If you’re finding it hard to breathe, you’re not alone.

May 2020

 
Photograph By Laurel Golio for Naaya

Photograph By Laurel Golio for Naaya

 

When I first began my meditation practice, I noticed my inability to make peace with my breath—namely, because of a constant underlying fear that my breath will be taken away due to the sheer fact that I exist in a Black body. Existing in a Black body means that a white person can cause me harm and face no recourse. My deep-seated fear of being shot often shows up physically as the inability to breathe.

I hold my breath when I wear a hoodie I hold my breath when I drive a car

I hold my breath when I have the audacity to question white authority

I hold my breath when I go to sleep because I know that home is not a sanctuary (Breonna Taylor)

I hold my breath when I’m in a predominantly white neighborhood

I hold my breath when I’m in a new city that I don’t know anyone in

I want so badly to stop always having to hold my breath, but I know that it’s not always safe to do so. In the interim, I will be allowing myself to breathe fully through my meditation and pranayama practice. I would love to offer you the chance to unleash your breath with me and to check in with yourself.

I’m cultivating a space that will convene bi-monthly for BIPOC folks to do what should be available to us in all instances—BREATHING. Details on the launch of The Breathe In coming soon!

 

Event Recap

 
Photograph By Laurel Golio for Naaya

Photograph By Laurel Golio for Naaya

 

On May 14th, we had a digital date with Layla F. Saad and EbonyJanice on the power dynamics between white women and women of color, as seen through the lens of Black women.

Key takeaways below:

White privilege is being able to choose when to have conversations about race with your children—POC do not have that option and are often forced to have these conversations with their children early in life. White supremacy inhibits BIPOC children from ever being seen as innocent because racism is their reality.

White feminism often sees equality as being equal to white men, which only perpetuates the same, existing systems of oppression.

If your spiritual work is not ROOTED in dismantling systems of oppression, it will inherently be violent.

SOLIDARITY IS NOT SAVING BIPOC. We need people who hold white privilege to dismantle preexisting systems of oppression—systems that inhibit BIPOC from becoming leaders, being financially abundant, and existing without the threat of death for living their lives.

Give as much energy to Black LIFE as you give to Black death—if you took to the streets to run for Ahmaud Arbery but are refusing to wear a mask or follow social distancing measures, you are part of the problem. COVID-19 is disproportionately killing Black and brown people.