At The Teacher Sanctuary, writing and reading are infused throughout our offerings. Both are central to reconnecting with our full selves and to those around us. James Baldwin observes this about the power of reading, “It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” And, Anne Frank speaks these wise words about the power of writing: “ I can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”

Being in a community connects us to each other and to ourselves. Thich Nhat Hahn reminds us that, "the larger your beloved community the more you can accomplish in the world." bell hooks builds on this idea, “Beloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.” At The Teacher Sanctuary, we connect with others through our cohort-based virtual retreats and through reading and writing together.

Just by being, we are worthy of self care. Audre Lorde says, “Caring for oneself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” At The Teacher Sanctuary, we believe that teaching is more than a job. It is a profession and a passion, something we can and must pour our full selves into. When we can show up fully, we can teach transformationally.

Each of us is a beautiful, unique, and whole story with a connected past, present, and future. Leonard Cohen, singer and songwriter famously says, “Our cracks are where the light gets in.” At The Teacher Sanctuary, we invite educators to come as their whole selves in this moment, and rediscover their light.