Hi! I’m Ash Alves,
I am a writer, spiritual life coach, trainee psychotherapist, who helps to guide others towards healing and self-actualisation. My work aims to help expand your awareness through her thought-provoking writings, workshops, books, coaching and other resources. Ash is driven by a utopian mission- ‘for a world where transformative justice, love and healing, individually, collectively and structurally, are guiding principles for which we operate life’.
My Story
I always knew as a child that I was different. Being told that ‘I’m too sensitive’ made me feel ashamed for being who I am. I couldn’t control the intensity of my inner world; everything around me became my problem. Growing up in a dysfunctional background, there was no space for vulnerability. As a result I put up a hard exterior. I wouldn’t let people get too close. I shut myself off from experiencing the rejection I felt as a child.
In 2017 I hit rock bottom. The way I existed in the world- repeating the conditions of my upbringing, shutting out connections, feeling insecure, hating myself was making it excruciating to live with every single day. I found myself crippled by anxiety, depression and not feeling good enough.
Whilst I was in my dark place, I began writing my feelings on paper out of desperation for an outlet to process all the chaos that imprisoned my mind. Through writing I discovered my voice. At rock bottom I gave life another chance. I found the courage to face myself and take action on the chaos that surrounded me. It wasn’t an overnight process but I now know that all I experienced lead me towards the path that I am currently on.
“Sometimes the foundation falls apart because it was built with weak material. Chaos gives us an opportunity to build back stronger and better.” – Ash Alves
My journey as a healing writer opened up during this period of my life. I turned my pain into my testimony. My work is a reflection of the lessons and journey of self-discovering that I am currently on. You may be going through a roadblock or breakdown moment and I am here to offer you the tools to help you get onto the other side- the side where your joy, peace, abundance and love resides.
The Vision
I envision a world where people take ownership over their lives and journey towards wholeness. A world where love is the standard in which we interact with ourselves and others.
I aim to bring awareness to the impact social injustice has on people’s ability to self-actualise. I envision a world where all white supremacist, capitalist, imperialist, colonialist, patriarchy are uprooted and dismantled. I envision a world where food, water, shelter, and clothing are our birthright. I envision a world where love, liberation, self-determination, and accountability are at the core of the systems that we operate within.
“Being oppressed means the absence of choices”
― bell hooks
Healing has the ability to transform ourselves and the world.
Guiding principles
Transformative justice
Structural oppression affects peoples’ ability to self-actualise and spiritually evolve. I believe we deserve to live in a world where people come over profits. I envision a world where oppressive systems are overhauled and rebuilt upon a foundation of love, liberation, accountability and self-determination.
Self-enquiry
Self-enquiry is how we understand ourselves, how we show up in the world, and ourselves in relationship to others. By looking within and asking ourselves the difficult questions, learn our thoughts, behaviours, patterns, and inner motivations. Self-enquiry illuminates and sheds light on all aspects of consciousness. It helps us to understand how we participate in creating our reality. Self-enquiry is the process that returns us back to our inner power.
Compassion
Compassion is at the core of my work. It is about acknowledging that we are doing the best we can with what’s available to us. Compassion requires us to recognise that we are deserving of self-forgiveness and care. It is a reminder that we are still worthy, valuable, and loveable no matter what.
Don’t regret all the time you spent trying to figure out who you are. You were just training to be yourself.
Ash Alves