Healing and Wellness

Adapted from ACT Now! National Conference

Healing circles and wellness practices are embedded into Black cultural values and principles. Black communities practice healing and wellness in their day-to-day lives through actions such as meditation, healing and wellness breathing, yoga, Afrikore movement, etc. Each of the healing and wellness practices and movements works with and on specific body parts. For example, the Afrikore movement releases tension from our bodies to promote mental and physical well-being.

Poverty and systematic racism have negatively impacted Black experiences. Black Healing combats such trauma associated with these issues. Healing circles create a sense of belonging and a culturally safe environment that respects Black identity and unique needs. They also facilitate intergenerational information flow and promote Afro-positive healing/health discussions. It is a way of building community whereby individuals connect themselves with others and share their concerns with people who can listen to them.

The following three videos were created to provide an educational resource for those who wish to practice healing and wellness as a means of promoting holistic health. In the first segment, the focus is on healing and wellness, its benefits for Black bodies, and its application. The second part is practicing being present and expressing joy and libation in day-to-day life/practices. In the third section, we will find the AfrikCore movement. AfrikCore is a movement experience that celebrates the healing and rehabilitative power of movements from the African & Caribbean Diaspora. AfrikCore focuses primarily on the hips, pelvis, and spine all while anchored in deep breathwork to move stagnant energy through and from your body. The movement could be done differently among different populations.