In her profound and illuminating book Royalty, Juaquina Carter delves into the essence of self-discovery and personal evolution. Through her poetry, she captures a transformative period in her life where understanding her identity became pivotal. Juaquina’s journey is a testament to how recognizing one’s true self can redefine our presence and impact in the world. Her experiences with mental health and spirituality infuse her writing with raw honesty and a deep sense of healing. In this interview, Juaquina shares the inspiration behind Royalty, the role of identity in her healing process, and the messages she hopes readers will embrace. Her insights offer a powerful reminder of the grace and authenticity that come from truly knowing and expressing oneself.
- What inspired you to write your book “Royalty”?
The thing that inspires me to write all of my poetry, life or some extension of it. Royalty specifically captured a moment of transition for me. It was a season in my life in which I saw the importance of knowing my identity, because it impacts how I show up in the world. If I know who I am, I can show up differently, as royalty.
Can you share how your personal experiences with mental health influenced the themes in your book? - My journey and experiences with my mental health had a direct influence over the book. In fact, what I love so much about my second book, Royalty, is that you can see how my mental health slowly progressed from beginning to end.
How has your spiritual journey shaped the way you approach writing and storytelling? - I love this question, because my spiritual journey has shaped my entire life and how I interact with the world around me. Because writing and creating in general is a part of my spiritual practice, I try to approach it with extreme honesty and transparency from the perspective of love. So I might talk about hard situations I have experienced with others very candidly, but never from a place of malice or hate. It is always from the intention of love and healing, which starts with telling the truth.
What does the concept of “identity” mean to you, and how did it become a central theme in your healing journey? - The concept of identity is something within us that cannot be changed or diminished in any way. In every season, we are who we are, even if the expression of it is fluid. It became a central theme in my healing journey once I realized how much in the world lies to us about who we are. For example, marketing companies will try to label people certain things in order to influence them to engage with whatever they would like to sell. With this in mind, if I know who I am and I hold onto that truth, it will determine what I engage with and the path I walk. On the other hand, if I believe lies about who I am or simply do not know my identity, I will engage with things that don’t really align and will most likely have detrimental consequences.
- What message do you hope readers will take away from your story?
I hope that readers will take away a few things. I hope through reading my journey navigating a difficult season of life, it will encourage them to lean into their own spirituality (whatever that looks like for them). I also hope they will be reminded of the concept of grace. It is so important to show ourselves grace as we try to navigate a very difficult and complex existence. Lastly, I hope they will take time to discover and/or remember who they are. - What steps would you recommend to other women who are looking to explore their identity as part of their healing process?
There are so many different steps and paths to take when exploring your identity as apart of your healing journey. So, my first piece of advice is to follow your own intuition and know that your path will not look like anyone else’s. Some other practical steps could be therapy (if it is accessible to you), spending a lot of time in nature, embracing a lot of alone time, returning to the way you played as a child, developing a mindfulness practice such as journaling, breathwork, or meditation, and connecting with a safe community.
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