Reviving my practice with the Hapag Ugnayan writing circle
Sometimes we need the support of others to show up for ourselves, and sometimes we need to connect more deeply with ourselves to show up for others.
It’s so typical for me to start my posts on here with some disclaimer about how long it’s been since my last post. Sometimes, things are just so busy — whether in the external world or in my own mind — that I’m not as able to carve out the time and quiet headspace to write as I’d like. Sometimes I get to, but sometimes, those words are meant only for me. But I’d really love to bring back some regularity with my writing practice that meets the outside world.
I was proud with how dedicated I was monthly with Mga Liham ng Ugnayan, the Ugnayan Cards Substack that explored our 12 wellbeing themes throughout each month in 2024. There was something about how my commitment to writing those posts challenged me while also giving me a greater sense of meaning, purpose, and accountability.1
I’m trying to find that for myself again with my newfound channel of connecting with food — the hands that make it, the kitchen where care resides, and the land gives without recompense. Lately, you may have noticed that flavor on my posts here with the following articles:
Last May, I also set up the Halina sa Hapag Ugnayan, the Hapag Ugnayan Substack, without much of a content plan — just a desire to channel more of this writing on food as metaphor and material reality into a space where other people can eventually contribute to the “potluck” too.
Hapag Ugnayan (@hapagugnayan) has been a happy experimental playground for me to create and co-create — expressive arts and spaces the reconnect us with the land, the kitchen and each other.
More recently, we’ve explored the Tampipi ng Ugnayan partnership with Good Food Community throughout June to July, which culminated with out Tikim at Tahi gathering at Good Food Sundays last July 19.
This time, from August to September, we’re launching the Hapag Ugnayan writing circle, continuing our solidarity with Good Food Community — to support the material conditions of their smallholder organic farmers and urban poor communities — with the help of new friends. Gathering this circle with me are Mabi David, Chingbee Cruz and Irish Deocampo.
But also, I want to acknowledge the origins of the seed of the idea. ☺️
To be honest, I really just wanted writing buddies at the beginning. I initiated Balikha writing circle 5 years ago now (the passing of time is wild!) — August 2021. Since that short-lived but meaningful time, I’d become closer friends with one of the more active circle participants, Betti. And on at least two separate occasions, while contemplating life over coffee, she and I shared the desire to start/restart a writing circle.
During one of the more recent of those moments, in late May, after taking some silly pictures imitating the art at Couch Club, Betti asked me: “What would the thread that ties the writing circle? What would be its purpose?”
For a very brief moment, I just thought: “I just want to have people who can help me show up to write,” then almost immediately after, I thought: “What am I thinking? Hapag Ugnayan, of course!” I had just set up the Hapag Ugnayan Substack at that time, and I was hoping to write more for it, and possibly get other people to share their writing there too. Sometimes, we need friends like that who enable our creative pursuits. 🤗
I had also already been cooking up Tampipi ng Ugnayan with Good Food at that point, and my brain normally gets activated by thinking of ways to integrated the different threads of my work and interests. So after several conversations with the Good Food team, and Good Food-adjacent friends, this writing circle was finally born.
It’s experimental and emergent, and that’s what makes it fun and interesting to me.
I hope this initiative creates a liberating space for co-writers to be open enough to expand their perspectives and circles of care, to be audacious enough to show up as their authentic selves, to be humble enough to question things (including themselves), to be human enough to feel, make a mess and celebrate imperfect works-in-progress. And ultimately, we hope this circle helps strengthen our community of collective care towards flourishing and food sovereignty for all.
At the very least, it will be a group that holds me accountable to show up for my own writing as well as my facilitation practice. 😸
In the circle, we’ll explore themes like:
Presence, mindfulness, interconnectedness (connecting with ourselves and our food) ~ Co-facilitated by Jen and Irish
Collective care, nourishment, participation (connecting with the kitchen) ~ Co-facilitated by Mabi and Jen
Justice, solidarity, liberation (connecting with the land) ~ Co-facilitated by Chingbee and Jen
I hope to write more soon. ❤️🔥
Tungo sa sustansya at sagana,
Jen Horn | Pagbubuo
Some people have an unpleasant reaction to the word accountability, like it brings a sense of weight, responsibility and liability, but to me, accountability is really just about trust — gaining self-trust and being trustworthy to others — when we show up and do the work.