complexity. Accept all of who you are because this is the place where you begin, the essential truth of your nature. You are precious, and it’s up to you to carry this preciousness centered in your heart. I carry mine tenderly, wrapped up in an old piece of cloth my grandmother embroidered with the sun and stars. Sometimes, remembering I’m precious takes all the courage I have. Sometimes, it’ll take all the courage you have too.” “activists from every movement can gain strength from Sustaining Spirit” - Alice Wong, Founder, Disability Visibility Project™ Wow. Powerful words. Uplifting. Providing a light during challenging times. Sustaining Spirit includes wisdom from over 30 leaders representing different communities adrienne maree brown (author of Emergent Strategy) Erin Blanding (WE Movement) Cristy Chung (Move to End Violence) Debra Erenberg (Amnesty International) Adam Maltby (social worker) Adi Afek (reproductive justice activist) Emma Fialka-Feldman (inclusion educator) Hillary Jorgensen (Colorado Progressive Coalition) Janice Felka, (author, What Reflections on Disability, Community and Love) Jennifer Thomas (Institute for Educational Leadership) Kellie Haigh (MSW, disability activist) Kim Borowicz (Independent Living Research Utilization) Lisa Hoffman (international human rights activist) Melinda Haus (Justice Moves), Micah Fialka-Feldman (Through

Genres: Social Justice, Nonfiction, Self Help, Disability, Disability Studies, Activism, Mental Health

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gentle, transformative book. Written for social justice activists, it has a much wider application in the America of 2018, where many people feel frightened, depressed, or angry about government actions against women, people of color, immigrant people, LGBTQ people, and the environment. The constant barrage of bad news has left many Americans feeling depleted, whether or not they are active in social justice work.

Chapters focus on particular, possible reactions to these feelings, and on specific challenges that white and ableist privilege imposes on individuals. Oritz draws on her Mestiza community's spiritual traditions, suggesting strategies for creating nourishing rituals using the reader's own ancestry, experience, and traditions. She emphasizes how to identify one's strengths, how to manage stress, how to decide when and whether a job, relationship, or other situation has become untenable.

Ortiz analyzes adaptive habits like hyper-vigilance using examples from her own life that are grounded in the body. For example, as a young person growing up, she "learned that my hypervigilance helped me to be courageous." As she grew into adulthood, she became more aware of how exhausting hypervigilance is.

Each chapter ends with questions intended to lead the reader to internal knowledge, self-awareness, and peace. I enjoyed this interactive element and found real value in the questions Ortiz poses to her readers. For me, the best choice was to read the book slowly to fully integrate its wisdom.

[M.B. Dallocchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chicken Soup for the WOC Activist Soul

This is a great tool for many WOC activists who feel "too busy" for self-care, and we're often the ones who need it most. I appreciated the parts concerning interdependence and connecting with one another, but felt in certain areas felt there was a lack of introspection about how we project empowerment. It's important for all of us to not only think in silos as the book suggests, but to also know when to step back and reflect. Speaking of which, the questions were quite helpful, and essential for grounding each section.

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous, moving, and practical book. I loved it a lot.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with journal prompts for anyone involved in activism. Really enjoyed this author's thoughtful words.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the holistic, expansive, and collectivistic understanding of self-care that Naomi Ortiz brings to this book. I often feel conflicted about self-care since it tends to be used in cis white middle-class able-bodied feminist spaces that center materialistic, individualistic forms of self-care. Instead, Ortiz asks us to consider what self-care would look like from a radical perspective that takes disability and diverse lived experiences into account.

I also appreciated Ortiz’s inclusion of her own experiences throughout, her reminder of all the earth has to teach us, and I liked the prompts at the end of each chapter. My only complaint is that the book became repetitive toward the end and could have been about 50 pages shorter.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from the moment I opened it. I've recommended it to so many people. Too often self care is pedicures and a face mask. Ortiz reminds us that self care is being rooted and caring for that which grounds us. Getting sustenance and wisdom from nature. (Which of course reminds me so much of adrienne maree brown.) Forgiving ourselves to create space for having compassion others (which doesn't mean that people get a free pass to treat us like doormats). Letting go of perfection (such a tool of patriarchal white supremacy). So much joy and love in this book. I read it slowly so that I could digest and copy and practice.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naomi Ortiz has written a beautiful account of all the ways in which we can practice being rooted to something larger than ourselves (the earth and those who came before us) as an act of self-care. This is a must read not just for activists working in social justice areas, but everyone who has ever felt burnt out.

[lauren hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Naomi Ortiz's 'Sustaining Spirit' proved to be a truly invigorating read! Seamlessly intertwining with the ongoing events in Gaza and the student uprisings, this book, a gift received during my high school graduation, finally found its way into my hands. Ortiz's exploration of sustaining spirit in activism from an indigenous/disabled perspective is eye opening. It not only sheds light on the challenges faced by disabled activists but also delves into the resilience required to navigate systemic barriers. Offering nourishing strategies for self-care, it is a must-read for anyone engaged in activism or simply navigating the tumult of these times. It is also helpful in revisiting unattended wounds from previous activism (i.e., 2020 BLM 😵‍💫).

[Cat Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book!!! Naomi Ortiz did a beautiful thing! They took an education piece and turned it into art. That definitely hooked me in. Even though it took me a while, I'm happy I finished it! Namoi shared their experience of being wounded by the world and finding their way back using nature and self care. I have a lot more appreciation for myself and my strength. Definitely a book to read if you're struggling with nourishing yourself.

We have the wrong idea of how to actually take care of ourselves. The work doesn't lie in materials of capitalism. The work lies in nature, the spiritual realm, and our body. Where are you rooted? Start rooting.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book to therapists, counselors, social workers, chaplains, and people in related fields, in addition to the activists that it addresses itself to directly. Our work is similar in many ways to activism in general.

This book also carries a lot of wisdom in regards to systems of interdependence and disability rights, and many therapists could probably also find it beneficial to read from a spiritual and cultural perspective that is not often represented in formal training and education of a therapist.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book for activists and organized as well as well as workers doing people-centered work but unlike many ‘self care’ books, the author incorporates nature, our needs to be rooted in place, and perspectives from the disability movement as guides. I appreciated the explicit anti capitalism language and the concept of ‘rule-bearers,’ and her perspectives on non-profits generally. The reflection questions she includes at the end of many chapters are also deeply thoughtful. I know that I’ll be returning to this one repeatedly.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed reading that would be helpful and inspiring. I was feeling burned out in my environmental justice work. This book was both helpful, relatable and indeed inspiring. At the end of each chapter the author poses some questions for reflection. I appreciated these thoughtfully crafted questions and the collective wisdom that the author included from interviews with other social justice advocates. I am really grateful to have come across this book and will share it with fellow activists.

[S.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously my go to book for grounding and self-care.

[Smitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must for disabled poc working in the nonprofit industrial complex. Outlines real tactics to deal with oppressions and racism while trying to organize with privileged individuals.