what's (self) love got to do with it?

as it turns out, everything

#WednesdayWisdom

“When you’re free, your true creativity, your true self, comes out.” ~ Tina Turner

---

Morning Musings

Like many Black women of a certain age, I grew up listening to Tina Turner (thank you, Daddy). I even dressed up as her for Halloween one year (thank you, Mommy). So I considered myself fairly familiar with her story, but last week as I was scrolling through online tributes to Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock and Roll, there was one that stopped me in my tracks that showcased Turner in 1979 reciting morning prayers at her Los Angeles home.

Amid all of the online tributes, this one stood out to me because she looked so serene. Here was Turner, who’d notoriously overcome hardship and abuse, in a black-and-white kneeling on rug wearing a light-colored jumpsuit chanting the mantra “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,”  an homage to the Dharma of the Lotus Sutra.

Unbeknownst to me, Turner had been practicing Buddhism since 1973. She’d even released an album featuring Buddhist prayers and chants back in 2009.

“Chanting helped me to go within myself and open deep sources of happiness and wisdom in my own heart and mind,” Turner revealed in her 2020 book, Happiness Becomes You. “Soon, I realized that I already had within me everything I needed to change my circumstances and create a truly happy life. We all have that, and I want everyone to know it.”

The image of Turner, an international pop icon, immediately called to mind another picture of a powerful Black woman resting: Civil Rights leader Rosa Parks, who apparently had a regular yoga practice.

Rosa Parks practicing yoga at an event.

In a picture from the Library of Congress, Parks can be seen practicing Dhanurasana, or Bow Pose. using a blanket as a yoga mat. In a 2018 interview with Democracy Now, Angela Davis said practicing yoga in prison taught her about self-care. Civil Rights icons, they’re just like us.

For Black women, self-care nourishes entire communities and expands our capacity to remain present in a world that would rather see us perish. Because self-care is about more than checking off a to-do list of working out, eating right and so forth and so on, it’s about loving ourselves enough to put ourselves and our spiritual, physical, mental and emotional needs at the top of that list. And if Tina, Rosa and Angela could do it, than so can I.

---

ICYMI

Much love and many thanks to

Claire Zulkey

of

Evil Witches Newsletter

for including me in this roundup of forthcoming books. Have you preordered your copy of Stop Waiting for Perfect yet?

---

Upcoming Events

June 10: Daddy & Me Yoga Meetup. Our Mommy & Me Yoga Meetup last month was so fun, Nia and I have decided to host another one this month in honor of Father’s Day. Spread the word!

---

Links I Love

1. Maternity’s Most Dangerous Time: After New Mothers Come Home (The New York Times)

2. Janelle Monáe Is Back From the Future and Ready to Play (Rolling Stone)

3. Mad As a Mother (Harper’s Bazaar)

---

Now Hiring

1. Senior Health Editor for SELF

2. Editorial Fellow for Roxane Gay Books/Grove Atlantic Fellowship

3. Product Manager for Black Girls Code

4. Communications Manager for MasterClass

5. Communications Specialist for For the People

6. First Impressions Coordinator for YR Media

7. Grants Manager for The Greater Chicago Food Depository

8. Manager, Multicultural Social for Strong Black Lead

---

Thank You

A special thank-you to April, Cait, Amanda, Harleen, Megan, Najja, Jessica, Priti, Cat, Jenna, Mallory, Rachel, Angel, Sarah, Camesha, Vix, Anna, Stephanie, Dominique and Tiffany for becoming paid subscribers and helping to fuel this newsletter. I truly appreciate your support!

---