One question project: Tuaca Kelly

What practices or rituals help you stay connected to your authentic voice—creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

First and foremost, thank you for inviting me to participate in One Question Project! The stories from previous contributors I’ve read thus far, and your reflections therein, reveal our human shortcomings and strengths to humbly proclaim: ‘no woman is an island’. These insightful stories serve as a gentle reminder for those of us impelled to undertake projects that aim to generate or invigorate community, inherently depend on collaboration to sustain any attempt to do so.

A mainstay in my spiritual development, poetry is profoundly nourishing through the attention I give it. It is an honest expression of my soul. It has saved my life. I’ve witnessed nothing short of miracles through the power of poetry and spoken word. How does this happen? How do I stay connected? Well, Evy - let me attend now to your great question, prompting an investigation into my own domain.

Making it a practice to pay close attention to ephemeral thoughts - all the while seeking balance with routine and tangible goal-seeking action steps as to not get too caught up in them - my primary modus operandi with writing can be summarized thusly: I examine, challenge, prod and surrender to serve the (often emotionally challenging and intellectually engaging) work.

Scrutinising my history, I can pinpoint and articulate specific steps I recognise in my writing process, hence.

Name the objective:
Creative works begin with a prompt, an invitation, an inspiration, a dream – regardless if the audience is a private diary, an open mic, a wedding ceremony or life celebration, a conference or other robust commissioned assignment. Deciding to appreciate my first impressions, that is to say, to do my best not to take anything for granted, I accept my first intuition: I respond to the first presentation of my psyche, the first definitive ‘yes’ moment, and to listen. From that receptive place of followership, I take a cooperative lead, name the objective then make a decision about where I want to go in concert with where my spirit is guiding me.

Short answer: I determine a direction and allow for any detours (not distractions) that present to build character in the writing process and work itself.

Jack of all trades:
My profound interests in people and culture, paired with my interest in systems and relationships, along with my intensive short-burst immersive and experiential learning style, has played a huge role in my educational pursuits, empathy, and multidimensional thinking. If there is a resurfacing memory from my own life or subject for me to explore in order to cultivate a deeper understanding for wisdom to mature, I’ll enter that rabbit hole with respect, interest and wonder. Still on course, these creative detours can reveal incredible connections for me to build upon. The fruits from these investigative labors might inform the motif or network of backroads toward my destination.

Short answer: I examine what I know, and examine what I don’t know, until I cultivate a perspective or honest relationship with it. (This ‘integrated’ step hints upon my next point and likely the most important.)

Keep it real:
In the form of personal questions and answers, I have benchmarks to push back on during the entire creative process. I ask myself:

1.⁠ ⁠Is a word or stanza relevant; does it bridge and serve the piece? Is another bridge needed to make it round or give it context?

2.⁠ ⁠Is the work honest? Is it on track with the assignment and does it reflect or relate to the human experience?

3.⁠ ⁠Does the work and outcome bring me satisfaction? Have I made it attractively challenging through the perimeters I’ve established for the piece? This is also important for bespoke work for hire. If I have a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction, when I’ve put all my care into writing a piece for an event, I know the audience will feel the level of attention, emotion, and desire to connect. This is the empathy engendering power of poetry. It is a remarkable gift humans can share with each other.

Short answer: I work with integrity as my co-pilot, partake in analysis with care, and acknowledge my feelings. I trust the adventurous spirit that fuels my labor of love and the intelligence of the audience in their capacity to recognize, to rest in, and to value integrity, effort and ethics.

Acceptance
Most passions are inseparable from agony. Writing, speaking, and performing raw material can evoke emotions and memories in the author and the audience. Poetry can be a catalyst for healing and celebration. Knowing beneficial growth is happening, not to mention a healthy quickening of dopamine in pursuit of, I choose to enjoy the challenge, even if that means I empty a box of tissues and walk grooves into my living room floor during the process.

Short answer: I feel grateful, humbled, awed, and strive to be precise (honest) and to serve.

To learn more about Tuaca, visit her website, Instagram or connect on LinkedIn. 

About Tuaca:

Hailing from multiple generations of Irish poets and musicians, Tuaca Kelly is an American poet, spoken word artist, and songwriter most known for her unique wordplay, uncanny improvisation, unpredictable humour, presence and ability to connect with the audience.

Tuaca’s poetry leapt from the intimate page to the public stage when her 3rd grade teacher secretly entered Tuaca’s contemplative work in a poetry contest, the unwitting student won and subsequently was asked to perform. The experience signified an influential turning point in Tuaca’s life. Since that pivotal moment, Tuaca has performed internationally in notable venues.

Originally from San Francisco, she represents Generation X. Tuaca’s unique perspective provides intimate, empathic and bold glimpses of humanity by integrating themes of love, nature, religious mysticism, spiritual discernment, personal development, unbridled sensuality, neuroscience, technology, forgiveness and service above self.

Queer & Feminist Awards Nominee for Poet of the Year (2023), Tuaca lives and breathes the importance of poetry with the understanding it is not a luxury, but an essential experience for mental health and a vital pathway for the human spirit to express the soul's wisdom, touch ephemeral empathy and connect with others.

Today, in addition to spoken word performance, Tuaca also serves as creative producer for Stichting Unwanted Words Project, a talent curator, performance coach, director, a host/emcee and spiritual counselor. As an innovative mentor, Tuaca conducts private tutorials, workshops and retreats to kindle inspiration, reveal insight, assert direction, and transmit presence to develop one’s own unique voice through the intersection of creative arts, healing arts and the power of words.

She resides in Amsterdam with her cats, an ukulele, a pencil sharpener and a thesaurus.

If you want to be part of this project or know someone who would, please go here.