What Our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Healing
“To be present in our bodies as black women is one of the most revolutionary acts we can partake in. We agree to participate in a liberation of the soul, for the women before us and the young girls after.”
Our ancestors have cultivated a beautiful legacy of healing that awaits us. It is our right as black women to participate in the same personal liberation of blackness as those before us. Something that our ancestors can teach us about healing is that it takes radical vulnerability to allow ourselves to be seen and heard for our truth. At times, these women faced persecution and death for choosing to fully exist and be recognized for their greatness. As we continue to heal as black women it is important to remember that the truth and unfolding of who we are is a revolution that takes us being brave enough to share our struggles with the world.
Often times there is a misconception that the path toward healing is one of serenity and peaceful surroundings. But, our ancestors have taught us that the vision of healing is different with each generation. Healing is freedom songs, soul food, afros, and black is beautiful, megaphones, and street protests. While healing can also mean yoga, nature walks, and personal wellness. In the 1960’s my grandmother achieved healing by participating in radical forms of protests that many outsiders would consider violent. However, there is a certain vulnerability in the bravery to unapologetically share our stories with the world by any means necessary. It means that we are awakened to a sense of self love and acceptance that demands to be heard.
When we continue this legacy of healing, it is important to remind ourselves that we are participating in something greater than ourselves. We are rising with our sisters to continue cultivating our bloom for all women of color into the eternal. Each of us has our own unique path toward healing yet we are emerging from the same seed.
When we remember that we are standing in the soil that our ancestors have cultivated for us we are healing. Every single step that we take, whether it be taking a moment to breathe, reflecting on the wisdom of those before us, nourishing our bodies, crying uncontrollable tears, or protesting on the front lines we are healing. Our ancestors healed by facing the truth of injustice and we must carry that same spirit of radical action toward our unique healing journey.
With every step we take, we can choose to heal by engaging in activities that bring us closer to the feeling of being truly present and unapologetic in our existence. Every single moment is a moment to cultivate wholeness, a moment to remember that we are existing. There are so many ways that we can share our stories with the spirit of radical vulnerability. In whatever way we choose, we are rising.
Always remember, you are whole, you are blooming, your seed is rising!