Rest Fest
An Invitation to Pause This year has been a lot. In March, the world as we understood it dropped away. We were pushed to rapidly adapt in our homes, work, and community. Inequities stared us in the face. Worlds came apart. Movements for justice and liberation mobilized millions of people to take action. Our communities organized to give care and fill gaps left by chronically broken systems. After months of rapid response and endless uncertainty, people are tired. We have done so much, and there is much left to do. The courage and creativity that carried us through this year require active healing and rest in order to be restored. Our people are our greatest resources. Our hearts and minds need fuel. Our vision of building a more just, joyful, and beautiful society begs us to come to this work with our whole and healthy selves. Our capacity to do great work is grounded in how we care for ourselves and each other. Our team will be taking space to rest, reflect, and recharge at the end of this year. We will officially be observing “Rest Fest” from Dec 14 to Jan 4. We invite you to slow down with us. We believe this pause is vital groundwork to rebuild our world in 2021.
What is Rest Fest? Rest Fest celebrates the importance of rest, reflection, and self-care to sustain the work of social justice and systems change. Our “official” Rest Fest period runs from Dec 14 to Jan 4. Our team will be largely unplugged during this time. Our space will be unhosted. We will be engaged in active, intentional rest. We encourage our members, partners, and broader community to join us. Take some personal days. Give your team a break. Limit meetings and obligations. Read. Reflect. Recharge. Even in small ways. Reclaim your time. Connect with your people. Practice rituals of healing. Seek out sources of inspiration and joy. Give yourself permission to slow down. Redefine productivity. Commit to your wellbeing. Let go of things that do not serve you. Cultivate resilience. Reimagine our world. Where did this idea come from? Our imperative to rest came about as a response to our community who told us they wanted support in pursuing rest, self-care, and healing. Our framing and approach is rooted in dialogue and practice on our team. We’ve been inspired by the thought leadership of Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry, and Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown. Both remind us to slow down, connect to nature, and listen to ourselves.
What’s in this Guide? Our team compiled this Resource Guide with wisdom and practices we draw on ourselves to recharge or get inspired. In moments of uncertainty, they help us reground ourselves and our work. We created these lists by reflecting aloud together. Inspired by Emergent Strategy, we organized our lists into "Spells and Practices”. Spells shift our state of being and power. Practices bring us into alignment with ourselves and our world. The process of generating our lists was powerful in and of itself. Create your own lists! Borrow what resonates, explore new horizons, share the experience with a friend. Regrounding is vital to moving forward into 2021 and beyond. How can you contribute? Commit to rest and reflect at the end of this year. Share your resources and practices with loved ones. Share key resources with us to add to the Resource Guide. Encourage and enable others to reset. Our social media channels will activate around Rest Fest in the first half of December, before we hit pause. Share your commitments, spells, and practices with us online and offline. #RestFest2020 If we begin to understand ourselves as practice ground for transformation, we can transform the world. - adrienne maree brown
Resources & Recommendations from Michelle
Practices
Rituals of Grounding & Wellness Journaling Collage Baths Listening to records all the way through Walks with friends Cabin weekends Campfires - building & tending them Baking Laura’s White Bread (a family recipe) Daily pocket crystals Building altars of sacred objects Smudging with sage Magnolia oil
Acupuncture, massage, therapy (monthly) Tarot readings - favorite decks: The Wild Unknown, Tarot Del Fuego Morning coffee time with Andy Chinese checkers Little localism treats - fancy coffee at Sophomore, books from Bird in Hand House projects Moon Lists journal Time with friends Time alone
Dancing in the living room with Andy -favorite tracks: This Must Be the Place by Talking Heads, Become Younger by Peals Listening to favorite albums and singing along: -Joni Mitchell (Blue), Nina Simone (Sings the Blues), Brian Eno (Here Come the Warm Jets), Shannon and the Clams (Onion), Mountain Man (Magic Ship)
Spells
Inspiration from Culture & Community
Listen TODAY On Being podcast - Ocean Vuong, John Lewis, Today I’m flying low and I’m Jericho Brown, Wendell Berry, Rebecca Solnit not saying a word. Aldous Harding - Zoo Eyes I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep. The world goes on as it must, the bees in the garden rumbling a little, the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten. And so forth. But I’m taking the day off. Quiet as a feather. I hardly move though I’m really traveling a terrific distance. Stillness. One of the doors Into the temple. -Mary Oliver
Look American Utopia - David Byrne Life on Our Planet - David Attenborough The Artist Is Present - Marina Abramovic Midnight Gospel - Netflix series Harriet Tubman - underground railroad trail Fantastic Fungi Read Vesper Flights - Helen MacDonald Trainings in Compassion - Norman Fischer Power and Love - Adam Kahane The Water Dancer - Ta-Nehisi Coates How to Change Your MInd - Michael Pollen James Baldwin essays
Resources & Recommendations from Irene
Practices
Rituals of Grounding & Wellness Reading Journaling Gratitude lists Collaging Running Salt baths Cooking Filipino adobo (Dad’s recipe) Catching up with loved ones Sitting by the water / docks at the Inner Harbor Self-dates - mostly to walk to and read at local parks Wearing red lipstick and doing my hair Curating my wardrobe and dressing well (instant confidence boost!) Mirror affirmations and self check-ins Watching the clouds as a reminder of impermanence and to relieve anxiety Brainstorming and laying out writing projects / essays
