Elizabeth Hawes

Elizabeth Hawes is an actor, gardener, playwright, poet, and prisoner in Minnesota. She has received three national prison-writing awards. She enjoys taking college classes and watching other people cook.

Essays, Memoirs & True Stories

Eight Tenets

This morning I tell myself, Everything is possible—the first tenet of qigong, the Chinese practice where you stand or sit and start scooping energy out of the air like it’s invisible ice cream. Reaching out and scooping, pulling back and placing energy on your heart, energy that allows good things to happen in all situations. This makes me feel super ninja and ready to meet the day.

September 2025

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