“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare,"
— Audre Lorde —
The Body Mind Connection
Health and Wellness is a lifelong journey. We've chosen to approach it holistically on our site by focusing on the mind, the body and the spirit. If we are not well mentally, it is likely that we are not well physically or spiritually either. One thing that many of us who live in black bodies experience is chronic stress — and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. "Chronic stress alters the brain. Exercise reduces sensitivity to that stress, allowing for the brain to function properly.” (Positive Psychology) Throughout my career, I've seen heart disease devastate families and communities.
This section of the site is meant to be a resource of how to care for our hearts by focusing on the mind, body and spirit. We've also chosen to intentionally focus on wellness, rather than illness, amplifying opportunities to embrace those practices and routines that create balance in all aspects of our health. The mind, the body, and the spirit are all connected, and our intention is to create a space to explore health and wellness from the expansive black experience. We invite you to explore the site and share your journey with us as we continue to evolve in health.
Mind
Two of the most potent recurring themes of 2020 for me have been to slow down and to rest. I have a struggle relationship with both of these concepts and practices, as many of us do. Here in the U.S., we are conditioned to stay busy no matter what. We are taught to see our worth as connected to our laboras defined by capitalism…read more
Body
Yoga teacher training is something that came about even though I didn’t originally aspire to teach. Instead, delving deeper into the practice seemed like a really good opportunity to learn how to serve my body and become the best person I possibly could. Starting in 2018, I started contemplating getting a master's degree related to nursing. read more
Spirit
Embrace your joy through laughter with Melanin Bee, founder of Holistically HEALarious and laugh yoga coach. Holistically HEALarious brings laughter therapy and high vibrational comedy for your healing journeys. Melanin Bee is a proponent of cultivating your inner joy and light, overcoming challenges, rising above the petty, and healing through laughter. And, she's brilliant and hilarious!read more
Take Care of Yourself
“Black youth in the U.S. experience more illness, poverty, and discrimination than their white counterparts. These issues put them at higher risk for depression and other mental health problems. Yet Black youth are less likely to seek treatment. About 9% of them reported an episode of major depression in the past year, but less than half of those – about 40% – received treatment.” (The Conversation)
Let’s Get Healthy & Stay Healthy!