Spells
Painting with ink and watercolor Processing and deep conversations with close friends Singing bowl meditations Listening to albums (2020 favorite: Chilombo - Jhené Aiko) Time alone for self-reflection, processing, and recharge Meditating with crystals (favorites: sunstone, moonstone and citrine) Taking care of “earthly things” - review finances and caring for my home Naming fears out loud acknowledging to build acceptance and release Burning sage and eucalyptus at home Reading old journals Looking at family and childhood photos as a reminder of my roots Listening to Disney piano music Daily skincare routine Making my bed every morning
Inspiration from Culture & Community Listen A Life Worthy of Our Breath with Ocean Vuong - On Being podcast Jhené Aiko: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert Look Congresswoman AOC’s Guide to Her Signature Red Lip - Vogue Midnight Gospel - Netflix series (favorite episode: “Mouse of Silver” on the cycle of life and death) Read All About Love - bell hooks On Work & On Joy and Sorrow - poems by Kahlil Gibran Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe - Laura Lynne Jackson Pleasure Activism - adrienne maree brown
Gifts of Imperfection - Brené Brown No Mud, No Lotus - Thich Nhat Hanh The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Deepak Chopra The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz Come As You Are - Emily Nagoski
The Alchemist And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. -Paulo Coelho
Practices
Rituals of Grounding & Wellness My mother’s soup Buying new curtains and duvet covers in winter Writing in the early morning or the middle of the night, when the house is quiet Sit in the car & listen to music Driving around Therapy, sometimes multiple times a week Listen to music in general, especially cassette tapes Scarves, things to touch that feel good Small bags with the bare minimums for simple living Checkers Backyard fires with friends Making cocktails with friends Not watching the news Be near water (sunrise Water Taxi, free Mon to Fri) Peppermint oil, lavender oil, lemongrass Clubhouse app - invite only, live conversations & events Watching Nollywood movies & low budget movies Watching crackling fireplaces & beach waves on YouTube Hanging out on the front porch, watching the neighborhood characters Buy houseplants
We deserve more-a reciprocal nurturing, both for our longevity and for our safety -Alanah Nichole Davis
Resources & Recommendations from Alanah
There is revolution in your rest -Alanah Nichole Davis
Spells
Inspiration from Culture & Community Listen Bob Marley CD on hand at all times Look Queen’s Gambit - empowering to watch a woman win over a bunch of men The Cut - millennial style section of the New York Magazine Toni Morrison documentary - The Pieces I Am The Crown & going down rabbit holes researching heirs Read Read the Thesaurus or Dictionary every day learn a new word (today’s word : anomalous) Toni Morrison books - The Bluest Eye, Sula, The Source of Self Regard The Uses of Anger - Audre Lorde Instagram reading - @ShrimpTeeth
Practices
Rituals of Grounding & Wellness Yoga Meditation Hiking Forest bathing Facilitating Unfiltered and unapologetic laughter Kayaking Swimming Floating Massages Crossword puzzles Noticing and naming elephants in the room Taking care of plants Nightly flossing Reading Live music and dancing Handwriting notes and cards Daily “Gratefuls” Quality time with family and friends Girlfriends group chat
Journaling Writing poetry Photo reflecting (looking through analog and digital photos) Thoughtful, random gift-giving Protecting time on weekends and evenings Scheduling unscheduled free time to follow my natural rhythms Taking myself on dates Laying on the floor quietly Watching stand-up comedy regularly Taking candid photos Birthday shout outs to honor and celebrate loved ones Deep listening and question asking Radical empathy Playing Rummy (card game) Verbal appreciations Trying to be gentle with myself Making myself a good breakfast Weekend and day trips
Resources & Recommendations from Sam
Spells
Inspiration from Culture & Community Listen American Beauty - Grateful Dead Waiting for Columbus - Little Feat Rumors - Fleetwood Mac Kind of Blue - Miles Davis Let Me Get By - Tedeschi Trucks Band Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder Read On Living - Kerry Egan Daring Greatly - Brene Brown Salt - Nayyirah Waheed The Invitation - Oriah Mountain Dreamer (favorite poem) Community: The Structures of Belonging - Peter Block The Hidden Connections - Fritjof Capra Nonviolent Communication - Marshall B Rosenberg Emergent Strategy - adrienne maree brown
I love you like the Earth loves the Earth -Sherman Alexie
THE INVITATION I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away -Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Resources & Recommendations from friends & thought leaders Spells
Thought Leadership & Inspiration Wellness Spotlight Series (Impact Hub Baltimore via Medium) adrienne maree brown - blog (via Wordpress) The Nap Ministry | Rest as Resistance (via Wordpress) Using Emergence to Take Social Innovation to Scale (The Berkana Institute) Turning Towards Each Other & Embracing the Gifts of Conict for Social Change (Jovida Ross & Weyam Ghadbian via Medium) Two Loops Model: Berkana Institute's Theory of Change (Doing Something Good via Youtube)
Practices
Tools, Activities & Rituals Toolkit for Healing Justice (Black Lives Matter) Nourish: Yin + Nidra + Writing with Maya Semans (Maya Semans, Baltimore) In This Together Guide (Mend Acupuncture, Baltimore) Self-Care Strategies at Home (Nicoletta de la Brown, Baltimore) What Kinds of Self-Care Do You Need? (Katy Bishop & Kalima Young, Baltimore) Care for Your Coronavirus Anxiety (A Project By Shine) Relax and Breathe: Do Nothing for 10 Minutes (The School of Self via Youtube)