I finished reading: The Heretic of Cacheu by Toby Green

Eye opening history about the influence of African women on the Atlantic slave trade 📚

Finished reading: In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism by J. P. Daughton 📚

Dreaming of walking beneath the Iberian sun en route to Santiago de Compostela. Looking forward to walking it again this spring. #camino #spain 📷🚶‍♂️

I started blogging at Liberating Narratives in 2016. Before that, I had various blogs. I would write for a few months, and then teaching and grading would get too busy. When I left the classroom in June, I knew I wanted to turn Liberating Narratives into a full-time newsletter. Since the beginning of September, I have been writing regularly. I love it. Sometimes I feel the pressure of deadlines, but usually, I write because it feels good. Sitting down with my iPad to write is becoming a ritual, and I love that.

Sadhana is a Sanskrit term for “accomplishing something.” When I first learned it as a teenager, I understood sadhana as a daily practice. I still like that translation, but sadhanas are intentional and mindful daily practices. I eat every day, but eating is not a sadhana. My wife offers a prayer of gratitude before every meal; that is a sadhana. Writing is becoming a sadhana for me.

My joy in writing every day is part of the reason why I started Pilgrimage Every Day. I want another place where I’m committing to a writing sadhana.

Tags: #writing #ritual #sadhana

📝🕉️☸️

Cooking therapy morning! The sandwich is a za’atar crusted baked tofu with a white bean pâté, cilantro tahini sauce, pickles, and harissa (and lots of arugula) on a ciabatta roll. This was delicious. And then I made a speculaas simple syrup (speculaas is the Dutch spice mix) and put a dash of that and rose water over pomegranate. This was a yummy lunch! 🥬🌱🪬

One of the best looking fruits 📷🪬