Readings: Breathe
Inspired by movement and stillness is one of our guiding principles. We acknowledge that these — our ability to move and be still, freely — are things that are rooted in freedoms and therefore political in nature. Everything is political. We stand with every freedom-loving citizen of the country in resisting oppression and tyranny.
Understanding is protest, said Arundhati Roy, an Indian writer and freedom fighter. We become confident, empowered and awakened if we understand. We thought we'll put together an online reading list to inspire, enrich and expand our knowledge on matters of mindfulness, history, justice and freedom.
Also, words give comfort.
On history and how people themselves teach power what it can do:
From Nazism in Austria to the Milgram Experiment: Resist Authoritarianism by Refusing to Obey in Advance (Literary Hub, 2017, Timothy Snyder)
On the inequality baggages and injustices surfaced by the pandemic and what we choose to bring into the other side:
The Pandemic is a Portal (Financial Times, 2020, Arundhati Roy)
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On local fiction that tackles the Filipino's social struggles:
Five Homegrown Fiction to Boost your Political Knowledge (Nolisoli, 2020, Thea Torres)
On oppression in many aspects of society: a poem:
All the Pharaohs Must Fall (Haymarket Books, Kevin Coval)
On the role of mindfulness in the quest for social change:
Zen and the art of social movement maintenance (Open Democracy, 2015, James Rowe)
So you have privilege, what to do with it:
How to Be a True Ally (CNN, 2020, Harmeet Kaur)
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An interview with Gina Apostol and the violence in separating politics from art
Gina Apostol is not in the business of making people feel comfortable (Nolisoli, 2019, Zofia Acosta)
On books by Teodoro Agoncillo, Ambeth Ocampo, Nick Joaquin:
Katipunero Reading List: a Bonifacio Day Reading List (Nolisoli, 2019, Zofia Acosta)
On politics and how to be political is to care about the happiness of strangers:
Why We Do - After All - Care About Politics (The School of Life)
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On transforming self, others and then the world order:
Mindfulness and social justice (Open Democracy, 2020, Beth Berila)
A meditation on the skies, fit for the times:
Where Does The Sky Start? (The Paris Review, 2020, Nina Maclaughlin)
No way is this list comprehensive or thorough but we thought this might be a starting point. There are so much more great writing on the subject out there. Please feel free to share them with us by sending us an email at hey@saansaanph.com.