Episode 05: Six Ways to Care for Our Spirits During Difficult Times
“We must take care of ourselves in mind, body, and spirit in order to have the clarity, energy, strength, power, and resilience needed to continue working towards the change we want to see.”
-TaReon Jael, excerpt from Episode 5
How are you doing? That’s the question we’ve been hearing a lot of lately. And we’ve been letting people know that, “We are not okay.” There’s so much going on in the world right now. Is it me or are things starting to feel like the new normal?
It’s been months since the pandemic started, and it no longer seems strange to see people out and about with face masks on. At work, in the State Lab, we’re still running several hundreds of Covid tests each day.
Trump is still in the White House throwing tantrums everyday, which is not new, it's just the norm.
Sadly we’ve witnessed the wrongful death of another Black Man at the hands of law enforcement. We’re seeing the protests and riots that have been taking place afterwards.
Tensions are high. We’re all feeling the weight of it in one way or another. For me, as a Black woman, in the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” I know there are many others who feel the same.
What do we do when we feel like this? What can we do to take care of ourselves while also taking action? For many of us we practice self-care which includes leaning on our faith. Research has found that Black women rely on religion and spirituality to cope with many if not all aspects of their lives including navigating issues of race, class and gender oppression (Mattis, 2002). And by doing so, we tend to our spiritual wellness.
In this episode we’ll:
Define spiritual wellness.
Hear some facts about the health benefits of tending to our spiritual wellness.
Learn six ways to care for our spirits during difficult times.
References and Resources:
Ep. 48: Self Care for Change Agents and Activists
Bryant-Davis, T. (2020, May 31). Retrieved from https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-48-self-care-for-change-agents-and-activists/id1471604689?i=1000476347669
Hoytt, E. H., & Beard, H. (2012). Health first!: the black womans wellness guide. New York: Smiley Books.
Reed, T. D., & Neville, H. A. (2014). The Influence of Religiosity and Spirituality on Psychological Well-Being Among Black Women. Journal of Black Psychology, 40(4), 384–401. doi: 10.1177/0095798413490956
Mattis, J. S. (2002). Religion and Spirituality in the Meaning-Making and Coping Experiences of African American Women: A Qualitative Analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26(4), 309–321. doi: 10.1111/1471-6402.t01-2-00070
Musgrave, C. F., Allen, C. E., & Allen, G. J. (2002). Spirituality and Health for Women of Color. American Journal of Public Health, 92(4), 557–560. doi:10.2105/ajph.92.4.557
Oregon State University. (2014, March 28). Religion, spirituality influence health in different but complementary ways. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 6, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140328103043.htm
Scott, E. (2020, March 13). Spirituality Can Improve Many Aspects of Your Life and Health. Retrieved June 6, 2020, from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-spirituality-can-benefit-mental-and-physical-health-3144807
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Creating A Healthier Life: A Step-By-Step Guide To Wellness. Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Creating-a-Healthier-Life-/SMA16-4958
Burlew, R. (2019). Wellness For Black Women: The Six Essential Tools Every Black Woman Needs In Her Life. Retrieved from http://randiburlew.com/5-reasons-why-wellness-is-especially-important-for-black-women/
Wade-Gayles, G. J. (2002). My soul is a witness: african-american womens spirituality. Beacon Press.
The Quarantine Chronicles: How to Launch Into Your Dream Life (w/ Dr.Thema Bryant-Davis).
Williams, J. M. (2020, March 22). Retrieved from https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quarantine-chronicles-how-to-launch-into-your-dream/id1341565149?i=1000469190624
Photo Credit: Maya Blisse @blissefulthinking (Pictured above)
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