Writing with Vulnerability

Back by popular demand

From 2021 - 2022, I taught over two hundred students in my Writing with Vulnerability workshop/class that I created one day on a whim, which is often how I work — I feel into the world and get a sense of what I can offer and provide. Maybe this is channeling, but it’s also how I have moved throughout my writing career. Teaching this workshop/class was first time I taught consistently, and it quickly became one of the most incredible experiences of my writing life as I realized… oh shit, I have some wisdom that people resonate with.

It made me understand what my skills were as a writer.

Vulnerability is underrated and yet I think it’s the way of the future. To speak truthfully is a retaliation against the forces that tell us to live in denial. This is an aspect of capitalism, a requirement even, and the forces of fascism throughout the world are also anticipating that we will live within the bounds of their orchestrated delusion. I don’t agree with this, obviously. In fact, I think we are moving towards times that will require great effort on our part to fight against the inertia of dissociation. This means living openly, vulnerably.

I’m hungry for the world, for connection and I’ve often noticed that vulnerability is a gateway to powerful ways of being with people. I have always been this way but for a lot of my life I didn’t have any limitations to what that meant or how that looked, so I would bleed everywhere, making a mess, and then I would feel embarrassed or shell shocked that people didn’t like me, or avoided me, or didn’t connect with me. Through time, maturity and doing a lot of ayahuasca… hehehe… I started to see how starved people were of being real with themselves, that instead they relied on their defenses (which were taught, either through childhood or through the failure of other relationships) and that people were closed off, like a vault, as a survival mechanism. Of course they couldn’t receive me, but also, maybe it was also about being discerning.

I can’t share all of myself with everyone all the time and that’s why writing also becomes a safe place to speak honestly. I am open up to whoever wants to read me, or whoever, frankly, cares enough to process my interiority with me. This is a gift. I’m grateful that I’ve found readers who care. Through the years, I’ve had a few asks about whether or not I’d teach this class again… and well, I’ve decided it’s time. If you’ve ever taken a class with me, thank you. I truly love you and am so grateful that I get to share my gifts with you all.

Anais Nin, I’ve been thinking about these words a lot recently.

A few weeks ago, I did this interview (also below) with writer Sophia Hembeck on her wonderful podcast, Things Change, and over the last few weeks, multiple people have brought it up with me as something they needed to hear. I shared something during the interview that I really believe: in order to be vulnerable, you must know yourself. I think this is also required of being a good writer. Whenever someone tells me they want to write, but they are having a hard time accessing it, I tell them to get our of their mind. I ask them if they’re journaling or writing to themselves. The best kind of writing comes in a flow state; it pours out of you, but a lot of that is about accessing those places within yourself. At least that’s the kind of writing I resonate with.

sophiahembeck

A post shared by @sophiahembeck

This workshop will be short, only a three-course workshop, but I hope you can join me. There are limited spots to maintain the integrity of the vulnerability that will be shared.

Here’s more information:

Where will it be? It will be hosted on Zoom. It will be recorded, just FYI.

When will it be? Three consecutive Sundays on May 25th, June 1st and June 8th

What time? Sundays 9 am - 12 pm PST/ 5 - 8 pm GMT

Are there scholarships? Yes, I will be giving away 2 full scholarships

What else?

• There will be community guidelines we all agree to in the beginning, I believe safe spaces are nurtured, not inherent, and it’s my imperative to ensure a safe space considering that some deep things could be ruptured.

• Coming to class means showing up for everyone as well as yourself, and a true investment in community care, which prioritizes compassion and kindness at all times—as well as transparency to self and the class.

• If you want to apply, please email me below with why you want to attend this class. This is an important :

  mofhasan@gmail.com

I hope to see you soon. All my love, f