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1.1k PICKS  written by Erika L Harper LPC
Strong Black Woman Syndrome (SBWS) is not a technical term but right away most of us are aware of the description. Over time it has morphed into an extremely damaging stereotype but it was originally created by us to protect ourselves from the horrors afflicted upon Black African families during American slavery. Many women today suffer from this syndrome due to our ancestors unknowingly and devastatingly passing down their trauma genetically into us. The trope of the strong Black woman is the reason why Black women have always been viewed as physically stronger, less prone to pain and more verbally aggressive compared to our white counterparts despite there being no evidence to support these claims. It is for these reasons that Strong Black Woman Syndrome is the perfect shield for masking persistent depressive disorder. Why We Need A Sacred Space For Black Girls10/10/2019 623 PICKS  Graceson Todd written by Michele Alcime
It is important to find communities for black women and girls while we are on our personal development journey because the ultimate purpose of personal growth is to ripple through the collective and raise consciousness. We have all heard some version of the saying, “the more we take care of ourselves, the more we take care of each other.” It is more than just another feel good theory. It is proven that taking care of ourselves (whatever that means to you) influence our patience with our kids, understanding of our partners, and loyalty to ourselves. 225 PICKS  Ezekixl Akinnewu written by C. Nzingha Smith, M.S., RYT 200
I read an article this week where the writer mentioned being asked the question, “What would you do if you were unconditionally loved and supported?” Her answer was “Everything!” This prompted me to spend some time this week sitting with this question and paying attention to the answers. I decided I wanted to mix my faith and my words and begin manifesting this reality for myself and for a better, uncompromising future that allows me to grow into the “me” I truly want to be. Healthy and whole, peaceful, thriving, financially secure, and loved without condition. 2.4k PICKS  written by Women Of Color Healing Retreats
Healing is an ongoing lifetime journey; the healing of Black people is especially necessary. As we know, Black people have endured traumatic circumstances due to slavery. Perhaps you are a person who believes slavery has had no affect on the Black psyche. To gain more education and perspective about the intergenerational impact of slavery, one must look at racism through facts. Racism isn't solely based on feelings, opinions or emotions. It is a system based on factual history of the past, present and can statistically predict the future. To understand systemic oppression, one must remove their personal opinions and view it through facts. 480 PICKS  Joey Rosado written by Erika L Harper LPC
In an effort to empower and incite interpersonal confidence within women who are pregnant or may one day become pregnant this is how yoga was essential for reminding me about my power. In 2018, the year I was pregnant, I made a concerted effort to deepen my yoga practice. I found that first trimester left me too exhausted to practice yoga the way that I normally would, so I took the opportunity to more seriously lean on my asana (yoga poses) and meditation practice. What I love the most about yoga is that if you’re consistent you will glean increasingly more and more from your practice. I didn’t set out to prove to anyone about the benefits of maintaining a robust yoga practice throughout pregnancy. I also held no expectations about just what I’d be able to achieve at the various states of my pregnancy. My goal was simply to do what I could every day to make sure that I maintained my physical level and to connect spiritually with the child growing inside of me. Still a little part of me, although yoga isn’t a sport, the athlete in me, wanted to test drive my changing body to see what was possible. African Spirituality Tarot Cards9/27/2019 161 PICKS  Jessi Jumanji written by Women Of Color Healing Retreats Tarot cards can sometimes cause controversy amongst black folks. Some think that tarot is evil, but did you know that tarot is part of African healing? Tarot cards are part of Black Culture, because tarot has roots in ancient Egypt. The Tablets of Aeth, found in the sacred scrolls of the Egpytian Book of the Dead, was one of the earliest examples. Today when we see tarot cards, the cards are usually eurocentric, showing different white faces, contributing to the erasure of african history and spirituality. This is also why black folks may not realize that they, too, can benefit from tarot.
Leaving My Abusive Relationship9/23/2019 235 PICKS  written by Tamara Peterson
I met him on Twitter. He was extremely charming, well dressed, well traveled and well spoken. He had a lot going for him: a thriving career, a beautiful home, and the ability to enjoy vacations in other countries. He was very down to Earth. Meeting through a social media app is normal these days, so it wasn’t a big deal when we did. The first time we hung out, he took me to the Brooklyn Bridge, and we walked side by side, sharing our experiences and thoughts. We had an instant connection. After weeks of dating, we quickly decided that we wanted to enter a relationship. Our relationship was filled with beautiful dates, and amazing road trips. We would enjoy amazing cuisine while traveling together, visiting the different states. He treated me like I was a queen. 660 PICKS  written by Women Of Color Healing Retreats
Menstrual cycles — or moon cycles — are known to be a terrible time. But what if we told you that your menstrual cycle was sacred? Since the beginning of time, women’s bodies have been commodified and used as global resources. This commodification suggests to most women that their natural processes are more burdensome than beautiful. Many African cultures considered a woman’s menstrual blood sacred. In fact, blood potency deemed the idea of flushing female blood down a toilet, or throwing it in the garbage, absurd; however, over time, women were taught that their natural bodily fluids were sinful, dirty, and worthy of shame. This is why today, when women have their periods, it is a secret or they rush to the bathroom to hide their feminine products. To embrace your moon cycle and to understand its potency is every woman’s birthright. MEDITATION: A TOOL FOR INTERNAL HEALING9/16/2019 23 PICKS  written by Leandra Williams
What if I told you that a simple 10-minute exercise a day could ease and even eliminate anxiety, insomnia, stress, and depression—amongst other conditions-- from your life? It’s an exercise method that you've probably of heard countless times, yet you may have never actually sat down to try it out. I’m talking about the transformative philosophy of meditation. Although most of us have only seen meditation demonstrated in movies, and in historically white spaces, it’s important for Black Women to know that meditation has no color, and no restrictions to those who can benefit from this ancient practice. Meditation has been used for thousands of years, and was developed in Taoist China, and Buddhist India with African origins. 4.4k PICKS  written by Women of Color Healing Retreats
Rituals have been part of black culture since the beginning of time. Our ancestors worked with the elements, and connected with the sun, moon, and stars to bring forth manifestation, sustainability and healing. The Dagara Tribe in West Africa often used spiritual practices such as communing with nature and using rituals to tap into the spiritual realm. The Yoruba practices encouraged prayers, spiritual dances and connections with deities like Oshun and Ogun. Spirituality for black people has always been about connecting with the Earth. Today though, black people have been disconnected from rituals. During slavery Black people had their culture, original faith and spirituality taken away from them. They were conditioned to believe that their own spirituality that once healed them was a dark witch craft. Like many African traditions, Many things which were once positive are now presented as negative, this is why it is necessary to understand our history. |