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Put Your Gas Mask On First

On grief and activism; practical reflections on the horrors being perpetrated on the people of Palestine, and what we can do about it.


I'm gonna cut straight to the point. It's been a horrifying few weeks and your nervous system is fried.


Here's what I recommend:


1. Take care of yourself.

2. Take action.


And in that order.



An Activist Perspective

There was a time when I ran through city streets, out of tear gas clouds and away from the police. I’ve been handcuffed under bright lights, shot at rubber bullets, exposed to a "flash-bang" and spent a night in jail. I did all this in the name of "activism." I wanted to make a difference. I was angry and I was fighting to change the system.



Time after time of putting my body on the line, I became disillusioned with the idea that I was making any change. This is why I became an herbalist. I wanted to facilitate deep and meaningful shifts for people so they could live happier, healthier lives. I wasn't facilitating shit when I was sitting overnight in a jail cell.


Chanting in the street is one way to be an activist (and if this is a way you can show up, I encourage you to do so!). And this is not the only way. Not all of us can, or are willing to risk it all.


After fifteen years of various forms of activism, I deeply believe that the first step of taking action is taking care of ourselves. We must put our gas mask on first.



Take Care

Just like in the airplane demos, when they tell you if the plane is going to crash, you must put your own mask on before helping others to do the same, we must first support ourselves in this big moment of intensity, so that we are able to support others.


As Audre Lord said in her book A Burst of Light (1988), during her on-going battle with cancer, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."


Some ideas for self care activities are:

  • Journal

  • Make art

  • Take a bath

  • Stay hydrated

  • Eat vegetables

  • Take your herbs

  • Do some movement

  • Take time to rest or nap

  • Get a full night's sleep

  • Check in on your people

  • Find some time for your self

  • Say "no" to things you don't have capacity for

Which of these is out of balance for you right now? Pick one or two things from the list that you can focus on doing really well this week.


Take Your Herbs

There are also many herbs that can be helpful in allowing you to have more capacity when grief stricken:

  • Chamomile or Catnip: Helpful to wind down after a stressful day.

  • Holy Basil: S